The Husson University football schedule will boast something different this fall — an in-state opponent.
For the first time since the program was reinstated in 2002 the Eagles won’t have to leave Maine for a road game, as Husson will travel to Biddeford to face the University of New England on Saturday, Sept. 8, as part of a 10-game regular-season schedule that was announced Wednesday.
This will mark the first formal meeting between the two programs as UNE will be playing its first season of varsity football. The Nor’easters faced the Husson JV squad last fall during a developmental season made up entirely of subvarsity opponents.
The Sept. 8 matchup also will represent UNE’s first varsity home game as the Nor’easters are set to make their 2018 debut on Aug. 30 at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.
Husson and UNE are likely to become familiar foes at the varsity level, as UNE is a member of Commonwealth Coast Football — a rebranded name of the Commonwealth Coast Conference for that sport — while Husson is leaving the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference after this season to join CCF, with the budding Maine rivals then likely to square off on an annual basis.
This year’s Husson-UNE game will be one of three nonconference contests for coach Gabby Price’s Eagles, which last fall captured their third ECFC championship in four years and went on to edge Springfield College 23-21 for their first NCAA Division III tournament victory.
Husson (10-2 in 2017) opens its 2018 campaign Sept. 1 at Union College, then visits UNE before playing its home opener on Sept. 15 against Western New England University to cap off this year’s nonconference slate.
Western New England, another future CCF rival, handed Husson its lone regular-season loss a year ago, rallying from a 14-0 halftime deficit for a 21-14 victory. WNE also defeated the Eagles 44-27 in a 2016 NCAA tournament first-round game.
Husson began its 2017 campaign with a 20-7 home victory over Union in the first meeting between the two programs.
“We are playing excellent out-of-conference teams in Union and Western New England.” Price said in a press release. “Additionally, we are excited to be playing UNE and starting an in-state rivalry.”
Husson, which has won 15 consecutive ECFC games and 27 of its last 28 conference outings over the last four years, begins its final season in that league on Sept. 29 at SUNY Maritime.
The Eagles will have ECFC home games against Dean College, under the lights on Oct. 5, Anna Maria College on Oct. 20 and Gallaudet University on Nov. 3.
Other conference road games are set for Oct. 13 at Alfred State, Oct. 27 at Castleton University and Nov. 10 at Mount Ida.
“Our conference schedule will once again be competitive with many teams having key returning players back for the 2018 campaign,” Price said. “We are working hard and pleased with the great leadership we have been receiving from our returning players in preparation for our excellent 2018 schedule.”
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