Wikipedia

1989 Prairie View A&M Panthers football team

The 1989 Prairie View A&M Panthers football team represented Prairie View A&M University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 1989 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by second-year head coach Haney Catchings, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 2–8 and a mark of 1–6 in conference play, and finished seventh in the SWAC.

1989 Prairie View A&M Panthers football
ConferenceSouthwestern Athletic Conference
Record2–8 (1–6 SWAC)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorRonald Beard (6th season)
Home stadiumEdward L. Blackshear Field
Seasons
← 1988
1991 →
1989 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 13 Grambling State $^ 7 – 0 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
No. 17 Jackson State ^ 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
Alcorn State 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Southern 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 1
Texas Southern 3 – 3 – 1 3 – 7 – 1
Alabama State 2 – 4 – 1 5 – 5 – 1
Prairie View A&M 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 9 – 0
Mississippi Valley State 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

On October 28, the Panthers defeated Mississippi Valley State 21–12. This would be the Panthers' last win until September 26, 1998.[1]

Off-field incidents

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The 1989 season was marred by several off-field incidents within the program. Several players accused Catchings of withholding their financial aid until they proved themselves on the field. After university administration was slow to act, several players boycotted the program.[2] The academic performance of the team also came under scrutiny; at one point only 12 players had a GPA over 2.0.[3]

Dismissal of Catchings and shuttering of program

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In May 1990, the university announced that the athletic programs were suffering major financial issues, generating a deficit of $3 million over the previous 5 seasons; a month later, the Houston Chronicle reported that more than $100,000 was missing from the athletic department.[4] Head coach Haney Catchings was later charged for filing fraudulent expense reports.[5] Catchings pleaded guilty, was sentenced to five years probation, and fined over $1,500.[6]

Due to financial difficulties, the university announced that it would be shuttering all athletic programs except for track and field. The football program would return for the 1991 season.[7]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 2at Texas Southern
L 7–45[8]
September 9at Southwest Texas State*
L 0–41[9]
September 16Jackson State
L 0–66[10]
September 23Southern
L 3–34[11][12]
September 30vs. Grambling State
L 0–3959,302[13]
October 7at Arkansas–Pine Bluff*
W 32–35 (forfeit win)[14][15]
October 21at Alabama State
L 0–477,000[16]
October 28Mississippi Valley State
  • Edward L. Blackshear Field
  • Prairie View, TX
W 21–12[17]
November 4at Langston*
L 18–197,200[18]
November 11vs. Alcorn State
L 7–565,161[19]
  • *Non-conference game

[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Prairie View A&M; Ends 80-Game Streak". Los Angeles Times. September 27, 1998. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  2. ^ Rick Telander (1996). The Hundred Yard Lie: The Corruption of College Football and What We Can Do to Stop It. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0-252-06523-9. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  3. ^ "Coach Under Fire". The New York Times. February 12, 1989. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  4. ^ Connelly, Bill (September 8, 2016). "How Prairie View A&M emerged from the worst losing streak ever". SB Nation. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  5. ^ Chris Dufresne (October 2, 1998). "Losers No More". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  6. ^ "Ex-Prairie View Coach Pleads Guilty To Charges". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. January 12, 1991. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  7. ^ Dean, Richard. "Prairie View football heart beating again", The Houston Chronicle. July 19, 1991. Sports Page 5.
  8. ^ "Texas Southern 45, Prairie View 7". The Clarion-Ledger. September 3, 1989. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "SWT romps past Prairie View A&M". Austin American-Statesman. September 10, 1989. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Jackson State scores at winn in 66–0 victory". Hattiesburg American. September 17, 1989. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Southern vs. Prairie View". The Alexandria Daily Town Talk. September 23, 1989. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Southern wins, 34–3". Daily World. September 24, 1989. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Grambling blanks Prairie View". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 1, 1989. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Arkansas–Pine Bluff 35, Prairie View 32". Austin American-Statesman. October 8, 1989. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Arkansas school forfeits 1989 games". The Columbian. September 14, 1990. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "ASU rips Prairie View 47–0". The Montgomery Advertiser. October 22, 1989. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Prairie View breaks through against Valley". The Clarion-Ledger. October 29, 1989. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Langston 19, Prairie View 18". The Daily Oklahoman. November 5, 1989. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Alcorn roars back". The Clarion-Ledger. November 12, 1989. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Prairie View A&M Yearly Results (1985–1989)". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
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