(STATS) – With Maine and Villanova posting wins over FBS programs last season, CAA Football continued to be adept at knocking off the big boys of Division I college football.
The CAA has nine FBS wins in the last six seasons and 38 all-time.
Who’s next?
As FCS programs seek to make their mark again this year, here’s a look at the games involving CAA teams:
The Matchups (14) – Albany: Central Michigan (Aug. 29); Delaware: Pittsburgh (Sept. 28); Elon: Wake Forest (Sept. 21); James Madison: West Virginia (Aug. 31); Maine: Georgia Southern (Sept. 7) and Liberty (Oct. 19); New Hampshire: FIU (Sept. 14); Rhode Island: Ohio (Aug. 31) and Virginia Tech (Oct. 12); Richmond: Boston College (Sept. 7); Stony Brook: Utah State (Sept. 7); Towson: Florida (Sept. 28); William & Mary: Virginia (Sept. 6) and East Carolina (Sept. 21)
Glamour Games – James Madison at West Virginia (Aug. 31) and Towson at Florida (Sept. 28): Curt Cignetti’s JMU debut comes in the Dukes’ first game against a Big 12 opponent. However, the two programs met twice before West Virginia joined the conference. Towson isn’t Florida’s only FCS opponent as the Gators host Ohio Valley Conference member UT Martin three weeks earlier. Towson hasn’t played the SEC member previously.
Upset Alert – Maine at Georgia Southern (Sept. 7) and Liberty (Oct. 19): The defending CAA champion, under new coach Norm Charlton, gets two shots to best an FBS opponent for the second consecutive season (Western Kentucky last year). Georgia Southern fell to New Hampshire in 2017 and Liberty is only in its second season on the FBS level. Maine is playing an FBS pair for the fifth straight year.
Notable – Villanova, which upset Temple last season, is the only CAA program that isn’t playing an FBS opponent this year. … Under first-year coach Mike London, William & Mary will play two FBS opponents – Virginia and East Carolina – for the first time since facing North Carolina and Navy in 1991. The Tribe trail Virginia 29-6-1 and ECU 12-4-1 in their all-time series. … Rhode Island, which lost a 56-49 thriller to UConn last season, is playing two FBS opponents – Ohio and Virginia Tech – for the first time. … New Hampshire will play in the Sunshine State for the third time, taking on FIU. Way back when in coach Sean McDonnell’s first season guiding UNH, the Wildcats lost 42-41 in overtime to South Florida. The ‘Cats also won a 2010 playoff game at Bethune-Cookman. … With Elon’s third matchup against Wake Forest, the Demon Deacons will become the Phoenix’s most-common FBS opponent since joining Division I. … In their only previous meeting, Delaware lost to Pittsburgh 62-0 to open the 2014 season. … Richmond hasn’t met Boston College since 1971 and trails 4-1 in the all-time series. … Albany’s first-ever game against Central Michigan is the debut of new Chippewas coach Jim McElwain, an FBS head coach previously at Colorado State and Florida. … Not surprisingly, Stony Brook and Utah State are meeting for the first time.
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