Huntingdon football schedule set for 2012

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Huntingdon College athletic department officially released its 2012 football schedule on Thursday.

The Hawks' schedule features six teams from the 2011 schedule, two 2011 playoff teams and two teams Huntingdon will be playing for the first time.

The Hawks' seven NCAA Division III opponents combined for 47 wins last season.

"One thing we've always tried to do is schedule tough competition," Huntingdon head coach Mike Turk said. "There are a lot of challenges on this schedule. It's a schedule where, if we do what we're supposed to and take care of business, we'll have a chance to win every game. At the same time, if we don't do what we're supposed to, we could lose a lot of games. We're going to have to be ready to play every week."

Huntingdon will open with three straight rivalry games, hosting Maryville on Sept. 1 and Birmingham-Southern on Sept. 8 and traveling to LaGrange on Sept. 15. A trip to Virginia to play Hampden-Sydney follows on Sept. 22.

The Tigers, who have won eight or more games in nine of the past 10 seasons, were ranked in 2011 and reached the Division III playoffs. Huntingdon's win over Hampden-Sydney last season was the Hawks' first win over a nationally ranked opponent.

"We're blessed with natural rivals in Maryville, Birmingham-Southern and LaGrange and we just happen to open the season with those three teams this fall," Turk said. "That's an added incentive to work and prepare because we know have to be moving at full speed when the season starts. We follow up the first three games with a trip to Hampden-Sydney, a perennial top-25 team. There aren't any easy games to start the season."

Huntingdon closes out September with a home game against second-year NAIA program Ave Maria (Fla.) before traveling to Millsaps on Oct. 6. Huntingdon will have two open weeks on Oct. 13 and Oct. 20 before hosting Wesley College (Del.) on Oct. 27. The Wolverines, who lost in the Division III semifinals last season and were ranked No. 3 in the final Division III polls, have won at least 12 games in five of the past seven seasons.

The Hawks wrap up the regular season with two games in November. Huntingdon travels to East Point, Ga., to play Point University on Nov. 3. The first-year NAIA program is coached by former Auburn and NFL defensive back Kevin Porter.

Michigan's Adrian College comes to Samford Stadium for the final regular-season game on Nov. 10. Adrian was 8-2 last season.

"There aren't a lot of breaks in this schedule," Turk said. "Each week is going to be a test. It's going to challenge us to play at a high level every week and to continue to play at a high level until we get to where we want to be."

2012 Huntingdon Football Schedule

Sept. 1      Maryville (Tenn.)                         1 p.m.

Sept. 8      Birmingham-Southern                 1 p.m.

Sept. 15     at LaGrange (Ga.)                           5 p.m.

Sept. 22     at Hampden-Sydney (Va.)                TBA

Sept. 29    Ave Maria (Fla.)                           1 p.m.

Oct. 6         at Millsaps (Miss.)                            1 p.m.

Oct. 27      Wesley College (Del.)                   1 p.m.

Nov. 3        at Point University (Ga.)                    1 p.m.

Nov. 10     Adrian College (Mich.)                  1 p.m.

* All times are Central