Wofford and Furman play the first intercollegiate football game in South Carolina

Background. The 1889 college football season involved American football played among colleges and universities in the United States during the 1889–90 academic year. In the South, Wofford College defeated Furman University in what is recorded as the first intercollegiate game played in the state of South Carolina. This event established a precedent for collegiate football in the region.

Participants. Wofford College, a private liberal arts college in Spartanburg, South Carolina, founded in 1854, participated in the game. Furman University, a private university in Greenville, South Carolina, was the opposing team; it is described as founded in 1826, though Furman Academy and Theological Institution was incorporated in December 1825 in Edgefield by the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Both institutions were active in the 1889 season, with Wofford securing the victory in this specific match.

Game Conditions. The match featured no uniforms and no positions. The rules for the game were formulated before the contest took place. These conditions distinguish the event from later standardized collegiate football practices, highlighting its early experimental nature within the 1889 season.