The 2020 TIU football season was one filled with a number of oddities. Not only was the season shortened, the entire schedule was played in the cold of winter and bloom of spring. Trinity took several steps forward in improving their team on the gridiron, feeding their hunger for 2021. Now, with the return of a normal scheduled season in the fall, TIU looks to take the next step after a seven game spring campaign.

 

2021 SEASON NOTES

• The 2021 football season will be the 33rd in TIU history. The Trojans began their football program in 1988, playing their inaugural season in 1989 (against a mix of varsity/JV/club teams).

• After playing just one game at Leslie Frazier Field last spring due to seasonal field conditions, Trinity will play six home games on campus in 2021.

• Trinity's 2021 slate of games features four non-conference matchups, and seven games against MSFA-Midwest League opponents. 

• TIU's six home games are the most scheduled since the 2014 season.

• All TIU home games will kickoff at 1:00pm CST this coming season.

• 2021 will be TIU's 28th season as a member of the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA). The Trojans have been part of the MSFA's Midwest League since 2011, and again previously from 1994-2008.

 

2021 OPPONENTS AT A GLANCE

 

   Madonna University Crusaders

   Saturday, September 4

   Churchill High School (Livonia, Mich.)

                           Kickoff: TBA

The Trojans and Crusaders will meet on the gridiron for the first time to open the 2021 season. This will be the third consecutive year TIU opens the season on the road, after kicking off the delayed 2020 season at Marian (Ind.) in February. The Crusaders, who play in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC), played just four games in inaugural 2020 due to COVID-19 protocols, finishing with an 0-4 record. A balanced offense, the Madonna running game found the endzone 13 times last season, while Crusader quarterbacks connected with receivers for eight scores.

 

   Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats

   Saturday, September 11

   Leslie Frazier Field (Deerfield, Ill.)

                          Kickoff: 1:00pm CST

Trinity will take on the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats in their 2021 home opener in just the second meeting all-time between the programs. IWU won the only prior meeting back in 2019 in Deerfield. The Wildcats played five games in 2020 for a 2-3 record, including a 17-10 win at #22 Siena Heights (Mich.), and a 23-0 shutout against Taylor (Ind.). The program out of the MSFA's Mideast League averaged 236.6 yards in the air in 2020, and 126.4 on the ground.

   Greenville University Panthers

   Saturday, September 18

   Leslie Frazier Field (Deerfield, Ill.)

                        Kickoff: 1:00pm CST

For the first time since 2005, the Trojans will take on Greenville, an NCAA Division III program. The Trojans hold a 5-3 all-time record against the Panthers, and won their previous meeting on September 10, 2005 in a 36-0 shutout on the road. Greenville went 1-3 in their four games played during the 2020 season, with their lone victory coming at home against Iowa Wesleyan, 28-25 on April 3. Reliant on the running game last season, the Panthers ran for 167.3 yards per game in 2020, while averaging 140 yards in the air and allowing 30.8 points a game.



 

   Iowa Wesleyan University Tigers

   Saturday, September 25

   Mapleleaf Athletic Complex (Mount Pleasant, Iowa)

                        Kickoff: TBA

Trinity will round out their four game non-conference schedule at Iowa Wesleyan to close out September. First playing in 1996, the Trojans are 13-4 all-time against the Tigers, another NCAA Division III program. TIU won big in their last meeting with a 54-24 rout in Mount Pleasant on October 6, 2012. Iowa Wesleyan played just three games during the 2020 season, with a 1-2 mark playing in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference's south division. The Tiger's lone victory came on May 1 with a 35-14 season finale win at Westminster (Mo.). Despite playing only three games, IWU scored 11 total touchdowns and averaged 24.3 point per game in 2020.

   Saint Ambrose University Fighting Bees
   Saturday, October 2

   Brady Street Stadium (Davenport, Iowa)

                        Kickoff: TBA

TIU returns to Iowa for a second consecutive week as they open 2021 conference play at Saint Ambrose. Despite a late push with three touchdown passes from Nolan Brammer in the first home night game in program history (played at a neutral field), the Trojans fell to SAU 49-32 last season. The Bees finished 2020 with a 5-3 record overall, and 4-2 mark in the MSFA's Midwest League. Trinity will open October seeking their first win against Saint Ambrose since 2003, when they took down the Bees 24-3 at home in the only victory in the history of the series.

   University of St. Francis (Ill.) Fighting Saints
   Saturday, October 9

   Leslie Frazier Field (Deerfield, Ill.)

                        Kickoff: 1:00pm CST

After no sports were played last fall, TIU's homecoming celebration returns as the Trojans host the St. Francis Fighting Saints. Last season, Trinity fell just eight points shy of tying the Saints on the road in a 28-20 loss in Joliet, their most narrow margin of the season. Nolan Brammer threw three touchdown passes in the loss, including one with just over four minutes to go in regulation. USF ended the shortened 2020 campaign with a 2-6 record, and 2-4 mark in league play. Trailing in the all-time series 8-11, the Trojans will seek their first victory against the Saints since 2016.

   Roosevelt University Lakers

   Saturday, October 16

   Leslie Frazier Field (Deerfield, Ill.)

                         Kickoff: 1:00pm CST

The Roosevelt Lakers come to Deerfield for the first time ever in this mid-October matchup. Roosevelt, who's program was created with the university's merger with Robert Morris University (Ill.) in 2020, put together an impressive first season under their new green banner, which included a 31-8 win over TIU in Arlington Heights in late March. Powered by both a strong run and passing game, the Lakers will be a tough test for the growing Trinity program. 

 

    Saint Xavier University Cougars

   Saturday, October 23

   Deaton Field (Chicago, Ill.)

                        Kickoff: TBA

After producing arguably the best game of the 2020 season, the Trojans and Cougars will meet again in this late-October game. Despite falling short, TIU rallied from down 34-0 against the then-14th ranked Cougars in a home game played at SXU's Deaton Field (due to seasonal field conditions). SXU started the 2020 season strong with a 4-1 record, but struggled down the stretch, dropping two of their final three games to end the year 5-3, and 3-2 in the league. Trinity will seek their first win against the Cougars since 2004 when Saint Xavier comes to Deerfield.

    Missouri Baptist University Spartans

   Saturday, October 30

   Leslie Frazier Field (Deerfield, Ill.)

                         Kickoff: 1:00pm CST

In the final game of October, the Trojans hope to make things spooky for Missouri Baptist on the eve of Halloween in this MSFA-Midwest League matchup. Trinity struggled on the road last season against the Spartans, having trouble sparking their offense in a 24-14 loss in St. Louis. MBU finished 2020 with a 1-6 overall mark, and 105 record in conference. The two programs have played every season since their first meeting in 2017, with the Spartans claiming victory in all four games, including three narrow wins. 

   Olivet Nazarene University Tigers

   Saturday, November 6

   Ward Field (Bourbonnais, Ill.)

                         Kickoff: 1:00pm CST

TIU will open November with a trip down south to Bourbonnais and a meeting with the reigning MSFA-Midwest League champion Olivet Nazarene Tigers. ONU defeated Trinity 37-18 in the Trojan's 2020 season finale at home, the only game played at Frazier Field all season due to seasonal field conditions. Despite the loss, TIU showed impressive glimpses on defense, picking the Tigers off three times. The Tigers, who finished unbeaten in league play last season, fell to #7 Baker (Kan.) in the opening round of the NAIA Playoffs in a 59-54 shootout, and ended the year ranked ninth in the final NAIA rankings. Trinity's last win against the Tigers came on October 5, 2013, with a 20-17 victory at home.

   Judson University Eagles

   Saturday, November 13

   Leslie Frazier Field (Deerfield, Ill.)

                        Kickoff: 1:00pm CST

To close out the 2021 season, the Trojans will celebrate their senior class as they take on the Judson Eagles for the first time. After starting their football program from scratch in 2020, the Eagles did not play last season, but will play their inaugural season in the MSFA's Midwest League.

 

Click here to see the full 2021 TIU football schedule.

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Trinity International University is a comprehensive, national university affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America and located in Bannockburn, Illinois, 25 miles north of Chicago. TIU educates men and women to engage in God's redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian faithfulness and lifelong learning.