West Georgia Wolves football

The West Georgia football team, originally known as the Braves (which was the nickname until 2006), was founded in 1946, when the school, then known as West Georgia College, was a two-year institution.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uwgperspective.com/alumni/stories/history.html|website=UWG Perspective|title=The History of Homecoming |author=Marlar, Sheryl}} They had their first practice on September 30, 1946, with 54 players reporting, and ended their first season with a record of 2–5–1. Prior to the 1958 season, the school became a four-year institution, and the football team played one year with only freshmen and sophomores before being discontinued.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/talladega-daily-home-and-our-mountain-ho/144302026/|newspaper=Talladega Daily Home and Our Mountain Home|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 11, 1958|page=4|title=West Georgia College Braves Open Season Here}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/144302206/|newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 15, 1980|page=72|title=W. Georgia To Play in '81|author=Reese, Earnest}} {{Open access}} In total, from 1946 to 1958, West Georgia won only 13 games.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press/144302330/|newspaper=Asbury Park Press|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 22, 1981|page=75|title=West Georgia football enjoys rebirth|agency=Associated Press}} {{Open access}}

On May 14, 1980, it was announced that West Georgia was reviving its football team, with intentions to play in 1981 as an NCAA Division III independent.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-herald/144302777/|newspaper=Newnan Times-Herald|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 13, 1981|page=48|title=WGC Football Coach Tells Rotarians About New Team}} {{Open access}} Bobby Pate was hired as head coach and the team had around 385 players try out, with 115 making the squad.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/144303433/|newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 18, 1981|page=55|title=West Georgia Worry: Reality's On Horizon|author=Heys, Sam}} {{Open access}} Despite them being in their first season in 23 years, West Georgia compiled a perfect 9–0 regular season record and reached the Division III playoffs, where they lost in the first round to the ultimate national champions Widener, by one score.{{Cite web|url=https://uwgathletics.com/news/2019/8/6/211808424.aspx|publisher=West Georgia Wolves|title=West Georgia to Honor 1982 National Championship Team|date=August 6, 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-anniston-star/144303852/|newspaper=The Anniston Star|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 22, 1981|page=25|agency=Associated Press|title=West Georgia loses in playoffs}} {{Open access}} In their second season back, West Georgia compiled a perfect 12–0 record and won the national championship with a shutout win over Augustana (IL).{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/144304103/|newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 6, 1982|page=33|title=Pate gets last laugh after unique success at West Ga.|author=Outlar, Jesse}} {{Open access}}

The team moved up to the NCAA Division II level after two years in Division III, joining the Gulf South Conference (GSC), where they remained through 2023.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pensacola-news/144304530/|newspaper=The Pensacola News|via=Newspapers.com|date=June 20, 1983|agency=Associated Press|title=West Georgia Is Playing Wait and See}} {{Open access}}{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/west-georgia-division-i-atlantic-sun-a5c5412f15d0f6e0dd54c883c9a911b8|work=Associated Press News|title=Division II West Georgia moving up to Div. I Atlantic Sun, United Athletic Conference|date=September 8, 2023}} In their GSC tenure, the Braves / Wolves won four conference championships (1997, 1998, 2000, 2015), two NCAA regional championships (2014, 2015) and reached the Division II playoffs nine times.{{Cite web|url=https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/uwgsports.com/documents/2023/9/5/GM_2_-_TAMU_Kingsville.pdf|publisher=West Georgia Wolves|title=2023 Game Notes|date=September 5, 2023|page=1}}{{Cite web|url=https://uwgathletics.com/sports/2018/4/24/211712918.aspx|publisher=West Georgia Wolves|title=UWG Championship History}}

In 2023, it was announced that the team was moving to the NCAA Division I FCS level as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC), an alliance of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and Western Athletic Conference (WAC), effective July 1, 2024.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/college/2023/09/08/west-georgia-wolves-announce-move-division-1|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=University of West Georgia Announces Move to NCAA Division I|author=Chavkin, Daniel|date=September 8, 2023}}

• 1946–1958: Community college
• 1959–1980: No team
• 1981–1982: NCAA Division III
• 1983–2023: NCAA Division II
• 2024–present: NCAA Division I FCS

• 1946–1958: Unknown
• 1959–1980: No team
• 1981–1982: NCAA Division III independent
• 1983–2023: Gulf South Conference
• 2024–present: United Athletic Conference

Future non-conference opponents announced as of April 24, 2025.{{cite web| title=West Georgia Wolves Football Future Schedules|publisher=FBSchedules.com|url=https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/west-georgia/|access-date=April 24, 2025}}

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

• {{official website}}

{{West Georgia Wolves football navbox}}

{{United Athletic Conference navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:West Georgia Wolves football}}

Category:American football teams established in 1946

Category:1946 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)