The University of West Georgia is moving up to the FCS ranks. The Georgia Board of Regents approved the move on Friday and the school will begin the four-year transition process to the ASUN beginning with the 2024-25 academic year. West Georgia’s football team will play in the United Athletic Conference, which is comprised of members from the Western Athletic and ASUN Conferences.
West Georgia is currently a Division II Gulf South Conference member, which has been a pipeline for the FCS. Future conference members Central Arkansas and North Alabama were in the GSC before joining the ASUN. Jacksonville State (now FBS), Nicholls, Northwestern State, Southeastern Louisiana, UT Martin, and Troy (now FBS) were all members of the Gulf South before jumping to the FCS.
West Georgia’s football team was established in 1981 and was immediately competitive at the Division III level with a National Championship in the second year. In 1983, they moved up to Division II and didn’t have much success until the mid-90s. Between 1995 and 2000, the Wolves made four D-II Playoff appearances but never advanced past the opening round and then hit another playoff drought.
Since 2014, the Wolves have been a consistent playoff team again with five appearances in 8 seasons with much better success. West Georgia made the semifinals twice in those five appearances and advanced to the second round on two other occasions.
The addition of West Georgia would give the UAC a 10th member in 2024. As of this writing, the current members are Abilene Christian (WAC), Austin Peay (ASUN), Central Arkansas (ASUN), Eastern Kentucky (ASUN), North Alabama (ASUN), Southern Utah (WAC), Stephen F. Austin (WAC), Tarleton State (WAC), and Utah Tech (WAC). Those 10 will be joined by UT Rio Grande Valley in 2025 with its inaugural football season.
Photo courtesy of the University of West Georgia Athletics
