Football Announces 2012 Schedule

Dec. 15, 2011

NOTE: Head Coach Bobby Wilder will be on the Tony Mercurio Show at 3:10 p.m. on ESPN Radio 94.1 FM to talk about the 2012 schedule.

NORFOLK, Va. - Increasing its level of competition each season of play, Old Dominion head football coach Bobby Wilder has announced the 2012 football schedule featuring what should be the Monarchs' toughest slate to date. The 2012 schedule features three non-conference games with Duquesne, Hampton, and Campbell, as well as Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) match-ups with eight teams from the league, including four of the five league teams that advanced to the 2011 FCS playoffs.

"Buckle your seatbelts 12th Monarchs and get ready for another exciting ride in 2012 with three playoff teams from 2011 and four former national champions," said Wilder of the schedule. "We realize this schedule will present a challenge for our team and we gladly except the challenge. "

"We planned for each season to get more and more competitive to prepare us for a hard-fought conference season and put us in the best possible position come the post-season," he continued.

The 2012 campaign will kick off with the Monarchs' three non-conference contests - Sept. 1st at home with Duquesne, Sept. 8th at Hampton, and Sept. 15th hosting Campbell. The Duquesne Dukes won a share of this season's NEC title, while ODU will be meeting Hampton Roads rival Hampton for the third straight year and Campbell, out of the Pioneer League, for the fourth straight season.

"Duquesne finished atop the NEC standings, but lost to Albany in the regular season losing out on the conference's automatic bid," commented Wilder of his non-conference schedule. "Hampton has proved to be a great game for the Hampton Roads community and one we look forward to continuing this season, while Campbell has continued to improve each and every year."

The CAA portion of the schedule gets underway on Sept. 22nd in the first meeting with New Hampshire. The Wildcats finished tied for second along with the Monarchs in this past season's CAA race and was among the five CAA schools to advance to post-season action in 2011.

"We waste no time in getting into the thick of things with the CAA," said Wilder of the conference slate. "Last season we opened up against the national runner-up in Delaware and right away in 2012 we face one of the top teams in the league vying with us for a league title."

On Sept. 29th, the Monarchs have their first CAA road contest, trekking up I-64 to Richmond and follow with a bye week the weekend of Oct. 6th.

"We are looking forward to our first trip to Richmond and meeting up with new head coach Danny Rocco," continued Wilder. "Also we look forward to having our bye week mid-season this coming fall after having to wait until the final week of the regular season in 2011."

ODU returns to host 2009 National Champion Villanova on Oct. 13th and then travels to 2011 CAA Champion Towson on Oct. 20th. The Monarchs will meet Delaware on Oct. 27th for the Blue Hens first appearance at Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium, followed by meeting Georgia State for the third time in school history, but the first as a CAA opponents.

"It will be an important stretch," said Wilder of coming out of the bye week. "Villanova sported a young roster last year and will only continue to improve. Towson will be eager to continue its CAA Championship run and Delaware proves to be a challenge in the league year-in and year-out. Additionally, Georgia State will be looking to make some noise in their inaugural season just like we did last year."

The regular season winds down hosting William & Mary on Nov. 10th in the Monarchs' home finale and closes at James Madison on Nov. 17th.

"Both these games came down to the wire last season," said Wilder of his squad's final two games, "with Craig Wilkins blocking a last second field goal against JMU and Eriq Lewis with two key interceptions at William & Mary. Just like last year, expect these games to be exciting for the 12th Monarch."

Since restarting its football team in 2009, Old Dominion has become the winningest start-up program in FCS history with a three-year total of 27 wins and only eight losses. In 2011, the Monarchs garnered their first national ranking, including cracking the top ten after concluding the regular season at 9-2 overall and 6-2 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association, a league which sent five teams to the post-season. The Monarchs graduate only eight seniors from the 2011 roster - defensive linemen Ronnie Cameron, Chad King, and Edmon McClam, linebacker J.J. Williams, quarterback Thomas DeMarco, offensive linemen Ryan Jensen and Jeremy Hensley, and wide receiver Prentice Gill, and return eight All-CAA performers including first teamers wide receiver Nick Mayers, punter Jonathan Plisco, linebacker Craig Wilkins, second team selection cornerback Eriq Lewis, as well as third team all-conference selections kicker Jarod Brown, defensive lineman Chris Burnette, wide receiver/punt returner Reid Evans, and three-time CAA Rookie and two-time National Freshman of the Week quarterback Taylor Heinicke.

The Old Dominion University football season ticket renewal process will begin in February 2012. Any available tickets after the completion of the season ticket renewal campaign in April will be offered to members of the ODU Football Waiting List. Fans are encouraged to join the Waiting List at /ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31100&ATCLID=208425130.

2012 Old Dominion Football Schedule 

* - Denotes Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) game