Cullowhee, N.C. – Five afternoon kickoff times highlight Western Carolina’s 2024 home football schedule as the Catamounts announced home starts and additional game day promotions as WCU celebrates 50 seasons at E.J. Whitmire Stadium this fall.
WCU’s first four home games will start at 2:30 p.m. beginning with the annual “White Out Whitmire” game with the home regular-season schedule culminating in mid-November with a 1 p.m. kickoff in the home finale against Southern Conference foe VMI. (Game times are subject to change).
The Catamounts open the home portion of the 2024 schedule by hosting instate foe Campbell in the first-ever meeting between the two on Sat., Sept. 7 at 2:30 p.m. The home-opening weekend includes the WCU’s annual Freshmen Run and the third-annual “Pride of the Mountains” Band Day. Fans are encouraged to wear white as the Catamounts open the season-long celebration of 50 years of Whitmire Stadium.
Coinciding with the home-opening weekend, the Catamount Club will also host its annual Bob Waters Memorial Golf Tournament at the Sequoyah National Golf Club in Cherokee.
After nearly a month away from home including the squad’s bye week on Sept. 28, the Catamounts play consecutive home games to open October beginning with the Oct. 5 meeting with Wofford on WCU’s Family Weekend with a 2:30 p.m. start. The following week, The Citadel comes to Cullowhee for the annual Heroes Day celebration on Oct. 12. WCU and the Catamount Nation will salute all military personnel – both active and veterans – as well as all civil servants, and emergency management personnel including police, fire and EMS as part of the Heroes Day celebration.
WCU’s final 2:30 p.m. home kickoff sees the Catamounts battle the Chattanooga Mocs on Homecoming on Sat., Nov. 2. The Catamounts scored a thrilling 52-50 walk-off victory in a battle of nationally-ranked foes last October in the Scenic City.
The final home game of the 2024 regular season sees the VMI Keydets come to Cullowhee for a 1 p.m. kickoff on a day the Catamounts celebrate their seniors while also honoring the latest induction class into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame. The university will also celebrate its long-standing commitment to and relationship with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians on EBCI Day. Local youth football and cheerleaders are also invited back for WCU’s final home regular-season contest.
In addition to the home game times, kickoff times for several of WCU’s road games have also been unveiled this spring. The 2024 season-opener at NC State is scheduled for under the lights on Thursday, Aug. 29, at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh in a game that will be broadcast on the ACC Network. Additionally, the Sat., Sept. 14, meeting with in-state nonconference foe Elon is set for a 6 p.m. kickoff at Rhodes Stadium.
The October 26 matchup with SoCon-foe Mercer in Macon, Ga., is slated for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Five Star Stadium. The annual gridiron grudge match in the mountain-rivalry “Blue Ridge Border Battle” between WCU and ETSU will kick off at Noon on Sat., Nov. 9, at Greene Stadium in Johnson City, Tenn. The Catamounts have claimed “the Rock” traveling trophy in back-to-back seasons including a three-point win in the last matchup in eastern Tennessee.
With the Catamounts ranked among the preseason NCAA FCS Top 25 in a pair of polls, season tickets for Western Carolina’s 2024 five-game home schedule are on sale now through the WCU Athletics Ticket Office by phone at (828) 227-2401 and in person through the box office on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, or online at CatamountSports.com. Ticket options include general admission, reserved bleacher bench, and chairback seats, with a Family Zone four-pack in Section FF. A $10 transaction fee will be charged for all season ticket orders including credit card, cash, and check.
Catamount Nation is also encouraged to join the Catamount Club and current Catamount Club members are also reminded to renew their memberships before the end of June.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount football and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountsFB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts).
2024 Western Carolina Catamount Football Schedule:
Thurs., Aug. 29 – at North Carolina State – Raleigh, N.C. – 7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 7 – vs. Campbell (White Out Whitmire) – Cullowhee – 2:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 14 – at Elon – Elon, N.C. – 6 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 21 – at Montana – Missoula, Mont. – TBA
Sat., Sept. 28 – Bye Week
Sat., Oct. 5 – vs. Wofford (Family Weekend) – Cullowhee – 2:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 12 – vs. The Citadel (Heroes Day) – Cullowhee – 2:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 19 – at Furman – Greenville, S.C. – TBA
Sat., Oct. 26 – at Mercer – Macon, Ga. – 3:30 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 2 – vs. Chattanooga (Homecoming) – Cullowhee – 2:30 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 9 – at ETSU – Johnson City, Tenn. – Noon
Sat., Nov. 16 – vs. VMI (Senior Day/Hall of Fame Day/EBCI Day) – Cullowhee – 1 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 23 – at Samford – Birmingham, Ala. – TBA
Sat. Nov. 30 – NCAA FCS Playoffs – TBA
– Game times are subject to change