Wofford – it’s the school Georgia Southern fans love to hate. Maybe it’s the snooty, holier-than-thou attitude. Maybe it’s the fact that GSU fans are constantly reminded the average SAT score (1247) is higher than the total enrollment (1160). Or perhaps it’s because the mascot is a snippy little mutt that scares small children. Whatever the reason (did I forget to mention the Terriers have beaten GSU three of the last four years), the Eagles and Terriers just don’t get along.
All hostilities aside, the institution of Wofford College has plenty of juicy little tidbits ripe for the telling. We’ll begin with the name itself – Wofford. It’s the name of the Reverend Benjamin Wofford, who died in 1850 and left $100,000 to be used for a college in his namesake. And that’s all I could really dig up on the Rev. (get it? Dig up. Is this thing on).
The school opened in 1854 with seven (seven!!!) students and remains to this day affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Famous alumni include Jerry Richardson, owner of the Carolina Panthers, and Michael J. Copps, commissioner of the FCC. Next time you hear your favorite tune on the radio in all its edited goodness, thank ol’ Coppy. Damn you Copps!
Wofford chose the name Terriers the way every other school chooses a nickname – when a neighborhood dogs runs onto the school’s baseball field during a game. Since that monumental day, Wofford has been known as the Terriers, although they’re not quite sure which breed of Terrier. They’ve had Kerry Blue Terriers, Bull Terriers and Boston Terriers roam the sidelines of Gibbs Stadium. I guess whatever’s available at the time will do.
The Woffie’s also explain that, “the Terrier is a small, wiry breed noted for its courage and eagerness, and its willingness to take on and wear down bigger and stronger opponents no matter what the odds.”
There’s that snootiness I mentioned.
Wofford has been playing football since 1889 when the Terriers took on Furman in the first college game ever played in South Carolina. I’m amazed both schools had enough students to field a team. I’d also give you info on their fight song, but it’s kind of hard to have a fight song without a marching band, a "minor" Saturday football fixture lacking at Wofford.
The Terriers best season (since their appearance in the 1970 NAIA championship game, of course) came in 2003 when they ran the table in the Southern Conference and advanced to the semifinals of the playoffs. They’re still talking about it, and always will be.
So there you have it. All you never wanted to know about the “smallest Division-I school in the country.”
All hostilities aside, the institution of Wofford College has plenty of juicy little tidbits ripe for the telling. We’ll begin with the name itself – Wofford. It’s the name of the Reverend Benjamin Wofford, who died in 1850 and left $100,000 to be used for a college in his namesake. And that’s all I could really dig up on the Rev. (get it? Dig up. Is this thing on).
The school opened in 1854 with seven (seven!!!) students and remains to this day affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Famous alumni include Jerry Richardson, owner of the Carolina Panthers, and Michael J. Copps, commissioner of the FCC. Next time you hear your favorite tune on the radio in all its edited goodness, thank ol’ Coppy. Damn you Copps!
Wofford chose the name Terriers the way every other school chooses a nickname – when a neighborhood dogs runs onto the school’s baseball field during a game. Since that monumental day, Wofford has been known as the Terriers, although they’re not quite sure which breed of Terrier. They’ve had Kerry Blue Terriers, Bull Terriers and Boston Terriers roam the sidelines of Gibbs Stadium. I guess whatever’s available at the time will do.
The Woffie’s also explain that, “the Terrier is a small, wiry breed noted for its courage and eagerness, and its willingness to take on and wear down bigger and stronger opponents no matter what the odds.”
There’s that snootiness I mentioned.
Wofford has been playing football since 1889 when the Terriers took on Furman in the first college game ever played in South Carolina. I’m amazed both schools had enough students to field a team. I’d also give you info on their fight song, but it’s kind of hard to have a fight song without a marching band, a "minor" Saturday football fixture lacking at Wofford.
The Terriers best season (since their appearance in the 1970 NAIA championship game, of course) came in 2003 when they ran the table in the Southern Conference and advanced to the semifinals of the playoffs. They’re still talking about it, and always will be.
So there you have it. All you never wanted to know about the “smallest Division-I school in the country.”
