24 Games on Tap as Local College Football Kicks Off 2016 Season

The 2016 college football season revs it’s engines this week/end as there is a full slate of games. Let’s roam around the local landscape that is the Greater NYC and Greater Philadelphia areas and see what we can look for in the week one schedule.

There are 24 games involving local schools this week, nine of them hosting home games.

(Photo by Jeff Auger – Double G Media)

Top Games

FCS NO. 19 North Dakota at Stony Brook, Thursday, September 1, 7:00 pm

Stony Brook, led by head coach Chuck Priore, will host FCS No. 19 North Dakota on Thursday night. North Dakota comes from the Big Sky Conference where they were picked to finish fourth in the conference this season. Stony Brook was selected eighth in the Colonial Athletic Association preseason poll. This will be the third meeting between the two schools on the football field. North Dakota won the previous two.

Fordham at Navy, Saturday, Sept. 3, 12:00 pm

It’s always fun traveling to a military academy for a game and that’s what the Fordham Rams will do to open the 2016 season in Annapolis against Navy. Fordham enters the season with a new head coach in Andrew Breiner but return a ton of talent from last season. He served as the teams offensive coordinator the past four seasons.

Senior quarterback Kevin Anderson returns to lead the offense along with junior All-American running back Chase Edmonds. Anderson threw 32 touchdown passes a season ago and Edmonds is already the schools all-time leading rusher.

The Patriot League front runners also return junior linebacker Niko Thorpe to anchor the defense. Thorpe tallied 78 tackles and five sacks last season as a sophomore.

Fordham and Navy will be meeting for just the second time in history and first since 1914, a Midshipmen victory. The game will be televised by CBS Sports Network.

Rutgers at No. 14 Washington, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2:00 pm

Rutgers travels to No. 14 Washington on Saturday for a 2 pm EST kickoff. Rutgers enters the season with a first year head coach in Chris Ash who has brought a brand new philosophy. Ash has made a difference from top to bottom already with the Scarlet Knights program and now the team gets an early season test. Rutgers travels across the country and are a significant underdog.

Chris Laviano returns as starting quarterback along with a healthy stable of running backs. One of the biggest questions is how Laviano handles the power spread offense after mostly running a pro style previously. Also, how can Rutgers replace superstar wide receive Leonte Carroo who has moved on to the NFL. Many believe Janarion Grant will have a major impact at wide receiver and on special teams this season. The Scarlet Knights defense is led by defensive lineman, Darius Hamilton.

The game, being broadcast on the Pac-12 Network, will be the first ever meeting between the two schools.

Full Schedule

Thursday, September 1

Saint Anselm at Wagner – 6pm

Maine at Connecticut – 7pm

No. 14 North Dakota at Stony Brook – 7pm

Cheyney at Lincoln – 7pm

US Coast Guard at Anna Maria – 7pm

Pace at Millersville – 7pm

Friday, September 2

Delaware Valley at Wesley College – 6pm

Lafayette at Central Connecticut State – 6pm

Army at Temple – 7pm

Saturday, September 3

Fordham at Navy – Noon

The College of New Jersey at Wisconsin-Whitewater – Noon

Alfred State College at William Paterson – Noon

Southern Connecticut State at Gannon – Noon

Ursinus College at Bethany – Noon

West Chester at Bentley – Noon

Monmouth at Lehigh – 12:30pm

Rowan at Widener – 1:00pm

Kean at Christopher Newport – 1:00pm

New Haven at Slippery Rock – 1:00pm

Villanova at Pittsburgh – 1:30pm

Rutgers at Washington – 2pm

Hartwick at Western Connecticut State – 5pm

Bucknell at Marist – 6pm

Sacred Heart at Stetson – 7pm

Teams with off week: Yale, Penn, Columbia, Princeton, FDU Madison, Wesleyan, Montclair State.