2006 COMMUNITY PIGSKIN PREVIEW WILL NOT BE HELD

The annual Community Pigskin Preview, which traditionally recognizes both the Ferris State University and Big Rapids High School football teams, will not be held this season due to conflicting schedules between the two teams. However, tentative plans call for the event to return prior to the 2007 season.

Ferris State welcomes back 45 letterwinners, including 19 starters, from last season’s squad for the 2006 campaign. The Bulldogs are coached by Jeff Pierce, who starts his 12th year at Ferris this fall and is the program's all-time winningest coach with a 69-52-0 (.570) career coaching record.

The Bulldogs kickoff the 2006 11-game gridiron campaign and their 99th season of varsity competition Saturday, Sept. 2, versus the Kentucky State University Thorobreds in a 1 p.m. (EDT) non-conference matchup at KSU's Alumni Stadium in Frankfort, Ky. Ferris continues action on the road the following Saturday, Sept. 9, against the Mercyhurst College Lakers in the GLIAC opener for the Bulldogs. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m. (EDT) at MC's Louis J. Tullio Field in Erie, Pa. FSU then opens the home portion of its 2006 slate Saturday, Sept. 16, as the Saginaw Valley State University Cardinals visit Top Taggart Field in a 7 p.m. (EDT) conference encounter at Big Rapids.

The Big Rapids High School Varsity and Junior Varsity football teams, under the direction of head coach Phil Fortier, will kickoff their 2006 nine-game regular season schedules versus the Alma Panthers. The Cardinals’ Junior Varsity squad hosts Alma Thursday, Aug. 24, in a 6:30 p.m. (EDT) matchup while the varsity team visits the Panthers Friday, Aug. 25, in its season opener starting at 7 p.m. (EDT) in Alma, Mich. BRHS' first varsity home game of the 2006 campaign will be Friday, Sept. 8, against Manistee. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (EDT) at FSU's Top Taggart Field.