Friday, March 16, 2012

2012 Prairie View A&M Panther Football Schedule Unveiled

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Prairie View A&M University Athletic Director Fred Washington today announced the 2012 Panther football schedule. The Panthers will play an action-packed 11-game slate in 2012 highlighted by a contest at the defending FCS National Champions, nine Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) games, four football classics, two on-campus contests and the return to the Golden Triangle area of Texas for the first time since 1998.

The Panthers kickoff the 2012 season on Saturday, Sept. 1 against state and conference rival Texas Southern in the 28th edition of the State Farm Labor Day Classic as it returns to Reliant Stadium in Houston after a one-year hiatus at 7 p.m. For the second straight season, the rivalry will feature a new but familiar face as second-year head coach Heishma Northern will square off against longtime friend and new TSU head coach Darrell Asberry.

On Sept. 8, the Panthers will make the short trek down the highway to the Golden Triangle as they'll meet Lamar University of the Southland Conference for the first time since 1985 in Beaumont, Texas. In addition to the first meeting between both teams in nearly 27 years, the Panthers will return to the city of Beaumont and Provost Umphrey Stadium for the first time since 1998.

One week later on Sept. 15, Prairie View A&M travels to Huntsville, Ala. for a 6 p.m. match-up at Alabama A&M in the third annual Lewis Crews Classic before closing out non-conference play with a game at defending 2011 FCS National Champion North Dakota State on Sept. 22 in Fargo, N.D. The month of September concludes on Sept. 29 as the Panthers step back into SWAC play with a trip to Jackson, Miss. for a meeting at Jackson State.

The annual State Fair Classic in the Cotton Bowl kicks off the month of October as PV will square off against Grambling State in Dallas on Oct. 6. After a much-deserved weekend off on Oct. 13, the Panthers make their Blackshear Field debut on Oct. 20 as Alcorn State comes to town in a homecoming showdown at 2 p.m. One weekend later on Oct. 27, Prairie View will participate in the third annual Shreveport Classic at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La. against divisional foe Southern University.

The schedule's homestretch begins on Saturday, Nov. 3 as the Panthers return home to Blackshear Field to face Alabama State. The Panthers will honor their 2012 senior class during the contest in addition to the third annual PV Marching Storm Band Appreciation Day. The season concludes on the road for consecutive weekends as the Panthers will travel to Mississippi Valley State on Saturday, Nov. 10 and Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday, Nov. 17.

“This is one of our most competitive schedules we've had in quite some time,” said Northern. “From the opening week to the final week, we're going to have to bring our 'A' game to the field as we have two solid non-conference teams plus our league foes. I'm looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

Panther fans will have an opportunity to get an early jump on the action for next season as season tickets for the 2012 season will go on sale April 15. For more information and to see finalized game times once they're available, log on to the department's official athletic website at http://www.pvpanthers.com/.

Day Date Opponent Location/Stadium Times
9/1/2012 *Texas Southern Houston,Tx - Reliant Stadium 7:00 p.m. State Farm Labor Day Classic XXVIII 
9/8/2012 Lamar Beaumont, Texas TBA
9/15/2012 *Alabama A&M Huntsville, Ala. 6:00 p.m. Lewis Crews Classic 
.9/22/2012 North Dakota State Fargo, N.D. TBA 
 9/29/2012 *Jackson State Jackson, Miss. TBA
 10/6/2012 *Grambling State Dallas, Texas - Cotton Bowl 6:00 p.m. State Fair Classic
 10/20/2012 *Alcorn State Prairie View 2:00 p.m. Homecoming 2012
 10/27/2012 *Southern Shreveport, La. - Independence 4:00 p.m. Shreveport Classic
 11/3/2012 *Alabama State Prairie View 1:00 p.m.
 11/10/2012 *Mississippi Valley Itta Bena, Miss. 1:00 p.m.
 11/17/2012 *Arkansas-Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, Ark. TBA

COURTESY PVAMU SPORTS INFORMATION

North Dakota State completes 2012 Football Schedule with PVAMU

FARGO, N.D., North Dakota State University issued the following news release on March 13:

North Dakota State University director of athletics Gene Taylor announced the completion of the 2012 schedule with Prairie View A&M University on Sept. 22 at the Fargodome.

Prairie View A&M, located in Prairie, Texas, compiled a 5-6 record in 2011 including a 5-4 record in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). This will be the first meeting with the Panthers, coached by Heishma Northern. The Bison have a 3-0 record against the SWAC, 2-0 vs. Mississippi Valley State and 1-0 vs. Grambling State.

Prairie View A&M is the second-oldest public institution of higher education in Texas, second only to Texas A&M University. The Panthers have won 11 SWAC championships, the last coming in 2009, and have claimed five Black College National Championships in its football history.

North Dakota State opens the season Sept. 1 against Robert Morris, a rematch of the 2010 NCAA FCS first-round playoff game. The Bison then travel to Fort Collins to face Colorado State of the Mountain West Conference on Sept. 8.

NDSU is scheduled to open Missouri Valley Football Conference action Sept. 29 at Northern Iowa. The Bison have home conference games with Youngstown State on Oct. 6, the annual homecoming game vs. Indiana State on Oct. 13, the Harvest Bowl on Oct. 27 with Southern Illinois and the annual Dakota Marker game with South Dakota State on Nov. 10.

Valley Football road games include stops at South Dakota on Oct. 20, Missouri State on Nov. 3 and Illinois State on Nov. 17

The Bison do not play Western Illinois in 2012.

North Dakota State won the program's first NCAA Division I Football Championship with a 17-6 win over Sam Houston State on Jan. 7 and also claimed the program's first Missouri Valley Football Conference title. Head coach Craig Bohl led the Bison to a 14-1 overall record and 7-1 record in MVFC.

NDSU is scheduled to start spring football drills on March 24 and culminate with the annual Green-Gold Spring Game at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 21, in the Fargodome.

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