HILLSBORO, Kan. – Over the past three weeks, we have taken a deep dive into the extensive history of the unique opponents that Tabor Football has played over the course of its history. Today's article will wrap this series up, which has been incredibly fun to write and research.
 
We left off last week by covering opponents from 2001-2010, which means this article will cover opponents from 2011-present. 
 
For the first time in program history, Tabor lined up against Haskell Indian Nations University, from Lawrence, Kan. in 2011 in what would be the first of a two-game series between the Bluejays and the Fighting Indians, with the Bluejays winning handily, 48-0. Haskell competed in the now-defunct Central States Football League (CSFL) until 2006 and continued to compete as an NAIA Independent through the 2014 campaign, which proved to be the last for the Fighting Indians as the program was cut prior to the 2015 season.
 
In addition to Haskell, Tabor added Bacone College, a small Baptist affiliated tribal college in Muskogee, Okla. to the 2012 schedule. In the only meeting between the two programs, the Warriors edged out TC, 25-20. Bacone competed in the now-defunct Central States Football League (CSFL) until the program was cut following the 2017 season, ironically the league's final season as well.
 
2013 proved to be a huge year for Bluejay Football, as the program returned to the NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS). Tabor added two new opponents, in addition to renewing series' with two familiar foes. Nebraska Wesleyan was added to the schedule for the first time ever, with the Bluejays just skating past the PrairieWolves, 10-9. TC faced NWU the following season, blanking them 36-0. At the time, Nebraska Wesleyan competed in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC), before making the switch to NCAA Division III and the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC), now known as the American Rivers Conference (ARC), in 2016. 
 
Following the meeting with NWU, the Bluejays renewed their series with MidAmerica Nazarene University. In the first round of the 2013 NAIA FCS, Tabor saw another familiar foe in Benedictine College, who they beat 14-13 to advance to the second round where they met Grand View University for the first time. Long-time NAIA powerhouse Missouri Valley College made the schedule in 2014, but the Bluejays handled the Vikings, 27-17.
 
The Bluejays kicked off the 2015 campaign with a game against Lyon College from Batesville, Ark., current Tabor Director of Athletics, Jeff Brewer's alma mater. Lyon formerly competed in the CSFL and the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC), before making the move down to the NCAA DIII ranks. A 45-21 result gave the Bluejays a 1-0 all-time record over the Scots. The game was followed by a meeting with another GPAC foe in Northwestern College out of Orange City, Iowa. The Red Raiders eked by Tabor, 9-7. The 2015 Bluejays qualified for the NAIA Football Playoffs, facing yet another GPAC foe, Doane College (now known as Doane University), downing the Tigers by a score of 16-14. Morningside College (now Morningside University) awaited the Bluejays in the second round. The Mustangs brought the total of GPAC teams on the 2015 schedule to three. Morningside won the matchup, 51-6.
 
Stay tuned for the next installment in this series, focusing on the remaining Bluejay Football schedules.
 
Be sure to stay up to date with all information regarding Bluejay Athletics by following us on X at @gotaborbluejays, on Instagram and Facebook @taborbluejays, and on our official athletic website, taborbluejays.com.
 
Tabor College is a Christ-centered institution located in Hillsboro, Kansas. The Bluejays are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC).