FOOTBALL RELEASES 2010 SCHEDULE

DURHAM, N.H.- The University of New Hampshire football program and 12th-year head coach Sean McDonnell recently announced the Wildcat football schedule for the 2010 season.

UNH will play its season-opener at Cowell Stadium on Sept. 4 vs. Central Connecticut State and will play three of its first four contests vs. non-conference opponents.

The Wildcats will then play at Pittsburgh on Sept. 11 at Heinz Field, home of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers. Pitt posted a 10-3 record in 2009, placed second in the Big East and was ranked No. 15 in the final FBS Associated Press national poll. UNH has won five straight games over FBS teams with victories over the likes of Rutgers, Northwestern, Marshall, Army and Ball State since 2004.

The team will play its first CAA opponent on Sept. 18 when the squad travels to compete at Rhode Island on Sept. 18. UNH then returns home for a Sept. 25 matchup vs. Lehigh on Family Weekend to round out the non-conference games.

A game at long-time traditional rival Maine will no longer be the played as the final contest of the season for both teams and will now take place on Oct. 2 in Orono.

Homecoming has been scheduled for Oct. 9 and the Wildcats are set to do battle vs. a very powerful Richmond team that was ranked No. 5 in the nation in the final Sports Network FCS national poll.

UNH will travel to James Madison for the first time since 2007 on Oct. 16.

Fans always look forward to UNH’s traditional rivalry game vs. UMass and this coming season it will be a home game played on Oct. 23.

After an off week on Oct. 30, UNH resumes its difficult CAA schedule with a contest at Cowell Stadium on Nov. 6 vs. William & Mary, a team ranked No. 4 in the final national FCS poll.

Up next for the ‘Cats is a trip to Villanova on Nov. 13 for an opportunity to play the defending national champion Villanova Wildcats. Villanova knocked UNH out of the playoffs in the 2009 NCAA quarterfinals before winning the FCS national title, however UNH defeated Villanova at Cowell Stadium earlier in the year.

The regular season wraps up on Nov. 20 with a home game vs. Towson.

2010 UNH FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Sept. 4 CENTRAL CONNECTICUT
Sept. 11 at Pittsburgh
Sept. 18 at Rhode Island
Sept. 25 LEHIGH
Oct. 2 at Maine
Oct. 9 RICHMOND
Oct. 16 at James Madison
Oct. 23 MASSACHUSETTS
Oct. 30 Off Week
Nov. 6 WILLIAM & MARY
Nov. 13 at Villanova
Nov. 20 TOWSON