Willamette versus Whitworth Football Game Moves to Friday Night

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette versus Whitworth football game, originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 12 at McCulloch Stadium, has been moved to a day earlier. The Bearcats and the Pirates will now play at McCulloch Stadium on Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. (PDT).

Willamette now has two Friday night home games on its schedule this fall.

Prior to last season, Willamette's football team had not played a game on Friday in recent memory. In 2012, however, the Bearcats defeated East Texas Baptist University, 38-24, in the home opener on Friday, Sept. 14.

This year, the Bearcats will open the season at home against Hardin-Simmons University on Friday, Sept. 6. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (PDT) at McCulloch Stadium. Willamette will host Sewanee: University of the South on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 1:30 p.m., prior to a three-week stretch that includes two open dates sandwiching a game at East Texas Baptist on Sept. 28.

Following the second open date, the Bearcats will host Whitworth in the second night game of the season.

Willamette's schedule for 2013 features six of nine games at home. The Bearcats will conclude the home schedule with three Saturday afternoon games, each at 1:30 p.m. (PDT), against Pacific Lutheran University on Oct. 26, Linfield College on Nov. 2 and Pacific University on Nov. 9.

In addition to the lengthy road trip to East Texas Baptist, the Bearcats will make shorter road trips to Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore., on Oct. 19 and to the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash., on Nov. 16.