Springfield, Mass. — August 31, 2026 — The Springfield College football team will open up the 2026 season with the 13th meeting of the Pynchon SAW Game on September 4 and will honor the life and legacy of Coach Lou DiRienzo Jr. prior to the start of the game.

The Pride will host Western New England on September 4 at 7:00 pm on Stagg Field as the Springfield College football program is set to honor Coach Lou DiRienzo Jr. Springfield will be wearing wristbands and putting stickers on their helmets in honor of Lou. His family will also join the Pride as honorary captains, assisting in the coin toss ahead of kickoff. 

A season ago, the contest was the 12th time that these two rivals met in the Pynchon SAW Game, which is derived from city founder William Pynchon and the acronym of "SAW" is for the first initial of both schools, Springfield And Western New England. The all-time series is now even at 6-6 with the Golden Bears winning their first SAW Trophy in 2025 since the 2021 season. 

For the latest on Springfield College Athletics, follow the Pride on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to tune into all Springfield College Athletic events.