Norfolk State Releases 2011 Football Schedule

Norfolk State University released its 2011 football schedule on Tuesday. Highlighting the slate are six home games, including the return of the Labor Day Classic, and a road game at Big East power West Virginia (9-3, 5-2 Big East).

The Spartans open the season on Sept. 3 against Virginia State (8-2, 7-1 CIAA) at Dick Price Stadium. After the Spartans played VSU in their third game of the season in 2010, the game returns to Labor Day weekend for the next four years.

"Having Virginia State back on Labor Day weekend is a great way to kick off the season," head coach Pete Adrian said. The VSU Trojans won the Division II, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Eastern Division championship in 2010.

The following week, the Spartans trek to Morgantown, W.Va., to face West Virginia University. It will be the Spartans' fourth-ever game against a Division I FBS opponent, and third against a Big East team after facing Rutgers in 2007 and 2010. WVU is currently 9-3 and was Big East Conference co-champion with Connecticut and Pittsburgh.

Coach Pete Adrian's Spartans will play at West Virginia

"This will be a major challenge, to say the least, to face a Big East champion," said Adrian, who graduated from WVU in 1970. "But our team looks forward to these games and this will be no exception."

The Spartans open MEAC play at Howard University (1-10, 0-8 MEAC) on Sept. 17 in Washington, D.C.

NSU's third and final non-conference game of the season will come on Sept. 24 against FCS foe Charleston Southern (3-8, 1-5 Big South)at Dick Price Stadium. The teams have never met.

"Playing Charleston Southern will be a good test for us, and a nice non-conference game to add to our league's schedule for next season," Adrian said.

The Spartans' final seven games of the year will be against conference opposition. With the addition of North Carolina Central and Savannah State to the MEAC for 2011, MEAC teams will no longer play every conference opponent each season. NSU will not face NCCU (3-8) and 2010 MEAC Co-Champion Florida A&M (8-3, 7-1 MEAC) in 2011.

The Spartans' home MEAC games next season are against 2010 MEAC Co-Champion/FCS Playoffs participant South Carolina State (9-3,7-1 MEAC)(Oct. 1), Hampton (6-5, 5-3 MEAC) (Oct. 15), MEAC Co-Champion/FCS Playoffs participant Bethune-Cookman (10-2, 7-1 MEAC) (Oct. 22) and North Carolina A&T (1-10, 1-7 MEAC) (Oct. 29). The contest against the Aggies will serve as Homecoming as well as Senior Day.

In addition to the road game at Howard, NSU will also travel to Delaware State (3-8, 2-6 MEAC) (Oct. 8), Savannah State (1-10)(Nov. 5) and Morgan State (4-7, 3-5) (Nov. 12) in MEAC play. The Spartans do not have a bye week next year, playing 11 consecutive games before completing the regular season on Nov. 12.

2011 Norfolk State Football Schedule

September
03, Virginia State (Labor Day Classic), Norfolk, VA
10, West Virginia, Morgantown, WV
17, Howard, Washington, D.C.
24, Charleston Southern, Norfolk, VA

October
01, South Carolina State, Norfolk, VA
08, Delaware State, Dover, DE
15, Hampton, (Battle of the Bay), Norfolk, VA
22, Bethune-Cookman, Norfolk, VA
29, North Carolina A&T (Homecoming/Senior Day), Norfolk,VA

November
05, Savannah State, Savannah, GA
12, Morgan State, Baltimore, MD

Press Release: 12/21/10; Written By: MEAC Media Relations