Six home games and a 12-game regular season highlight the 2002 Wofford College football schedule released today.
Capitalizing on an NCAA rule that permits 12 football contests during years in which there are 14 Saturdays from the first permissible playing date (Labor Day weekend) through the last playing date in November, the Terriers will play a 12-game regular-season schedule for the first time in school history.
The Aug. 31 season opener with Newberry College represents the Terriers' earliest opener in six years and Wofford's first game against a non-Division I opponent since 1996, when the Terriers posted a 48-13 win over the same Division II Indians.
Following an open date on Sept. 7, Wofford will travel to Orangeburg, S.C., to renew a series with South Carolina State. The Terriers and Bulldogs have not met on the gridiron since 1977, when the schools faced each other in four consecutive years for the only games in the series. S.C. State will return the game in Spartanburg the following season (Sept. 13, 2003).
Wofford's other non-conference games include a Sept. 28 home date with Charleston Southern and a Nov. 23 season finale at Elon. The Terriers and Phoenix will also meet in Spartanburg the following season (Nov. 22, 2003). Wofford and Elon have not played since 1995, the Terriers' first season in Division I-AA while the Phoenix were still a Division II member at the time.
Following the Newberry and South Carolina State contests, the Terriers' SoCon slate begins Sept. 21 at Georgia Southern. Wofford will also travel to VMI (Oct. 12), Appalachian State (Oct. 26), and East Tennessee State (Nov. 9).
The Terriers' SoCon home opener is also Homecoming when Chattanooga comes to Gibbs Stadium on Oct. 5. Wofford will also host Western Carolina (Oct. 19), The Citadel (Nov. 2), and Furman (Nov. 16).
2002 Wofford Football Schedule
Aug. 31 Newberry, TBA
Sept. 14 at South Carolina State, 6 p.m.
Sept. 21 at Georgia Southern*, 7 p.m.
Sept. 28 Charleston Southern, TBA
Oct. 5 Chattanooga*, TBA
Oct. 12 at VMI*, TBA
Oct. 19 Western Carolina*, TBA
Oct. 26 at Appalachian State*, TBA
Nov. 2 The Citadel*, TBA
Nov. 9 at East Tennessee State*, TBA
Nov. 16 Furman*, TBA
Nov. 23 at Elon, TBA
*SoCon game
Home Games in Bold
All Times Eastern and Subject to Change