MARTIN, Tenn. –For the first time in school history, The University of Tennessee at Martin football team will open the season with back-to-back games against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams. The Skyhawks open the season at the Liberty Bowl against host Memphis on Sept. 1, and then travel to DeKalb, Ill., to play Northern Illinois.
“It is going to be a very difficult schedule early,” seventh-year head coach Jason Simpson said. “We open at Memphis and then we play Northern Illinois (Sept 8), a team that won the MAC (Mid-American Conference) and 10 ballgames a year ago. And then we come home to host Southeastern Louisiana on a Thursday night (Sept. 13).”
The Skyhawks will open the Ohio Valley Conference in Clarksville at Austin Peay on Sept. 22.
“We have a very difficult schedule before we get into the conference schedule,” Simpson said.
While UT Martin has never played back-to-back FBS schools, the Skyhawks have played at least one FBS school every year since Simpson became the head coach in 2006.
Here is a quick look at the FBS schools and the year UT Martin played them:
2006 – Ohio
2007 – Southern Miss
2008 – USF and Auburn (not back-to-back)
2009 – Memphis
2010 – Tennessee
2011 – Mississippi State
“We had the Northern Illinois game a couple of years ago and then the Memphis game came about,” Simpson said. “It was a great opportunity for our program, our players and our fans.”
Fans can buy their game tickets and register for the 2012 Blues and Orange Tailgate Party at www.utmforever.com/2012tailgate. Tickets for the game are $30 each and the tailgate party, which includes a barbeque plate, is $10 per person. Fans can also purchase a ticket for the game at the Skyhawk Ticket Office in the Fieldhouse or by calling Jenny Canary at (731) 881-7207. Tickets for the game will be on sale until Aug. 23.