Six home games highlight the 2013 Northwest Missouri State football schedule, including a nonconference season opener against Saginaw Valley State (Mich.).
The season opening date has not yet been set with the possibility of either Thursday (Sept. 5) or Saturday (Sept. 7) game still to be determined. Saginaw Valley finished the season 8-3 and claimed the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference North Division title with a regular season finale win over Grand Valley State. This will be the first ever meeting between the Bearcats and Cardinals on the gridiron.
It will be the first time since 2007 the Bearcats will have six scheduled regular season home games. The 2007 season opener against Arkansas Tech was eventually canceled due to severe lightning near the end of the first quarter.
“We are pleased to have a great schedule in place for the 2013 season that includes six regular season games at Bearcat Stadium,” Northwest Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. “We understand how important Bearcat game days in Maryville are for fans, local businesses and corporate partners.”
Northwest will begin the season with back-to-back home games when Central Missouri travels to Bearcat Stadium on Sept. 14 after three straight trips to Warrensburg. The Bearcats will also make their first trip in three seasons to Fort Hays State on Sept. 21, before returning home against Nebraska-Kearney for Family Weekend on Sept. 28 to close out the month.
The following week, Oct. 5 the Bearcats will travel to Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla., for the first time since 1940. The two teams met as MIAA members for the first time ever this past season in Maryville with the Bearcats prevailing 66-6. Seven days later Northwest will host another conference newcomer in Central Oklahoma on Oct. 12.
“The 2013 schedule will be very exciting and extremely challenging,” said second-year Head Coach Adam Dorrel. “Our home opener is against a great opponent, Saginaw Valley, who has most of their team back. Looking at our opponents and what they have coming back, I believe we will again have one of the toughest schedules in the country.”
Northwest and Pittsburg State will meet for the 12th straight time in Kansas City on Oct. 19. The Bearcats pulled off a dramatic 31-21 come-from-behind victory last year in the Fall Classic over the then number one ranked Gorillas.
Homecoming is scheduled for Oct. 26 against Missouri Southern, followed by a Nov. 2 Senior Day meeting with Washburn to finish up the home portion of the regular season.
Northwest will close out its final two regular season games on the road at Emporia State on Nov. 9 and against rival Missouri Western Nov. 16.
The Bearcats will host their annual spring game April 13 at Bearcat Stadium. Time and details of the spring game will be released at a later date.
Northwest is coming off a 10-3 season, their ninth straight appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs – the longest current streak in Division II – and ninth straight 10-win season. Fans also packed Bearcat Stadium at an extremely high rate in 2012, leading to an average of 8,230 fans per contest and total attendance of more than 41,000 over the five regular season home games. Season ticket information for 2013 will be available later in the spring.
2013 Football Schedule
Start times for all contests will be released at a later date.
Sept. 5 or Sept. 7 vs. Saginaw Valley St (Mich.)
Sept. 14 vs. Central Missouri
Sept. 21 @ Fort Hays State
Sept. 28 vs. Nebraska-Kearney
Oct. 5 @ Northeastern State
Oct. 12 vs. Central Oklahoma
Oct. 19 vs. Pittsburg State (@ Kansas City)
Oct. 26 vs. Missouri Southern
Nov. 2 vs. Washburn
Nov. 9 @ Emporia State
Nov. 16 @ Missouri Western
— NWMSU Sports Information —