The Panthers and Bearkats will kickoff just after 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7 at Panther Stadium in a live nationally televised game on ESPNU. Tickets are available for the contest at pvpanthers.com/tickets.
Wednesday was the first practice since Friday morning, as the Panthers and the Houston area dealt with Hurricane Harvey.
"It feels good to be back out here," said PVAMU head coach Willie Simmons. It really puts things in perspective as to what's really important at the end of the day. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers continue to go out to everyone affected by the storm and the flooding over the past week. As the saying goes, 'life will go on' and Prairie View A&M University will go on and football has to go on with our responsibility to our program. We have a huge challenge ahead of us against the #3 ranked team in the country. It felt good to get back to practice and get our minds off of everything and get back to what we love to do."
The return to practice brought a sense of normalcy as well as focus for the program. Last week the focus shifted to Texas Southern and the Labor Day Classic XXXIII game scheduled for this Saturday. With the decision announced Monday to postpone the game until Thanksgiving Weekend, a new opponent comes into view, but just as importantly, game week is here with the Thursday contest a week away.
"I think the uncertainty which was there earlier this week is over," Simmons said. "I think it felt good for the guys to touch a football, to put the pads on, and be in our element. We know that barring something unforeseen, the game will be here next week. I know there was a lot of uncertainty of when we would play TSU. Now, we can put that behind us and clearly focus on our Sam Houston St."
The Bearkats were the only team in FCS football to go undefeated during the regular season. Sam Houston St., which had its opening game against #7 Richmond Sunday postponed due to Hurricane Harvey, will face the Spiders Friday in Waco, Texas at Baylor's McLane Stadium.
"It's a great challenge and a great opportunity for us," Simmons said. "We knew when we scheduled the game that it was a great opportunity for this university to continue our push toward national prominence. Sam Houston State is one of the most respected programs in FCS Football. They were ranked #1 most of last year, and are ranked preseason #3 this year. The job that Coach K.C. Keeler has done is nothing short of amazing. He's an outstanding coach, and they have outstanding players. We understand the challenge of a team of their caliber coming in to Panther Stadium. We'll be up for the challenge, and we're looking forward to the opportunity on national television to show what we are as a football team, as a program, and as a university."
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
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