, ▁the ▁team ▁played ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁Southern ▁team , ▁with ▁the ▁result ▁being ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁declared ▁champions ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁on ▁an ▁independent ▁level ▁numerous ▁times ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁They ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁Atlantic ▁Inter col leg iate ▁Athlet ic ▁Association ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 1 . ▁▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁they ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁Southern ▁Conference ▁as ▁a ▁char ter ▁member , ▁alongside ▁univers ities ▁such ▁as ▁Virginia ▁Te ch ▁and ▁North ▁Carolina ▁State . ▁From ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁they ▁played ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁before ▁joining ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Coast ▁Conference ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁▁ ▁The ▁Cav ali ers ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁much ▁success ▁in ▁their ▁early ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁A CC , ▁as ▁they ▁took ▁ 1 2 ▁years ▁just ▁to ▁finish ▁above ▁ 4 th ▁in ▁the ▁conference . ▁Success ▁el ud ed ▁them ▁until ▁the ▁h iring ▁of ▁George ▁Wel sh ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁In ▁his ▁third ▁season , ▁the ▁team ▁finished ▁ 2 nd ▁in ▁the ▁conference ▁while ▁winning ▁seven ▁games , ▁losing ▁twice ▁and ▁t ying ▁twice ▁before ▁being ▁invited ▁to ▁the ▁Pe ach ▁Bowl , ▁which ▁they ▁won ▁ 2 7 – 2 4 ▁over ▁Pur due . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁they ▁won ▁the ▁conference ,