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(STATS) - Coming off a 2016 season in which their 10 wins over FBS programs tied for the fourth-most in a season, FCS programs hope to make a mark again in 2017.
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams are involved in 12 of the nearly 100 matchups. Half are against Power-5 conference programs, including Delaware State with a pair.
Here's a look at this year's matchups involving MEAC teams:
The Matchups (12) - Bethune-Cookman: Miami (Sept. 2) and Florida Atlantic (Sept. 16); Delaware State: West Virginia (Sept. 16) and Florida State (Nov. 18); Florida A&M: Arkansas (Aug. 31); Hampton: Ohio (Sept. 2); Howard: UNLV (Sept. 2) and Kent State (Sept. 9); Morgan State: Rutgers (Sept. 16); North Carolina A&T: Charlotte (Sept. 16); North Carolina Central: Duke (Sept. 2); Savannah State: Appalachian State (Sept. 9).
Glamour Game - Bethune-Cookman at Miami (Sept. 2). The Wildcats know what to expect against the U, which beat them by a combined 128-24 in games in 2011, '12 and '15. With an experienced quarterback, Larry Brihm Jr., among their 15 returning starters, a strong effort could serve as a potential springboard for a bounce-back season.
Upset Alert - North Carolina A&T at Charlotte (Sept. 16). The Aggies have a big hole to fill without all-time MEAC rushing leader Tarik Cohen, but they learned last year how to beat an FBS opponent, working four overtimes at Kent State. Charlotte has played only two seasons on the FBS level and is 2-10 at home during that time.
Notable - Norfolk State and South Carolina State are not playing FBS programs this season. It's quite the change for SCSU, which opened last season by facing UCF, Louisiana Tech and Clemson. … Defending MEAC champ North Carolina Central will head across Durham to face Duke for the fourth time in five seasons. Duke won the other three games by a combined 149-6. … New Howard coach Mike London will open his tenure with back-to-back FBS opponents in UNLV and Kent State. … Coming off a winless season, Delaware State's visits to West Virginia and Florida State could resemble last year's 79-0 drubbing at Missouri. … Florida A&M's matchup with Arkansas is its first game against an SEC opponent since losing 63-3 to Florida on Sept. 13, 2003. … Savannah State is coming off just its second FCS season with more than two wins, but since 2012, it's lost to 11 FBS opponents by an incredible 717-48. This year, second-year coach Erik Raeburn's team will play a later season opener on Sept. 9 against Appalachian State. … Rutgers has come to face MEAC teams annually, but that's ending with Morgan State on Sept. 16 because Big Ten schools are ceasing matchups versus the FCS. … Hampton's first-ever game against Ohio U. kicks off a season in which the Pirates are celebrating the school's 150th anniversary.
