2009 football schedule released
March 18, 2009

LaGrange College head football coach Todd Mooney has announced the Panthers' 2009 football schedule. LaGrange will enter the season as the defending St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions after producing a 9-1 regular season record in 2008 that earned the team a bid to the NCAA Division III Football national playoffs.

The schedule features five home and away games each. Inside the SLIAC, LaGrange will have two home games and three road games. The Panthers will play 10 straight weeks without a bye week this season.

"The 2009 schedule is an exciting one for our team and our fans," Mooney said. "In addition to great nearby rivals like Birmingham-Southern, Shorter, Maryville and Huntingdon, we have added a national Division III power in Wesley.

"The SLIAC schedule is very competitive. As defending champions, we face a great challenge each week against our conference opponents."

LaGrange opens the season Sept. 5 at Callaway Stadium against the Panthers of Birmingham- Southern College. Kickoff is 1 p.m. Last season, LaGrange won 34-31 in the closing seconds in Birmingham, Ala., for the program's first-ever win.

The Panthers travel to Rome to face in-state NAIA foe Shorter College on Sept. 12 in the annual Governor's Cup game. Kickoff is 1 p.m. The Hawks held off a fourth quarter rally by the Panthers for a 28-23 win in Callaway Stadium in 2008.

Maryville (Tenn.) College comes to Callaway Stadium on Sept. 19 for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The Panthers downed the Fighting Scots 38-14 in Maryville last season. It was the Panthers' first win in the series.

LaGrange stays at Callaway Stadium to host Wesley (Del.) College on Sept. 26. The Wolverines have been to the NCAA Division III national playoffs four straight years.

The Panthers step out of Division III when they go on the road Oct. 3 to face Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo. The Blue Tigers are NCAA Division II members.

LaGrange returns to Callaway Stadium on Oct. 10 for the first SLIAC game against MacMurray (Ill.) College. The Panthers won last year's meeting at MacMurray, 49-30.

The Panthers travel to SLIAC foe Eureka (Ill.) College on Oct. 17. LaGrange won the 2008 meeting 63-19 at Callaway Stadium.

For the second season in a row, the Panthers face SLIAC foe Westminster (Mo.) College for Homecoming on Oct. 24. LaGrange downed the Blue Jays 37-24 last season. The Panthers go on the road to close out the 2009 season. On Oct. 31, the team travels to Montgomery, Ala., for an SLIAC game with Huntingdon College. The Panthers defeated the Hawks 27-17 at Callaway Stadium in the regular season finale for the SLIAC championship.

The final 2009 regular season game is on the road at SLIAC foe Greenville (Ill.) College on Nov. 7. The Panthers won the 2008 meeting at Callaway Stadium 20-6.