FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- The Northern Arizona football team will host five home games in 2012 in a new-look Big Sky Conference that adds four football schools.
The Big Sky welcomes the University of North Dakota and Southern Utah
University as full members as well as Cal
Poly and UC Davis as affiliate members.
"The 2012 season brings the first year of the new Big Sky Conference with the addition of the new teams," said NAU coach Jerome Souers. "We are going to experience a lot of change in the traditions of who we have played normally.
"Playing Cal Poly, UC Davis and North Dakota will give us different opponents than we have seen. The challenge will be fun, invigorating and interesting for the fans to see. The traditional games we have played will also be quality games for our football program. I am really excited about it and I think our team is as well."
The Lumberjacks will host Fort Lewis in the home opener on Sept. 15 after playing two road games to open the season at Arizona State (Aug. 30 or Sept. 1) and UNLV (Sept. 8).
"The nonconference schedule is challenging and exciting," said Souers. "Overall, the 2012 schedule is an opportunity to accomplish some great goals. For a team that was so close last year and ready to emerge, I think it is a great schedule."
NAU opens Big Sky play at Montana on Sept. 22 before returning for the Family Weekend contest against Portland State on Sept. 29.
"The early opponents on our schedule will drive us to get our quality of play up to speed early,” said Souers. “When you open up conference play against Montana, we have to be as close to our best as possible. I really believe our nonconference schedule will prepare us to be tough on the road."
After a bye week on Oct. 6, NAU will travel to North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D., on Oct. 13 for the first time. The Lumberjacks finish the regular season by hosting three of their final five games at home. NAU hosts new Big Sky affiliate member UC Davis on Oct. 20 for homecoming before back-to-back road games at Northern Colorado (Oct. 27) and at Idaho State (Nov. 3).
The Lumberjacks will then host new full member Southern Utah on Nov. 10 and affiliate member Cal Poly on Nov. 17.
"Southern Utah has grown into a rival team," said Souers. "Geographically they are close, every game we have played with them has been close, and now they will count in conference."
Games times will be announced at a later date.
2012 Schedule
Aug. 30/Sept. 1: at Arizona State, Tempe, Ariz.
Sept. 8: at UNLV, Las Vegas, Nev.
Sept. 15: FT. LEWIS
Sept. 22: at Montana, Missoula, Mont.
Sept. 29: PORTLAND STATE
Oct. 13: at North Dakota, Grand Forks, N.D.
Oct. 20: UC DAVIS (homecoming)
Oct. 2: at Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colo.
Nov. 3: at Idaho State, Pocatello, Idaho
Nov. 10: SOUTHERN UTAH, FLAGSTAFF
Nov. 17: CAL POLY, FLAGSTAFF
