UNH schedule released

DURHAM – For the first time in 25 years, the University of New Hampshire football team will open its season against arch-rival Maine when the Wildcats play host to the Black Bears on Sept. 2 at Wildcat Stadium. That kicks off a five-game home schedule that includes a Homecoming matchup against Rhode Island on Sept. 23.

UNH’s 2017 football schedule was announced Tuesday.

The Battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket, which has been the regular-season finale in 16 of UNH head coach Sean McDonnell’s 18 seasons at the helm, will open the campaign for the first time since 1992. The last time a UNH/Maine opener was held in Durham was 1989.

“Our schedule combines competitive non-conference games with the most challenging league in FCS football, the CAA,” McDonnell said. “Opening at home against Maine presents a very unique opportunity for our football program.”

New Hampshire has a 54-43-8 all-time record against Maine in the program’s longest running rivalry. The Wildcats have won seven straight and 14 of the last 15 meetings.

UNH visits Georgia Southern University of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) on Sept. 9. In the only prior meeting between the two programs, the Wildcats posted a 27-23 upset victory at Paulson Stadium in the first round of the 2004 NCAA Division I FCS tournament. That marked the inaugural Division I playoff victory in UNH history.

The Wildcats travel to Worcester, Mass., for a Sept. 16 non-conference battle against Holy Cross. The Wildcats rallied past the Crusaders, 39-28, to win the inaugural game in Wildcat Stadium history Sept. 10, 2016.  UNH holds an 8-6 lead in the all-time series and has won four straight head-to-head encounters.

Homecoming is slated for Sept. 23 against Rhode Island. New Hampshire has rattled off six consecutive wins in its rivalry with URI, including a 39-17 road triumph last season that upped its all-time advantage to 58-27-5.

While the Wildcats have met the Rams 90 times, they get their first crack at another Ocean State foe when Bryant University invades Durham for a non-league tilt Sept. 30.

Following a bye week, UNH hits the road to take on Stony Brook at LaValle Stadium on Oct. 14. The Wildcats upset the 20^th-ranked Seawolves, 43-14, last season, and have won four of the five all-time meetings.

New Hampshire returns home to face Towson on Oct. 21. The Wildcats own an 8-3 all-time mark over the Tigers, including a 21-7 victory at Unitas Stadium last season.

The Wildcats will visit defending national champion James Madison at Bridgeforth Stadium on Oct. 28. The Wildcats narrowly lost 42-39 in Durham during the regular season before the Dukes completed a season sweep, 55-22, in an NCAA Division I FCS second-round game in Harrisonburg, Va., to take over the all-time series lead, 9-8.

UNH makes it back-to-back trips to Virginia when it visits William & Mary on Nov. 4. The Tribe leads the all-time series, 14-6, but UNH came away victorious in last year’s Homecoming meeting, 21-12.

Senior Day at Wildcat Stadium features a matchup against Elon on Nov. 11. The Wildcats edged the Phoenix, 13-10, in North Carolina last year to make it a perfect 3-for-3 in the all-time series.

In the regular-season finale, UNH looks to upend Albany on the road Nov. 18. The Wildcats seek to avenge their 36-25 Senior Day setback to the Great Danes, which was Albany’s first win in five career meetings.

Since the start of the 2007 season, UNH has a 51-8 home record (.864 win percentage). The inaugural season at Wildcat Stadium saw the program set records for highest single-game attendance (21,943/Oct. 1), highest opening-game attendance (13,242/Sept. 10), highest regular-season average attendance (11,108) and highest overall average attendance (9,630).

Game times and 2017 season ticket information will be announced at a later time.

2017 UNH Football Schedule

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