There are other sports on this campus besides football.

We looked into it. It’s true.

But there will be more Panthers than just the football team in Champaign this weekend.

Geoff Masanet (above) takes his cross-country team to U of I for the Illinois Invitational this weekend.

Here are three other places in the country that the Panthers will be invading.

1. Florida State University – Women’s volleyball will be spending its weekend in the Sunshine State for their first tournament of the season. They will play the Seminoles to open up on Friday. If they lose, at least they have the hot sun to console them. That is, of course, if Hurricane Ernesto’s wake stays away from the Florida Panhandle.

2. Central Michigan University- This is probably going to be a slaughter. Women’s rugby just does not lose. The only way rugby loses is by forfeit and the only way that happens is if the bus driver thinks the university is on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Which wouldn’t be a good idea to do with a bus full of rugby players.

3. Lakeside Field – Okay, this isn’t an invasion as much as it is a defense. There are four home soccer games as they continue their seasons. Women’s soccer takes on a pair of Chicago teams in DePaul on Friday and then Loyola (Chicago) on Sunday. Men’s soccer takes on Asbury on Saturday. Yeah, we’ve never heard of them either. Missouri-Kansas City comes in on Sunday. Anytime you play a team nicknamed the Kangaroos, something interesting is bound to happen.