GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College football program has released its 2013 schedule announced Frankie DeBusk, Director of Athletics and Head Football Coach.

The Pioneers will play an 11-game regular-season schedule and will host six home games for the first time since 2008. In fact, four of the first five games will be played at the Niswonger Sports Complex and Pioneer Field.

Tusculum will open its season on Thursday, Sept. 5 against the College of Faith in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

The following week (Sept. 14), Elizabeth City State University comes to Greeneville in the third meeting between the Pioneers and the Vikings. The two programs first met in 2008 at Pioneer Field in a 32-30 TC victory. ECSU won the rematch 49-29 in 2009 at Elizabeth City.

Tusculum will hit the road for the first time in 2013 on Sept. 21 to face North Greenville University. TC owns a 3-1 lead in the all-time series with the Crusaders, including last year's 33-21 win at Tusculum.

The Pioneers will open its 15th South Atlantic Conference season on Sept. 28 when they welcome the defending SAC champion Lenoir-Rhyne University for Homecoming and Sports Hall of Fame Weekend. The Bears captured their second straight conference title in 2012 with a 9-3 overall record, including a 51-6 win over Tusculum. L-R also advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the first time in school history. Tusculum leads the all-time series with the Bears, 10-6, including a 26-25 win over the Bears in their last trip to Pioneer Field.

Catawba College comes to Tusculum on Oct. 5 in the 17th consecutive encounter between the Pioneers and the Indians. Catawba is coming off a 4-7 campaign, including a 14-6 defensive win over TC.

Tusculum returns to the road for back-to-back contests at Newberry College (Oct. 12) and arch-rival Carson-Newman University (Oct. 19). TC leads 8-7 in the series with Newberry with the Wolves prevailing in last year's encounter. This year will mark the 43rd encounter between TC and Carson-Newman in the second oldest collegiate gridiron rivalry in the State of Tennessee (CN leads 30-10-2).

Tusculum returns home on Oct. 26 to host Wingate University in the 17th renewal of the series.

The Pioneers venture to UNC Pembroke on Nov. 2 for a non-conference contest against the Braves for the third time ever (UNCP leads series 2-0). TC will travel to Brevard College on Nov. 9 to face the Tornados in the 11th meeting between the two schools. TC leads the series 7-3, including last year's 49-39 win in Greeneville.

Tusculum will close out the regular season on Nov. 16 when the Pioneers host cross-mountain rival Mars Hill College for Senior Day. It will be the 29th meeting as TC leads 16-10-2. Mars Hill pulled out a thrilling 23-20 win over the Pioneers last year.

Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference.

- TC -

2013 Tusculum College Football Schedule

Date Opponent Site Time
Sept. 5 COLLEGE OF FAITH GREENEVILLE 7 p.m.
Sept. 14 ELIZABETH CITY STATE GREENEVILLE 1:30 p.m.
Sept. 21 at North Greenville Tigerville, S.C. 7 p.m.
Sept. 28 LENOIR-RHYNE* (HC) GREENEVILLE 2:30 p.m.
Oct. 5 CATAWBA* GREENEVILLE 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 12 at Newberry* Newberry, S.C. 4 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Carson-Newman* Jefferson City, Tenn. 3 p.m.
Oct. 26 WINGATE* (SHOF) GREENEVILLE 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 2 at UNC Pembroke Pembroke, N.C. 2 p.m.
Nov. 9 at Brevard* Brevard, N.C. 1 p.m.
Nov. 16 MARS HILL* (Senior Day) GREENEVILLE 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 23 NCAA Division II Playoffs Campus Site TBA
Nov. 30 NCAA Division II Playoffs Campus Site TBA
Dec. 7 NCAA Division II Playoffs Campus Site TBA
Dec. 14 NCAA Division II Playoffs Campus Site TBA
Dec. 21 at NCAA II Championship TBD TBA

* South Atlantic Conference Game
HC = Homecoming Game
SHOF = Sports Hall of Fame Game
All Times Eastern and Subject to Change
Games broadcast locally on WSMG 1450 AM & TusculumPioneers.com
HOME GAMES IN BOLD