Pioneer Bowl Game Notes (pdf format)
THE EVENT: The Pioneer Bowl is the only NCAA sanctioned bowl game involving HBCU athletic conferences and one of only three sanctioned bowl games in Division II. Started in 1997, the game features teams from the CIAA and the SIAC.
JCSU closed out the regular season with a 31-0 victory against Livingstone College in the annual Commemorative Classic. The win moved the Golden Bulls to third in the CIAA Southern Division with 5-5 overall record and 4-3 in the conference mark.
Miles College finished first in the SIAC West Division with a 5-2 record in conference play. The Golden Bears won their first SIAC Championship by defeating Albany State University to finish with a 7-4 overall record.
THE SERIES: This is a first time meeting for both institutions. This year will mark the 13th installment of the bowl game and its second appearance in Columbus. Atlanta, GA, Mobile, AL, Charlotte, NC, and Columbia, SC, (2009) have all served as host cities to this historic game. Institutions from the SIAC have a 9-3 bowl record against the CIAA. Tuskegee College has participated in this contest nine times. The Golden Bulls appeared in this game on one other occasion. In 2006, the Tuskegee Tigers trumped JCSU 17-7 in Charlotte Memorial Stadium. In the CIAA victories in this game happened when Winston-Salem State beat the Tigers in 1999 (23-7), Shaw tackled Tuskegee in 2004 (30-28), and Saint Augustine's beat Fort Valley State (20-9) last year.
PIONEER BOWL football tickets can be purchased at the JCSU Ticket Office in Biddle Hall (3rd Floor) or call 704-378-1145. Tickets can also be purchased at the game.
