Pine Bluff, AR — The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Athletics Department has announced its 2017 football schedule, a season that head football coach Monte Coleman anticipates will put the team on the path to winning another SWAC Championship.
The 11-game season kicks off with a Saturday, Sept. 2, home game against Morehouse College, followed by a Saturday, Sept. 9, visit to Ohio to play the University of Akron Zips.
For the 2017 season, the team has signed more players than it ever has in Coleman’s nine-year role as head coach, including seven midyear junior college players and 25 high school and transfer student-athletes. Changing the football program’s recruitment process is one of the strategies Coleman has detailed in his Road map to the SWAC Championship plan.
“My staff was able to go out and visit over 100 junior colleges, prep schools, and high schools across the country,” Coleman said. “By doing this, we are actively recruiting student-athletes that we feel can help elevate this program to a championship level.”
This year’s season is also one of firsts for the Golden Lions. On Saturday, Sept. 16, UAPB plays Arkansas State University, marking the first time in four years that the teams have played each other. Another first — The team will play two games in Little Rock, against Southern University on Saturday, Oct. 28, and a season-closing game against Texas Southern University on Saturday, Nov. 18.
The 2017 homecoming game will be Saturday, Oct. 14, against Ohio’s Central State University. Other home games this season include Mississippi Valley State University on Saturday, Oct. 7, and Grambling State University on Saturday, Nov. 4.
“Our ultimate goal is to win the SWAC championship. We have increased the number of scholarships that we offer student-athletes, which puts our program on a more even playing field within our conference,” said Athletic Director Lonza Hardy. “I feel confident that we will be a contender this year and have a winning season.”
The Golden Lions will make back-to-back out-of-state trips to play Jackson State University in Mississippi on Saturday, Sept. 23, and Alabama A&M University the following week on Saturday, Sept. 30. The team will also visit Texas on Saturday, Nov. 11, to play Prairie View A&M University.
| Date | Team | Location | Time |
| September 2 | Morehouse College | Pine Bluff, Ark. | 6 p.m. |
| September 9 | University of Akron | Akron, Ohio | TBA |
| September 16 | Arkansas State University | Jonesboro, Ark. | TBA |
| September 23 | Jackson State University | Jackson, Miss. | TBA |
| September 30 | Alabama A&M University | Huntsville, Ala. | TBA |
| October 7 | Mississippi Valley State University | Pine Bluff, Ark. | 6 p.m. |
| October 14- Homecoming | Central State University (Ohio) | Pine Bluff, Ark. | 2:30 p.m. |
| October 28 | Southern University | Little Rock, Ark. | TBA |
| November 4 | Grambling State University | Pine Bluff, Ark. | 2:30 p.m. |
| November 11 | Prairie View A&M University | Prairie View, TX | TBA |
| November 18 | Texas Southern University | Little Rock, AR | 2:30 P.M. |
Courtesy: UAPB Athletics
