WCU Football Game #6 - at Wofford Terriers

For the sixth game of the season, the Cats remains on the road as they travel to Spartanburg to face the Wofford Terriers in Gibbs Stadium. The Terriers finished the 2024 season with a 5-7 overall record, and 3-5 in the SoCon with wins over VMI, Samford, and Furman

Game #6 - Wofford Terriers

The Cats travel to Spartanburg to face the Terriers, who own a 0-4 record in the 2025 season. A loss to Mercer in their third game gives the Terriers an 0-1 SoCon record as they enter our game. Wofford is coming off  a bye week, giving them an extra week to prepare for the Cats.  

When: Saturday, October 4, 2024  

Time:  1:30 pm
Where:  Gibbs Stadium, Spartanburg, SC

Radio: Catamount Sports Network

   -announcers:  Gary Ayers • Daniel Hooker • producer: Jeff Bryson

TV/video: ESPN+

Mascot:  Terrier

Colors: Old Gold & Black

Enrollment: 1873

Message Board:  Wofford Fans

Game Notes:  Western Carolina   -    Wofford

The Series: The Cats are 18-28 overall against the Terriers in a series that started in 1952 and the Cats are 6-16 in games played in Spartanburg.  The Cats are currently on a four game overall win streak.  

The last game played vs. Wofford:  Oct. 5, 2024 -  Catamounts Claim SoCon Opener with Gritty Win Over Wofford - Cullowhee, N.C. – Jalyn Williams rumbled for a pair of short rushing touchdowns including the game-winning score late in the third quarter and kicker Paxton Robertson split the sticks on a pair of first-quarter field goals as Western Carolina ground out a gritty 21-17 Southern Conference-opening victory over Wofford on Saturday afternoon at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.

Head Coach:  Shawn Watson -  Shawn Watson was named head coach on December 1, 2022. A veteran with nearly 40 years of coaching experience, Watson came to Wofford in January 2022 as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. On October 6, he was named interim head coach of the Terriers. Prior to Wofford, he spent the 2021 season as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at the University of Northern Iowa

Shawn Watson's record vs. WCU:  0 - 3

Kerwin Bells' record vs. Wofford:  4 - 0

Offensive Formation:   Pro spread offense

Defensive Formation:   Multiple 3/4 

Wofford opened the 2025 season with three of their first four games on the road. Shawn Watson enters his third full season as head coach of the Terriers, and returns ten starters overall, including four on offense, four on defense and two specialists.

Six Wofford players were named to the All-Southern Conference preseason team, C.J. Coombes earned a spot on the first team and he is also on the preseason watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award. The Wofford defense is 55th in the nation and third in the SoCon, with the scoring defense 16th overall and first in the SoCon. Three of the Terrier losses are by a combined six points, including two (S.C. State and Mercer) decided by just one point.  The turnover margin of +1.33 is ranked 12th in the nation, with the  five turnovers gained are 25th in the nation (3rd in SoCon), while the one turnover lost is tied for the second fewest in the nation (1st in SoCon). 

According to their statistics, year-to-date, the Terriers have gained only 180 total rushing yards (no rushing TDs) and a total of 547 yards passing.  I'm interested to know how well the WCU defense will be able to contain both their rushing and passing games.  Mercer held the Terriers to a total of 56 yards rushing.  

2025 Wofford Statistics (4 games)

Rushing Offense: 180 yards

Yards per game: 45
Yards per rush: 1.7 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 12
TDs rushing: 0
Passing Offense: 547 yards or 136.8 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 5.8 yards
Passing 1st downs: 20
Passing Att-Comp-Int: 95-44-1

TDs Passing: 3
Total Offense: 727 yards or 182 per game

3d Down Conversions: 12 of 54 (22%)
4th Down Conversions: 2 of 5  (40%)
Field Goal: 3 of 7

On-side kicks:  0 - 0
Red Zone Scores: 2 of 3
Red Zone Touchdowns: 1 of 3

PAT: 5 of 5

Punts: 31 for 1258 yards

Avg per punt: 41 yards