A 59-year old rivalry continues as the Prairie View A&M Panthers face the Texas Southern Tigers in Houston this Saturday, for the 21st annual Labor Day Classic. Last year the Panthers annihilated the Tigers, 25-7, in a very convincing victory that ended a 15-year losing streak. They look to post-consecutive victories against the Tigers since 1963 and 1964, when they were under the coaching of university legend William “Billy” Nicks.
Labor Day Classic XX was played in front of over 30,000 spectators at the Reliant Stadium in Houston. The Tigers who were shook-up by the Panthers’ defense committed many costly turnovers that made the game out of reach for a comeback. The Panthers held the Tigers to an embarrassing 50 total yards.
This year will be no different as the Panthers return eight starters on offense: Daylon Deal, Bennett Fagan, Cory Roy, Anthony Gibson, Chris Gibson, Arnell Fontenot, Kerry Wilson, and Kameco Andrews, and seven starters on defense: Kingsley Adebusola, Corey Barrett, Chris Mercer, Jeff Smith, Vinson Moye, Terrance Bell, and Riante Jones.
The team has also accumulated a talented pool of newcomers and signees. Among the top talent returning are juniors Eric Hernandez and Corey Barrett. Both were selected for the 2005 All-SWAC preseason team.
Hernandez, a two-time All-SWAC punter from Pleasanton, Texas, led the conference in punting by averaging 43 yards per kick.
Defensive end and two-year starter Corey Barrett led the Panthers in sacks last season with five and a half, and recorded 31 tackles.
The defense will also have a new look under the coaching of first-year defensive coordinator Heishma Northern.
When asked about the game, Coach Frazier said, “I anticipate seeing a much improved team. We’re preparing for them with the same intensity as last season. We won only three ball games last year so we can’t take any team lightly. Coach Wilson will have his Tigers prepared.”
If Frazier succeeds he will be the only coach other than William “Billy” Nicks to accomplish the feat of defeating Texas Southern consecutively, in the history of Prairie View. When asked about having his name alongside Nicks, Frazier said “It’s an honor just to have my name mentioned in the same sentence as Coach Nicks. To be able to say I accomplished anything that he did would be a tremendous honor for myself.