Hanover College Football's 2020 Season Schedule Released

Home Opener Saturday, September 19th Against Maryville (Tenn.)

With back-to-back Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference titles under their belt, the Hanover College football program has released its 2020 season schedule.

The Panthers are coming off a 2019 campaign that saw them advance to their second consecutive NCAA Division III National Playoff. The Blue and Red posted a 9-2 overall record with a perfect 7-0 conference mark, claiming the HCAC crown outright.

Hanover will open the 2020 season with a series of road contest traveling to Danville, Ky. on Saturday, Sept. 5 for their season-opener with the Colonels of Centre University before heading north on Saturday, Sept. 12 to face-off with the Bulldogs of Adrian College.

The Panthers and Colonels meet for the eighth straight season with Centre holding the series lead. The 2019 clash saw the two team's square off on C. Wayne Perry Field at Alumni Stadium with the nationally ranked Colonels claiming the 45-31 victory.

The Hanover home-opener is slated for Saturday, Sept. 19 when they welcome Maryville (Tenn.) to Alumni Stadium. The Panthers will also be hosting Spring Sport Appreciation Day, recognizing those spring sport seniors who saw their seasons cut short.

The Panthers and Scots square off for the second consecutive season with Hanover claiming the 2019 victory by a 31-10 margin.

The Blue and Red begin the defense of the HCAC crown with a trip to Anderson on Saturday, Oct. 3 before welcoming Rose-Hulman on Saturday, Oct. 10 for Homecoming. They then head to northern Ohio to square-off with HCAC foe Defiance on Saturday, Oct. 17 before returning to Alumni Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 24 for Hall of Fame Day welcoming the Beavers of Bluffton University.

Last season, the Panthers and Beavers squared off on C. Wayne Perry Field with a second half outburst that propelled Hanover to the convincing 28-10 victory. The Blue and Red tallied nearly 500 yards of total offense with 25 first downs.

The remainder of the conference schedule will feature a trip to the newly renovated Carl W. Burt Memorial Stadium on the campus of Manchester University Saturday, Oct. 31, followed by a visit from Mount St. Joseph on Saturday, Nov. 7.

The regular season finale will take place on the road in the 90^th Victory Bell Classic at Franklin College. The Panthers currently hold the 44-42-3 series lead, including the 27-21 victory a season ago.

The 2020 HCAC champion will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Playoffs, which begins one week after the conclusion of the regular season.

Credit: Hanover Collegiate Athletics