Langston, Okla. - The Langston University Department of Athletics released its 2012 Football Schedule late Wednesday.  The schedule, being played under second year head coach Mickey Joseph, comprises one of the toughest schedules in all of the NAIA.  Highlights include a rematch of the 2011 Delta Classic 4 Literacy, as well as pivotal non-conference games against NCAA Division I and Division II programs, as well as the reigning NAIA National Champion.

Like last season, the 2012 schedule opens up in Little Rock, Ark. for the Delta Classic 4 Literacy.  Langston defeated the NCAA school based in Division I's Southwestern Athletic Conference last season by a score of 19-12.  After the Delta Classic, Langston will play the first home game of the 2012 season the following week against Bacone College.  However, the game will not be at W.E. Anderson Stadium.  Instead, the Lions will play in Tulsa at Booker T. Washington high school, in a game that Coach Joseph wants to use for potential recruiting and alumni purposes.

The non-conference schedule peaks in mid-September, when Langston travels to Chicago, Ill. to play the defending NAIA National Champion St. Xavier Cougars.  The Cougars played in their first NAIA National Championship Game and won it on Dec. 17, when they defeated then #2 ranked Carroll College (Montana) by a score of 24-20.  The Lions will then wrap up September with a home game against former Central States Football League rival Southern Nazarene University at home after a road trip to Beaumont, Texas to play Lamar University.  Lamar is an NCAA Division 1 Football College Subdivision (FCS) program in the Southland Conference, while Southern Nazarene will be playin in Division II for the first time.

The Central States Football League schedule resumes Oct. 6, with newcomer Wayland Baptist University playing in their initial football season against the Lions for a home game scheduled in Plainview, Texas.  Homecoming arrives Oct. 13th against Texas College, and a bye week is sure to be warmly welcomed the following week.

October wraps up with the Lions again traveling to Texas, this time to Abilene to play against McMurry University and legendary football coach Hal Mumme.  Mumme is best known as the head coach at the University of Kentucky while a young Mike Leach (now the head coach at the Pac-12's Washington State University) served as Mumme's offensive coordinator, establishing the Air Raid attack.  McMurry, like Wayland Baptist, will also be playing their first year in the Central States Football League.  The season wraps up with one final home game against Southwest Assemblies of God (Nov. 3) before the regular season ends in Goodwell, Okla. Nov. 10 against Oklahoma Panhandle State University and second-year coach Jon Lyles.

The Lions held their annual Orange and Blue Spring Football game April 21st.  Due to Langston University hosting the Red River Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships, the game was held at 7:00 p.m.  After playing the first half with 12-minute quarters and a continuous clock, the coaching staff instituted 15-minute quarters and time stoppages for timeouts and incompletions.  Neither team as able to get an advantage, as the game ended in a scoreless 0-0 tie.

In the NAIA's Spring Top 25 poll release by the NAIA three weeks ago, the defending Central States Football League Champions maintain a ranking of #21 in the country.  The Lions ended the 2011 season ranked 23rd after dropping a 38-34 decision against SNU, which forced Langston to share the CSFL Title with the Crimson Storm while allowing Southern Nazarene to take the CSFL's lone playoff spot.