Football Southern Conference

Wofford Announces 2004 Football Schedule

SPARTANBURG -- Six home games for the second straight season highlight the 2004 schedule for the defending Southern Conference champion Wofford College football team.

With a 21-5 overall record and 14-2 league mark, Wofford is the SoCon's winningest football team over the last two seasons. The 2004 Terriers return all but 10 players off last year's squad that advanced to the Division I-AA national semifinals with a 12-2 overall record and 8-0 league mark. Wofford welcomes back nine starters on offense and eight on defense.

After opening the campaign with back-to-back road games, the Terriers will play six of their final nine regular-season contests in Gibbs Stadium.

Wofford opens the 2004 slate on Sept. 11 at South Carolina State. The Terriers and Bulldogs will be meeting for the third consecutive season.

Wofford will then begin defense of its SoCon title the following week (Sept. 18) when it travels to Georgia Southern. The Terriers have defeated the Eagles in each of the last two campaigns.

Wofford's home debut will come in the season's third week (Sept. 25) when it hosts Johnson C. Smith.

The Terriers then begin a stretch of five consecutive SoCon games in the month of October. Wofford will host Chattanooga (Oct. 2), Western Carolina (Oct. 16) and The Citadel (Oct. 30) while visiting Elon (Oct.
9) and Appalachian State (Oct. 23).

The final SoCon contest will be Nov. 13 when Wofford is home for Furman. The Terriers defeated the Paladins, 7-6, in Greenville, S.C., last year to clinch the SoCon's first undefeated league season since 1998.

The Terriers will also have a pair of non-conference games in November. Wofford hosts Big South Conference champion Gardner-Webb on Nov. 6. The Terriers and Bulldogs will be meeting on the gridiron for the first time since a 20-14 Wofford win in Spartanburg, S.C., in 1994.

Wofford closes the regular season on Nov. 20 at former SoCon member VMI.

"I like having six games at home," Wofford coach and 2003 Eddie Robinson Award winner Mike Ayers said. "It's a great schedule and also a difficult one that we're working hard to try to prepare for right now.

"The conference will be very strong as usual. A lot of teams have a lot of people back plus some have added transfers as well.

"The non-conference schedule is very good. Facing VMI is a great opportunity to continue a rivalry. There's also a tremendous challenge in Big South champion Gardner-Webb. They're very talented. We've had an opportunity to see them on film. We don't know much about Johnson C. Smith but I'm sure they'll have some outstanding athletes.

"I can't say enough about South Carolina State. They have some of the best players in the country and coach (Buddy) Pough does a tremendous job."

Kickoff times for all home games will be announced later. The only road kickoff time known thus far is 1 p.m. at VMI.

2004 Wofford football schedule
Sept. 11 at South Carolina State
Sept. 18 at Georgia Southern*
Sept. 25 Johnson C. Smith
Oct. 2 Chattanooga*
Oct. 9 at Elon*
Oct. 16 Western Carolina* (Homecoming)
Oct. 23 at Appalachian State*
Oct. 30 The Citadel*
Nov. 6 Gardner-Webb
Nov. 13 Furman*
Nov. 20 at VMI