As a tribute to Wofford’s post-season football appearance against the University of Northern Iowa tomorrow, here’s a reminder of a game of nearly 62 years ago – when Wofford went to a bowl game.
After an impressive 11-0 regular season and a 23-game streak without a loss (in 1948, the Terriers were 4-0-5), Wofford was invited to the 1950 Shrine Cigar Bowl game in Tampa, Florida. They faced the Seminoles of Florida State, which had only resumed playing football after World War II. Newspapers heralded the football battle between “two of the nation’s best little college grid teams.” And, Wofford was favored in the match.
Unfortunately, somebody forgot to tell the Seminoles.
They won the January 2, 1950 tilt by a score of 19-6, ending Wofford’s 23-game undefeated streak.
Here’s the game program from that day – which saw South Carolina Governor Strom Thurmond leading the South Carolina delegation to the event. Towns along the way hosted Wofford fans, and many Terrier friends enjoyed lots of orange juice and cigars while in Florida.
