Eight games inside the state of Texas, including four home games at Blackshear Field, three classics, a Football Bowl Subdivision battle and the renewal of two in-state matchups against Southland Conference foes, highlight the 2013 Prairie View A&M Panther football schedule. The 12-game schedule announced by Director of Athletics Fred Washington marks the most games the team will play since 1953.
“Eight games in the state of Texas is pretty big for us,” said head coach Heishma Northern. “Not having to travel and miss class as much compared to last season is big and the schedule allow us to have more support when we go on the road. This is a pretty good schedule which will be challenging as there are no cupcakes. We have to come out prepared to both play and win.”
Prairie View A&M’s 2013 campaign kicks off in the city of Houston on Saturday, Aug. 31 as they’ll travel to battle longtime SWAC rival Texas Southern in the annual Labor Day Classic. The classic, which enters its 29th year, will be played in a different venue for the third consecutive year as it’s scheduled to take place at BBVA Compass Stadium in Downtown Houston.
On Sept. 7, the Panthers head west to San Marcos, Texas to face Texas State for the second time in three seasons. A lot has changed for Texas State since its last meeting against the Panthers in 2011 as they were a Football Championship Subdivision Independent before moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision ranks in 2012. After spending a year as a member of the WAC, the Panthers will face their first-ever opponent from the Sun Belt Conference as Texas State joins the league in July.
On Sept. 21, Prairie View A&M returns home to the friendly confines of Blackshear Stadium for its home opener as they’ll host the Alabama A&M Bulldogs.
After two consecutive weekends of squaring off against SWAC foes, the Panthers reopen a chapter from their history books and travel to the Piney Woods of East Texas for a contest at Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas at 6 p.m. The meeting marks the first time since 1988 that PV will face the Lumberjacks.
The month of October begins in a festive mood as Prairie View A&M will face Grambling State on Oct. 5 in the annual State Fair Classic at the historic Cotton Bowl in Dallas at 6 p.m. The following weekend on Oct. 12, the Panthers head to the state of Alabama as they’ll play Alabama State at their brand new stadium in Montgomery, Ala. Homecoming 2013 is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 19 versus Mississippi Valley State followed by the fourth annual Shreveport Classic versus Jackson State at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La. on Oct. 26.
Unlike previous seasons, Prairie View A&M will spend most of November at home with two games at Blackshear Field for the first time since 2009. On Nov. 2, the Panthers will renew their series with Abilene Christian University as the teams will meet for the first time since 1996. Abilene Christian begins its first season as a member of the NCAA Division I and FCS ranks as they’ll round out PV’s second contest versus a Southland Conference school in 2013 and third in two seasons.
“When I took the job at Prairie View A&M, one of the things I wanted to do was to play a regional schedule,” said Northern. “I wanted to play a FBS opponent, a Southland Conference or another FCS program in the region along with a good (NCAA) Division II program which in Abilene Christian’s case, is now a FCS member.”
The Panthers travel to the state of Mississippi for their road finale on Nov. 9 at Alcorn State. The team will have a much-needed weekend off on Nov. 16 before wrapping up the 2013 campaign at Blackshear Field versus defending SWAC Champion Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 23.
| Date | Opponent | Location / Stadium | Time/Result | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/31/2013 | *Texas Southern | Houston, Texas – BBVA Compass Stadium | TBA | 29th Labor Day Classic |
| 9/7/2013 | Texas State | San Marcos, Texas | TBA | |
| 9/14/2013 | *Southern University | Baton Rouge, La. | TBA | |
| 9/21/2013 | *Alabama A&M | Prairie View | TBA | |
| 9/28/2013 | Stephen F. Austin | Nacogdoches, Texas | 6:00 p.m. | |
| 10/5/2013 | *Grambling State | Dallas, Texas – The Cotton Bowl | 6:00 p.m. | Southwest State Fair Classic |
| 10/12/2013 | *Alabama State | Montgomery, Ala. | TBA | |
| 10/19/2013 | *Mississippi Valley State | Prairie View | TBA | Homecoming |
| 10/26/2013 | *Jackson State | Shreveport, La. – Independence Stadium | TBA | Shreveport Classic |
| 11/2/2013 | Abilene Christian | Prairie View | TBA | |
| 11/9/2013 | *Alcorn State | Alcorn State, Miss. | TBA | |
| 11/23/2013 | *Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Prairie View | TBA |
– Courtesy: Prairie View A&M Sports Information
