August 31, 2010
BULLDOGS HOST FORDHAM IN 2010 SEASON OPENER SATURDAY AT
3 P.M.
Bryant Enters Year No. 3 of Competing at the Division I
Level
GAMES NOTES / LIVE WEB STREAM
/ RADIO
BROADCAST / LIVE STATS
SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- Bryant University football opens
its third season of Division I competition Saturday afternoon,
hosting non-conference opponent Fordham University at 3 p.m. EST in
Bulldog Stadium (3,400). The matchup marks the 11th season of
Bulldog football and the seventh under head coach Marty Fine
(39-24).
The Bulldogs' season opener can be heard on WOON 1240 AM with
John McCarthy calling the play-by-play and Pete Royce providing
in-game analysis. Fans outside of the listening area can hear
all of the action live at www.bryantbulldogs.com and can watch every home game
on www.bryantbulldogs.tv. Links
for both audio and video are available on the Bryant Athletics website.
Saturday's game represents the third in a four-year
transitional period that will allow the Black and Gold to compete
for an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoff bid starting
in the fall of 2012. The Bulldogs are 10-10 against DI
opponents since 2008 and have gone 8-6 against teams representing
the Northeast Conference. The Bulldogs are coming off a full
Division I schedule last fall and will play all eight NEC members
in 2010, along with two former Northeast-10 Conference rivals in
Saint Anselm and Merrimack (DII).
The Bulldogs are a remarkable 7-4 (.636) in the season openers
dating back to the 1999 campaign. Bryant is a perfect 7-0
(1.000) when playing its first contest at Bulldog Stadium, and is
4-2 (.667) overall under Fine in season openers. Bryant is
slated to play seven home games this year, the most in a single
season. Three of the season's first four games will be played
in Smithfield, R.I. and the team will wrap up 2010 with two final
home contests.
Fine's squad is coming off a 5-6 season in 2009 and went
4-4 against NEC opponents, winning two straight to cap off the
year. The Black and Gold return 12 starters to the 2010
roster and add Bob Grammer and Mike McIntyre to the coaching
staff. Senior tight end Matt Tracey (Littleton,
Colo.) was a Football Consensus Draft Services
Preseason FCS All-American selection in 2010 after hauling in 36
catches for more than 475 yards. Defensively, the Bulldogs
will be led by senior linebacker Jason Riffe (Newton,
Mass.). The Massachusetts native tallied 75 tackles
in 2009 and was part of a unit that led the NEC in scoring defense
(17.3 ppg).
Fordham enters Saturday's game coming off a 5-6 season in
2009, going 2-4 in Patriot League play. The Rams
finished fifth last season in the league, which saw three
teams finish with at least eight wins and several players sign NFL
contracts. Fordham returns outstanding players at the skill
positions on offense, with NCAA FCS Preseason All-Americans Stephen
Skelton and Jason Caldwell leading the way. Also returning are
running backs Xavier Martin and Darryl Whiting, along with wide out
David Moore.
