TYLER, Texas — Homecoming week and receiving a top 10 ranking in the second week of the National Junior College Athletic Association national football poll are two distractions that coach Danny Palmer's Tyler Junior College Apaches face in preparation for the 7 p.m. conference clash Saturday with the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Golden Norsemen.
After upsetting former No. 1 Trinity Valley Community College last Saturday, 30-29, at Red Robertson Field, coach Clay Patterson's Golden Norsemen make the 425-mile trek across the Red River with a 1-1 season record and a 1-0 mark in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference.
As a result of the rally against the Cardinals, the Golden Norse received some recognition in the second week of the NJCAA national poll.
Palmer's Apaches return to action on the historic Earl Campbell Field at Mother Francis Rose Stadium with a 1-0 season record and 0-0 in the conference.
Tyler was supposed to open the season on Aug. 27 with a non-conference clash against the Kilgore College Rangers. But, heavy thunderstorms with lightning forced cancellation of the contest.
The following Thursday the Apaches shutout Houston's Texas A&T by a lopsided 63-0 score in Tyler. The Apaches constructed a 49-0 score at halftime before tacking on 14 points in the fourth quarter. Tyler averaged 8.2 yards on 62 offensive plays.
"Against Tyler, it's not so much about who we're playing, but what we can do to get better as a team," NEO head coach Clay Patterson said. "Offensively, we've got a lot of things to work on, so it really becomes all about us.
"We're familiar with what they do since they have the same offensive and defensive coordinators," Patterson said. "But, they have to be a really good football team because they're ranked in the top 10 nationally."
Since creation of the series in 1954, the Apaches hold a slim 25-24-1 advantage in the matchup.
Last season the Golden Norse pulled off a stunning 40-23 victory over the No. 4 ranked Apaches at Red Robertson Field. Playing a near perfectly executed game, the Norsemen defense limited the Apaches to 260 yards in total offense while generating 340 total yards without any turnovers.
Palmer guided the Apaches to a tie for second place with Navarro College in the SWJCFC with a 4-2 record in his ninth season as head coach. Tyler dropped a 29-10 decision to the Navarro Bulldogs in the conference semifinals to finish 7-3 overall and No. 16 in the final national poll.
Tyler had a regularly scheduled open date last weekend.