The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Southern Conference.

Since the school's first football team was fielded in 1931, the Catamounts have a record of 364–540–23, have made two postseason appearances, and have played in one national championship game.

Poindexter, often called the "Father of Western Carolina Athletics", was instrumental in organizing the first football team in 1931.

*2020 fall season was played in the spring of 2021 due to Covid-19 [4][5] The main rivalry of the Catamounts was against their in-state rival Appalachian State.

The two schools played annually from 1975-2003 as members of the Southern Conference until ETSU discontinued its football program after the 2003 season.