The 2008 season will see Newberry play 10 regular season games in what will undoubtedly be one of the toughest Division II schedules in the nation. Four of Newberry's first five opponents finished in the Top-25 in the final polls in 2007.
Newberry, which finished 9-2 overall in 2007, has gone a combined 20-4 during the last two seasons and currently carries a 15-game home winning streak at Setzler Field.
That streak will immediately be tested, as the Scarlet and Gray host defending Division II national champions Valdosta State University on Saturday, August 30, at 1:30 p.m. The Blazers are coming off of a 13-1 season in 2007. This will be the first meeting between the two schools.
After a week off, a Thursday night prime time battle will unfold at Setzler Field, as Newberry welcomes North Greenville University to town for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Sept. 11.
Newberry holds an 8-0 all-time record against NGU, which is coming off of a 5-6 season in 2007. Newberry defeated North Greenville, 38-20, in last year's Thursday night game.
Newberry hits the road for the first time on Sept. 20 with the second-longest road trip in program history as it travels to Wichita Falls, Texas, to take on Midwestern State University.
It will be Newberry's first game against an opponent from the Lone Star Conference and MSU's first game against a South Atlantic Conference school. There has not been a SAC vs. LSC matchup since Carson-Newman faced Northeastern (Okla.) State in the 1999 Division II semifinals, and no such matchup has occurred in the regular season.
Midwestern State finished the 2007 season with an 8-3 overall record and was ranked 25th in the final American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) poll. The 1,132-mile one-way trip to Wichita Falls is the second longest in Newberry history. The 2003 trip to the University of North Dakota was 1,481 miles one-way.
South Atlantic Conference play begins on Sept. 27, as Newberry entertains Carson-Newman College at 1:30 p.m. After breaking a 18-year losing skid against the Eagles in 2006, Newberry was defeated in Jefferson City, Tenn., in 2007. Carson-Newman leads the all-time series, 26-16.
Carson-Newman finished 2007 with a 10-1 overall record and shared the SAC championship, but did not make the Division II playoffs. The Eagles were ranked 14th in the final AFCA poll.
Catawba College, the SAC's 2007 representative in the Division II playoffs, will play at Setzler Field on Oct. 4. The Homecoming game will kickoff at 7 p.m.
Recent games between Newberry and Catawba have been quite entertaining, with Newberry winning a double overtime contest in 2005 and a 21-14 game in 2006. Catawba defeated Newberry, 28-18, last year en route to an 11-2 record. Catawba advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Newberry will travel to Mars Hill College on Oct. 11 for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff at Meares Stadium. The Lions, who went 5-5 last year, hold a 23-15 lead in the all-time series, but have not defeated Newberry since 2004.
Newberry's three straight wins in the series are tied for its longest current streak against an SAC opponent. Newberry won the 2007 matchup, 48-24, at home.
Wingate University will pay Newberry a visit on Oct. 18 for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Newberry also holds a three-game winning streak against the Bulldogs.
The last five contests between the two schools have been decided by eight points or less, with Newberry emerging victorious on four of those occasions. Newberry won the 2007 clash, 31-23, in Wingate.
Newberry returns to the road on October 25 to take on Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tenn., at 2 p.m. Pioneer Field was the site of one of Newberry's greatest wins, as Derrell Mills sealed the 2006 victory with a strip and touchdown return to preserve the undefeated season.
Newberry has won three straight against the Pioneers, including a 17-14 win on Ryan Lukshis' last-second field goal in 2007. The last four meetings have been decided by five points or fewer.
The home slate will close on Nov. 1 with the battle for the Bishops Trophy against Lenoir-Rhyne University. The Bishops Trophy is Newberry's oldest active rivalry, dating back to 1923.
Newberry has won the last two contests with the Bears, including last year's 24-0 shutout in Hickory, N.C.
Newberry will close out the regular season with its first visit to Brevard College on Nov. 8. Newberry has won both of its matchups against the Tornados, who will be full South Atlantic Conference members for the first time this season.
Season tickets for the six home games will be $86. Fans will receive a 12-percent discount by purchasing season tickets as opposed to purchasing individual game tickets throughout the season. For an additional $50, an all-season sports pass can get you into home games for men's and women's basketball, wrestling, volleyball and baseball - a value of $125.
The Newberry College ticket office has once again made it possible for fans to purchase football tickets online through our ticket vendor, Vendini. A link to buy tickets will be placed next to each home game on our athletic Web site. You can purchase these tickets and keep up with the latest in Newberry College Athletics at www.NewberryAthleticSite.com
Individual tickets will be $15 per game or $16 per game for reserved seating. The price for tickets to the Homecoming game will be $18. All ticket orders mailed out will incur a $5 handling fee. Fans can pick up their tickets free of charge at the ticket office during normal business hours or at the will call gate the day of the game.
All season ticket renewals must be completed by Aug. 1 in order to guarantee the same seats from last year. After the cutoff date, all available seats will be considered open for sale. The ticket office gladly accepts cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express credit cards. For any questions, comments or concerns you can reach our ticket office by email at tickets@newberry.edu or by phoning Carrie Snyder at (803) 321-5101.
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