Football team to take on Georgia Southern

CSU, fresh off a 4-8 season, is looking east to find their final non-conference opponent of the 2007 season.

Athletics Director Paul Kowalczyk announced Thursday that Division-1AA Georgia Southern would round out the upcoming season’s schedule for the Rams when they visit Fort Collins for a Nov. 17 game.

The Eagles, who have won six Division-1AA championships including back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000, are coming off a disappointing 3-8 season and will be led by new coach Chris Hatcher. Hatcher was hired on Jan. 19 and comes to GSU after leading Division-II Valdosta State to two National Championship appearances in seven seasons.

It will be the first time in team history that the Rams will take on a team from the state of Georgia; however CSU has met a member of the Southern Conference before.

The Rams blew out an overmatched Tennessee-Chattanooga squad 61-19 to kick off their 1996 campaign.

Georgia Southern is the most lightly regarded non-conference opponent for the Rams next season. Pac-Ten powerhouse California (10-3 last season), Conference-USA champion Houston (10-4) and in-state rival Colorado-Boulder (2-10) make up the rest of CSU’s non-Mountain West slate.

The Mountain West Conference will unveil the conference schedule no later than April 1, according to Mountain West officials.

Kowalczyk also announced a future ome-and-home series for the 2009-2010 seasons. The Rams will head to Moscow, Idaho, to take on the Idaho Vandals on Oct. 3, 2009, while the rematch will take place in Fort Collins on Sept. 25, 2010.

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Future Non-conference schedules

2007

Sept. 1 Colorado (Denver)

Sept. 8 California

Sept. 22 at Houston

Nov. 17 Georgia Southern

2008

Aug. 30 Colorado (Denver)

Sept. 6 Sacramento State

Sept. 20 Houston

Sept. 27 at California

2009 Nonconference Schedule

Sept. 5 Colorado (Denver)

Sept. 19 Nevada

Oct. 3 at Idaho

One more opponent to be determined

2010 Nonconference Schedule

Sept. 4 Colorado (Denver)

Sept. 11 at Nevada

Sept. 18 at Miami (Ohio)

Sept. 25 Idaho