Birmingham–Southern Panthers football

The Birmingham–Southern Panthers football team represented Birmingham–Southern College (BSC) in the NCAA Division III and competed as part of the Southern Athletic Association. BSC played its home games at the 1,600 seat Panther Stadium, which is located on-campus in Birmingham, Alabama and opened in November 2008. Although only fielding a team since the 2007 season, Birmingham–Southern previously fielded a team from the 1918 season that was later disbanded following the 1939 season.[2]

Birmingham–Southern Panthers football
First season1918
Last season2023
Athletic directorKyndall Waters
Head coachAnthony Colucci
StadiumGeneral Krulak Stadium
(capacity: 1,600)
Field surfaceArtificial Turf
LocationBirmingham, Alabama
ConferenceSouthern Athletic Association
All-time record169–163–16 (.509)
Conference titles1
ColorsBlack and gold[1]
   
MascotPanthers
Websitebscsports.net

History

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Prior to the consolidation of Southern University and Birmingham College, each fielded football squads. Between 1904 and 1917, Birmingham College compiled a 19–32–4 record, and between 1909 and 1916 Southern University compiled a 3–16–11 record.[3] Following the consolidation of the schools as Birmingham–Southern, the program compiled an overall record of 87–80–16 between 1918–39, winning Dixie Conference championships in 1932, 1934, and 1937.[3]

During this period, the Panthers played their home games at the Munger Bowl, which was located on-campus and subsequently demolished in the 1960s to make way for campus expansion.[4] Additionally, Howard College, now Samford University, was BSC's biggest rival with the annual contest being called the Magic City Classic and played in Rickwood Field before serving as the opening contest at Legion Field in 1929.[3] Following the 1939 season, football was disbanded with the school citing its overall costs and influence on the school.[3]

On May 26, 2006, the board of trustees announced that Birmingham–Southern would field a Division III football team to begin competition for the 2007 season.[5] By the following June, Joey Jones was announced as the program's head coach,[6] and on September 6, 2007, BSC played their first football game after a 68-year hiatus, as the Panthers defeated the Mississippi College junior varsity 41–13 at Legion Field.[7] After a 3–7 first season, Jones would leave BSC to become the first head coach at South Alabama, and in February 2008 Eddie Garfinkle was announced as the Panthers' head coach.[8] On October 24, 2016, it was announced that Garfinkle would not return after the 2016 season.

Playoffs

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NCAA Division III

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The Panthers made one appearance in the NCAA Division III football playoffs. Their combined record was 1–1.

Year Round Opponent Result
2021 First Round
Second Round
Huntingdon
Mary Hardin-Baylor
W, 24–14
L, 7–42

Seasons

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Year Coach Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Birmingham–Southern Panthers (Independent) (1918–1920)
1918 Baby Haynes 1–1 Independent
1919 Charles H. Brown 4–3 Independent
1920 Charles H. Brown 6–2 Independent
Independent: 11–6
Birmingham–Southern Panthers (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1921–1931)
1921 Charles H. Brown 4–4–1 SIAA
1922 Charles H. Brown 1–6–1 SIAA
1923 Charles H. Brown 1–5–2 SIAA
1924 Harold Drew 4–4–1 SIAA
1925 Harold Drew 7–3–1 SIAA
1926 Harold Drew 5–3–2 SIAA
1927 Harold Drew 3–6 SIAA
1928 Jenks Gillem 3–2–4 SIAA
1929 Jenks Gillem 4–4 SIAA
1930 Jenks Gillem 5–4 SIAA
1931 Jenks Gillem 3–4 SIAA
SIAA: 40–45–12
Birmingham–Southern Panthers (Dixie Conference) (1932–1939)
1932 Jenks Gillem 5–3 Dixie
1933 Jenks Gillem 3–3–3 Dixie
1934 Jenks Gillem 9–0 Dixie
1935 Jenks Gillem 2–6 Dixie
1936 Jenks Gillem 4–5 Dixie
1937 Jenks Gillem 6–2 Dixie
1938 Jenks Gillem 4–5 Dixie
1939 Jenks Gillem 3–5–1 Dixie
Dixie Conference: 36–29–4
Birmingham–Southern Panthers (Did not field a team) (1940–2006)
Birmingham–Southern Panthers (Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) (2007–2011)
2007 Joey Jones 3–7 SCAC
2008 Eddie Garfinkle 3–7 SCAC
2009 Eddie Garfinkle 4–6 SCAC
2010 Eddie Garfinkle 6–4 SCAC
2011 Eddie Garfinkle 7–2 SCAC
SCAC: 23–26
Birmingham–Southern Panthers (Southern Athletic Association) (2012–present)
2012 Eddie Garfinkle 7–3 SAA
2013 Eddie Garfinkle 5–4 SAA
2014 Eddie Garfinkle 3–7 SAA
2015 Eddie Garfinkle 5–5 SAA
2016 Eddie Garfinkle 1–9 SAA
2017 Tony Joe White 3–7 SAA
2018 Tony Joe White 6–4 SAA
2019 Tony Joe White 7–3 SAA
2020 Tony Joe White 2–2 SAA
2021 Tony Joe White 10–2 SAA
2022 Tony Joe White 7–3 SAA
2023 Anthony Colucci 3–7 SAA
SAA: 59–56
Total: 169–163–16
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

[2]

Head coaches

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Tenure Coach Years Record Pct.
1918 Baby Haynes 1 1–1–0 .500
1919–1923 Charles H. Brown 5 16–20–4 .450
1924–1927 Harold Drew 4 19–16–4 .538
1928–1939 Jenks Gillem 12 51–43–8 .539
2007 Joey Jones 1 3–7 .300
2008–2016 Eddie Garfinkle 9 41–46 .471
2017–2022 Tony Joe White 6 35–21 .625
2023 Anthony Colucci 1 3–7 .300
Totals 7 coaches 30 169–163–16 .509

References

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  1. ^ 2015 Visual ID Manual. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  2. ^ a b Birmingham–Southern College Football 1918–1939[permanent dead link] "All-Time Results (Game-by-Game Results & Yearly Records)," Birmingham–Southern College, 2006. Accessed 2009-01-01
  3. ^ a b c d Are you ready for some football? Archived 2010-06-20 at the Wayback Machine "Southern Magazine" Birmingham–Southern College, 2007. p. 29 Accessed 2009-01-01
  4. ^ Birmingham–Southern opens new home for football team[permanent dead link] "NCAA News" NCAA, November 11, 2008. Accessed 2009-01-01
  5. ^ Perrin, Mike (May 27, 2006). "BSC opts for Division III College also will restore football, last played in '39". The Birmingham News.
  6. ^ Perrin, Mike (June 19, 2006). "Coach moves on to next challenge: Choice of Joey Jones was a case of perfect timing". The Birmingham News.
  7. ^ Melick, Ray (September 7, 2007). "BSC takes the field, at long last After nearly 70 years, college once again playing football". The Birmingham News.
  8. ^ Perrin, Mike (February 21, 2008). "Panthers name Garfinkle coach: Former walk-on relates to players". The Birmingham News.