GOLDEN TIGERS MAKE SEVENTH APPEARANCE IN PIONEER BOWL
|
Posted By: Brandon Russell on November 30, 2006 TUSKEGEE, Ala. – (November 29, 2006) – The Golden Tigers (8-3) will make their seventh appearance in the Pioneer Bowl and will face the Johnson C. Smith University Golden Bulls (7-3) at 2 p.m. (EST), on Dec. 2, at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. This Pioneer Bowl marks the first for Head Football Coach Willie Slater. “Johnson C. Smith has a very good team. We’ve been preparing for them all week, and we know what they can do,” Slater says. The Golden Tigers carry a 4-2 Pioneer Bowl record into Saturday’s game against the Golden Bulls. Both teams have met a total of 16 times, with Tuskegee leading the series 11-5-0. In their last meeting in 2000, the Golden Tigers blasted the Bulls 48-0, en route to a perfect 12-0 season. Senior quarterback Kevin Huff led Tuskegee to a 28-26 victory against Bowie State University in Pioneer VIII. His ability to beat teams with his arm and legs earned him the Pioneer Bowl VIII offensive player of the game. On the season, Huff has more than 1,700 passing yards and nearly 600 rushing. He once again looks to spark a Tuskegee offense that is first in the conference with a 27.5 scoring average. Defensively, the Golden Tigers are holding opponents to under 20 points a game. They’re allowing 142.6 passing yards and 111.0 rushing. Freshman linebacker Jonathan Hall leads the team with 71 tackles. Head to head, Tuskegee nearly leads Johnson C. Smith in every statistical category, but in order to back those impressive statistics, Slater says, “We have to play our best game.” During the Golden Bulls’ last game of the season, they suffered a 52-7 beating by North Carolina Central University and finished third in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association West. This marks the first Pioneer Bowl appearance for the Golden Bulls. In addition to preparing for Saturday’s face off, Pioneer Bowl IX participants have been invited by NASCAR to tour the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. The Golden Tigers will visit the 167,000-seat facility housing some of NASCAR’s most prestigious events, including three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events, two NASCAR Busch Series races and a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team will also visit the NEXTEL Cup garage, travel down pit road and take a picture in Victory Circle. The highlight of this half-hour tour is a comfortable van ride around the speedway where team members will feel the full-tilt force of the 24-degree banking. Some players will get a chance to travel around the Super Speedway in an actual racecar traveling about 90 miles an hour. This year, Tuskegee finished second in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and is ranked fourth in the Sheridan Broadcasting Network Poll. As the “winningest” historically Black college or university in America, Tuskegee University has 587 career wins and is 13 away from the 600 mark in overall victories. Pioneer Bowl IX marks the 18th Bowl appearance for the Golden Tigers since 1930. To view a live web broadcast of Pioneer Bowl IX visit pennatlantic.com. Coverage will begin at noon with the Battle of the Bands. Tickets are available at the Tuskegee University Cashier’s Office in the Kresge Center, (334) 727-8525; Felder’s Gift Shop, (334) 727-1130; or call, (800) 727-8195. Prior to the game, the Tuskegee National Alumni Association will tailgate in the parking lot across from American Legion Memorial Stadium at 11:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.tuskegee.edu or www.pioneerbowl.com. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
 |
Brandon Russell
From St. Louis, MO Member Since November 2006 |
Comments
More From This Author
Latest HBCU Sports
Popular HBCU Sports
