Cumberland Football Adds Season Opener Against Tennessee Tech

LEBANON, Tenn.--Cumberland University football has announced the addition of an early-season matchup against NCAA Division I FCS opponent Tennessee Tech on August 30 to kick off the 2025 season.

This will be the 15th recorded meeting between the two programs and the first since 2013, when the Golden Eagles secured a 63-7 victory over Cumberland. Tennessee Tech holds a 7-6-1 all-time record over Cumberland with 12 of the meetings dating back before the 1950s. Since the football program restarted in 1990, Cumberland and Tennessee Tech met in 2007 and 2013. The 2013 game saw 12,381 fans in attendance to start the season.

"This is an exciting opportunity for our program to compete against Tennessee Tech," said Cumberland Head Coach Tim Mathis. "Facing an FCS opponent from the OVC will be a tough challenge for our team, but it's a great chance for our young men to showcase their talent. We need all of our Phoenix fans to come out and support us. It will be a great game for college football fans in Middle Tennessee."

Cumberland is coming off a strong 2024 campaign, finishing with a 7-3 record, including a 3-3 mark in Mid-South Conference play. The seven-win season was the program's best since 2017. Under the leadership of seventh-year head coach Tim Mathis, who was named the Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year, the Phoenix climbed as high as No. 22 in the national rankings and were either ranked or receiving votes in four different polls—their first Top 25 appearance since 2018.

The Phoenix offense was a key factor in their success last season, averaging 32.1 points per game while posting 400.5 total yards per contest. Their dominant ground game ranked fourth in the NAIA with 253.7 rushing yards per game, complemented by 1,468 passing yards and 44 total touchdowns scored throughout the season.

The Cumberland defense allowed just 18.3 points per game, 18th best in the NAIA, while holding opponents to 283.4 yards of total offense per game. The Phoenix secondary held teams to just 151.7 yards of passing offense. Cumberland's defense excelled on third and fourth down stops, ranking in the Top 10 nationally in both categories.

Tennessee Tech also enjoyed a standout 2024 season, matching Cumberland's seven-win total and claiming a share of the Big South-OVC Association championship. The Golden Eagles put together a five-game win streak for the first time since 1999 and secured the Sergeant York Trophy with wins over Tennessee State and UT Martin. Their seven-win season marked just the 17th such campaign in program history and the first since 2011.

The August 30 showdown will serve as a challenging test for Cumberland as they open the season against a Division I opponent. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. at Tucker Stadium in Cookeville, Tenn.

Phoenix fans are encouraged to make the trip to Cookeville located just 50 miles away down Interstate 40. However, if you can't make the trip, the Cumberland Sports Network crew will have the call on WANT FM 98.9. More details, including ticket information, will be announced at a later date.

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