Miles College has introduced a new football field for the upcoming season, marking the college as the fourth HBCU program to benefit from such an upgrade this year.

The grant is from Atlanta Falcons owner Authur Blank. Dr. Steven E. Hairston, vice president of Institutional Advancement and Development at Miles College, along with Athletic Director Fred Watson, played a key role in securing the grant. 

According to the press release, the grant, provided through the HBCU Invitational Field Refurbishment Program, enabled the transition from a natural grass field to a high-quality turf field. 

This initiative, funded by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation (AMBFF) and supported by the NFL Foundation, aims to improve field quality, safety, and accessibility for students and local youth football programs.

“This new field will not only benefit our football program but also support student intramural athletics and serve as a resource for the broader Miles College community and local youth programs,” said President Bobbie Knight.

The Golden Bears are predicted to finish third in the conference, according to SIAC preseason polls. However, they started the season with a close loss to non-conference rival University of West Alabama.

Miles College will host its first game on the new field against the Lane College Dragons on Sept. 21 at 4 p.m. The Golden Bears aim to build on last season’s success, where they ended with a 7-3 overall record and a 6-2 conference record.

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The Golden Bears have had a strong track record against the Dragons, winning 11 of the 13 matchups since 2010. With a balanced record of 5-1 at home and away games, the new field improvements could give them an added boost.

Redshirt junior quarterback Kameron Ivory, who had 211 passing yards and two touchdowns in the recent loss, is a key player to watch. He completed 17 of 34 passes, yielding a 50% completion rate.

The Golden Bears’ next away game is against Alabama State, scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. this Saturday. The game will be available for streaming on ESPN+.