Western Carolina Catamounts football

Western Carolina has had 13 head coaches since the first team organized in 1931. Head coach Mark Speir was hired in December 2011. Bob Waters (1969–1988) holds the record for most wins (116), longest tenure (20 seasons), and highest winning percentage (.550) among all former Western Carolina coaches.

C.C. Poindexter, often called the "Father of Western Carolina Athletics", was instrumental in organizing the first football team in 1931. Then the Western Carolina Teacher's College, Poindexter was the first person hired by the college to work exclusively in athletics and became the first athletic director and football coach. He would later lead the baseball and basketball programs as well.

• 1949 - The 1949 Western Carolina Catamounts, coached by Tom Young, completed their regular season 8-2, winning the North State Conference championship. Western Carolina was then invited to play West Liberty State in the Smokey Mountain Bowl in Bristol, Tennessee. The Catamounts fell short 20-0.
• 1974 - The 1974 Western Carolina Catamounts, coached by Bob Waters, completed their regular season 9-1, earning a birth to the 1974 NCAA Division II playoff. The Catamounts had wins over ranked opponents Indiana State and Western Kentucky during the season. They then traveled to No.1 ranked Louisiana Tech where they were defeated 10-7.
• 1983 - The 1983 Western Carolina Catamounts, coached by Bob Waters, completed their regular season 8-2-1, earning a birth to the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. The Catamounts then hosted their first ever playoff game against Colgate, winning 24-23. Western Carolina then traveled to No.2 seed Holy Cross, were they upset the Crusaders 28-21. In the semifinals, they beat No.3 seed, and Southern Conference rival, Furman 14-7. In the 1983 Division I-AA National Championship Game at Hagood Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina, the Catamounts fell to No.1 seed Southern Illinois 43-7.

• 1973–1976: NCAA Division III
• 1977: NCAA Division I
• 1978–1981: NCAA Division I–A
• 1982–present: NCAA Division I–AA

• 1931–1932: Independent
• 1933–1960: North State Conference
• 1961–1967: Conference Carolinas
• 1968–1972: Independent
• 1973–1976: NCAA Division II Independent
• 1977–present: Southern Conference

Also members of the Smoky Mountain Conference starting in 1934.[2][3]

The main rivalry of the Catamounts was against their in-state rival Appalachian State. Western Carolina and Appalachian State played annually for the Old Mountain Jug. The two rivals first faced off in 1932, with Appalachian State winning 20-0. The Old Mountain Jug trophy was first introduced in 1976. After Appalachian State moved to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2014, the two have not met since. Appalachian State leads the series 58-19-1.