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.