With the West Virginia Mountaineers leaving the Big East Conference, the football schedule for 2012 took a little longer to be released. But the long wait is over as the Big East and UConn released their 2012 football schedule.
Here’s the press release from UConn:
STORRS, Conn. — The 2012 University of Connecticut football schedule will feature games against seven teams that played in bowl games last year and a non-conference schedule with two games against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference. The complete schedule was announced on Tuesday by the BIG EAST Conference.
Game times and television coverage for most games are still to be announced.
“We have a very exciting and competitive football schedule for the 2012 season,” said UConn Director of Athletics Warde Manuel. “Our six home games combine three great BIG EAST Conference contests with three non-conference opponents that will be a tremendous opportunity for our team and fans. We look forward to seeing excited crowds at Rentschler Field this season to support our Huskies.”
Season tickets for the 2012 campaign are currently on sale at UConnHuskies.com
“Our entire team is really looking forward to this 2012 football schedule,” says second-year head coach Paul Pasqualoni. “Our coaches and players look forward to playing a tough non-conference schedule and then get into the grind of the BIG EAST Conference, which is as competitive league as any in the country.”
UConn opens the 2012 campaign with a pair of home games as the tenth season of Rentschler Field beings. The Huskies open with Massachusetts on Thurs., August 30 as the two teams renew a rivalry that dates back to 1897 with 71 games. The two teams have not played since 1999 and UMass is entering its first year as a member of the Mid-American Conference.
The Huskies then face North Carolina State of the ACC on September 8 in a return game from a meeting in Raleigh in 2003. The Wolf Pack won last year’s Belk Bowl.
UConn hits the road in 2012 for the first time on September 15 when it takes on Maryland of the ACC for just the second time in school history. Maryland won a previous meeting with the Huskies in 1942 and will return this game in 2013 at Rentschler Field (September 14).
The non-conference portion of the season concludes with a pair of games against teams from the Mid-American Conference – at Western Michigan on September 22 and home against Buffalo on September 29. Western Michigan played in last year’s Little Caesar Bowl.
UConn kicks off its ninth season as a football member of the BIG EAST Conference on October 6 as it visits Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights won the New Era Pinstripe Bowl last season.
The Huskies take on BIG EAST newcomer Temple on October 13 for both the conference home opener and UConn’s Homecoming game. The Owls won last year’s Gildan New Mexico Bowl.
A trip to Syracuse (Fri., October 19) for a primetime game on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. is followed by a game at USF (November 3.) before the Huskies return home against Pittsburgh on Fri., November 9 for an 8:00 p.m. game on ESPN2. The Panthers played in last year’s BBVA Compass Bowl.
UConn plays at Louisville on November 24 as the Cardinals participated in the Belk Bowl last year. The regular season concludes on December 1 at Cincinnati with a game that will be televised by ABC, ESPN or ESPN2. The Bearcats were the champions of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl last year.
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