Prairie View has a new football coach in Tremaine Jackson and a new outlook, but the Panthers are currently without a Homecoming opponent after NAIA Northern American University abruptly discontinued its football program. Credit: Raymond Holley

It seemed harmless and uneventful enough when Northern American University announced that it has discontinued its football program.

“This was a difficult decision, backed by the Board of Trustees, that aims to direct investment to the things that make North American University exceptional,” NAU Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Kenneth Apande said on the school’s website. “Our goal is to still compete in the eight NAIA and USCAA sports that will remain an integral part of the NAU experience.”

The Northern American University Stallions celebrate after a rare win for the football program. Credit: NAU athletics

By a show of hands who even knew North American University, located in Stafford and was once known as Texas Gulf Institute, had a football program?

Apparently, Prairie View did, which is why the Panthers had scheduled the NAIA program out of the Sooner Athletic Conference for their Homecoming game on Oct. 25. But now the Panthers have a huge hole in their schedule on their biggest weekend of the college football season. We all know there ain’t a Homecoming in this area that rivals the one on The Hill (Sorry, Texas Southern).

Now, Prairie View athletic director Anton Goff is suddenly scrambling to find a replacement for the Stallions. But at this point in the year, it’s going to be hard to find a tomato can like Northern American University to come up to Panther Stadium on short notice.

Non-conference college football games are usually scheduled years in advance and easy opponents like NAU usually have a full dance card. 

If the past is any indication, the Panthers would have had a Homecoming party in Panther Stadium that would rival any on the yard later that night. The Stallions have a history of staying in their lane as an easy win for a nice payday. Just last season alone, they got stomped by Stephen F. Austin, 77-0, then annihilated by Texas Wesleyan, 80-0, and Hardin-Simmons routed them 90-7.

Let’s face it: The Stallions were so bad that they were everybody’s Homecoming opponent, and the NCAA had stopped even allowing games against them to count.

But the real question is, what is Prairie View going to do? I reached out to Goff to find out his plans, but he didn’t respond.

I get it. Don’t talk about it, be about it.

Probably every waking moment is being spent trying to figure out how to find a Homecoming replacement. The challenge is finding a football program just sitting around with a hole in its schedule on Oct. 25. Perhaps he can convince a SWAC opponent with an open date to move their road game, but the game will not be the easy win that you want on Homecoming. 

I've been with The Defender since August 2019. I'm a long-time sportswriter who has covered everything from college sports to the Texans and Rockets during my 16 years of living in the Houston market....