With the start of September, college football has finally come back in season and Friday Night Lights activities resume once again. Sept. 3 marked the first home game of the season for the Panthers, coming out with a 42-21 win against Pacific University. The squad also recently won a tight game at Cal Lutheran University Sept. 10, winning with a single point difference of 42-41. 

Football is a unique sport that starts the season early to prepare for the mental and physical demands that come in playing each game. For Chapman’s team, the battle of summer training fuels the hunger to win during the season. 

The hard work has been paying off after linebacker Alex Terriquez was awarded Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) defensive athlete of the week Sept. 12. The same week, wide receiver Wyatt Hardin was named Chapman athlete of the week with his eight catches, 239 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the Cal Lutheran game. 

He is now ranked second in most receiving yards in the nation of Division III athletes and third in most receiving yards per game with 174.5..

“I think everyone in this locker room is extremely tight and we know what our goals are for this season,” says Nathaniel Espinoza, the junior quarterback who was awarded the MVP award for the first home game against Pacific. 

Espinoza, a sociology major, recalls events that happened during the first home game that contributed to their success and strong start to the season. 

“My wide receivers Wyatt Hardin, John Krall and Spencer Corona did a great job … making crazy acrobatic catches,” Espinoza said. “Also our running back ran the ball extremely well in the red zone which helped us a lot.”

Spencer Corona, a senior wide receiver, has been making a strong impact early on in this season after suffering injury. 

“When I broke my collarbone last year, my goal was to make it back and be stronger and faster than ever,” said Corona, a strategic and corporate communication major. “I accomplished that and then messed up my hamstring before camp. My main goals are to stay healthy and do my job every week. As a team, we have some work to do against some of the teams we lost to last year. Most teams would be happy with a 7-3 record, but we are a championship program and we expect nothing less.”

With a competitive season still ahead of the Chapman football program, Corona emphasized the importance of mental toughness.

“A winning attitude is something that gets heightened on game day,” Corona said. “However, it is used in every facet of a player's life. From waking up and making your bed in the morning to doing those last reps in practice, a winner strives to be great at all times, and their attitude is created through that journey towards success.”

The team took on George Fox University Sept. 17 and lost 28-38. The squad’s next home game is Sept. 24 against the University of La Verne.