Bearcats begin 2013 season with Saginaw Valley State

Six home games highlight the 2013 Northwest Missouri State football schedule, including a non-conference 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.

This is 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.

"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 will begin the season with back-to-back home games.

On Sept. 14, Central Missouri makes its first regular season visit to Northwest since 2009. The Bearcats have played in Warrensburg each of the past three years.

Northwest will make its first trip to Fort Hays State since 2009 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. Central Oklahoma enters Bearcat Stadium for the first time as an MIAA school on Oct. 12.

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.

2013 Football Schedule

(home games in bold)

Sept. 5 or 7 Saginaw Valley State

Sept. 14 Central Missouri

Sept. 21 at Fort Hays State

Sept. 28 Nebraska-Kearney

Oct. 5 at Northeastern State

Oct. 12 Central Oklahoma

Oct. 19 Pittsburg State (Fall Classic)

Oct. 26 Missouri Southern

Nov. 2 Washburn

Nov. 9 at Emporia State

Nov. 16 at Missouri Western