ROME, Ga. – On Saturday, Aug. 29, the Fighting Tigers will open the 2026 regular season against Shorter University in Rome, Ga. This will be the first meeting between the two teams in program history. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Historic Barron Stadium.

The Fighting Tigers enter their third season of competition on the gridiron and come into Saturday's matchup with a 13-3 record over the past two seasons. Led by third-year Head Coach Dr. Nick Garrett, the Fighting Tigers finished the 2025 season with an 8-1 record while posting a dominant 33.2 points per game and averaging 247 rushing yards per game.

This will be an exciting matchup as the Hawks come into Saturday with a 4-1 record in season openers over the past five seasons. Saturday's game could also be a back-and-forth battle between two dynamic rushing offenses, as Shorter led Conference Carolinas with 187.5 rushing yards per game while averaging an impressive 26.7 points per game last season.

Saturday's contest marks the first NAIA game in Andrew College Football program history. The Fighting Tigers will look to build on the success of the past two seasons while showcasing true Fighting Tiger spirit as they begin a new era of the program.

Located in Cuthbert, Georgia, Andrew College is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The Fighting Tigers sponsor 16 sports and compete in the Southern States Athletic Conference.