Cougar Football Set to Kickoff Sept. 1

The College of the Canyons football program will kick off the 2018 season on the road at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1 vs. Saddleback College, in the first of 10 regular season games slated for the 2018 campaign.

Once again, all Cougar home games will be live streamed to fans through a broadcast partnership with SoCalCollegeSports.com.

In addition, COC head coach Ted Iacenda and the Cougars have announced a series of special FREE community group invites for each home game.

A full 2018 schedule and invite list is included below:

• SATURDAY, SEPT. 1 @ Saddleback College
  6 p.m. — Mission Viejo High School
  
  
• SATURDAY, SEPT. 8 @ Grossmont College
  3 p.m. — Grossmont High School
  
  
• SATURDAY, SEPT. 15 vs. Santa Barbara City College
  6 p.m. — Cougar Stadium
  ALL FIRST RESPONDERS ADMITTED FREE OF CHARGE (w/ valid ID)
  
  
• SATURDAY, SEPT. 22 @ Cerritos College
  6 p.m. — Falcon Stadium
  
  
• SATURDAY, SEPT. 29 vs. Golden West College
  6 p.m. — Cougar Stadium
  ALL SCV SCHOOL STUDENTS & STAFF ADMITTED FREE OF CHARGE (w/ valid ID)
  
  
• THURSDAY, OCT. 11 @ Moorpark College*
  7 p.m. — Griffin Stadium
  SCFA National Division, Northern League Opener
  
  
• SATURDAY, OCT. 20 vs. East Los Angeles College*
  6 p.m. — Cougar Stadium
  ALL SCV YOUTH FOOTBALL & CHEER TEAMS ADMITTED FREE OF CHARGE (w/uniform)
  
  
• SATURDAY, OCT. 27 vs. Ventura College*
  6 p.m. — Cougar Stadium
  ALL FANS ADMITTED FREE WITH HALLOWEEN COSTUMES
  
  
• SATURDAY, NOV. 3 @ Long Beach City College*
  5 p.m. — Veterans Memorial Stadium
  
  
• SATURDAY, NOV. 10 vs. Bakersfield College*
  6 p.m. — Cougar Stadium
  ALL VETERANS AND ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL ADMITTED FREE (w/ valid ID)

 Home games in bold ... *Denotes SCFA National Division, Northern League contest

General admission tickets to all Cougar football games are $10. Kids 10 and under are free.

A Look Back: 2017 Cougar Football

Canyons finished the 2017 campaign with an overall record of 9-2 and 4-1 mark in conference play to finish as unner up in the Southern California Football Association (SCFA) National Division, Northern League.

The Cougars won seven of their final eight games, including a 28-16 victory over Mt. San Antonio College in the Western State Bowl. COC averaged nearly 39 points and 500 yards of total offense in the regular season, scoring more than 40 points in six contests. Canyons also limited opponents to an average of 26 points and 363 yards of offense. 

At season's end, COC had 16 players named to the 2017 SCFA National Division, Northern League All-League Team, highlighted by freshman quarterback Andrew Brito's designation as the Offensive Player of the Year. 

Brito led the SCFA through the regular season with 2,854 passing yards and ranked second with 27 passing touchdowns. He also added 170 rushing yards and three more touchdowns on the ground. In COC's bowl game vs. Mt. SAC, Brito finished 26-of-45 for 217 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for another, to earn game MVP honors.

Additionally, wide receiver Desean Holmes and outside linebacker KJ Latu were both unanimous First-Team selections for the Cougars.

Brito, Holmes and Latu were also named to the 2017 Region III All-California Community College Football Team, marking the fourth straight season in which the Cougars have had at least one All-State team member.

Canyons also had 11 players named to the 2017 SCFA Scholar-Athlete team.

As of July 2018, 16 members of the 2017 team had transferred to four-year programs including defensive ends Dorian Gerald (University of Arkansas) and Noel Iwuchukwu (Arkansas State University), Holmes (Florida Atlantic University), running back RB Marlow (Bowling Green State University), and linemen Carlton Lorenz (Vanderbilt University).

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.