How much anticipation and excitement is surrounding your 2017 season opener?

[ASU33]

For us the anticipation for our season opener has been going since the game was announced 2 years ago. This year we open up against our long time rival Tuskegee who we have not played since the 2012 Turkey Day Classic. We played Tuskegee every year from 1924-2012 in the Turkey Day Classic. Tuskegee chose to not participate in the D2 Playoffs for years to take part in The Turkey Day Classic. Alabama State and Tuskegee are only 35 miles from each other and our students, fans, faculty interact with each other on an almost daily basis since Tuskegee is a small town and their students come to Montgomery to shop, go to the movies and ect. Tuskegee spoiled our 1st game in the new stadium during the 2012 Turkey Day Classic and they've had the upper hand against us winning 13 of the last 17 meetings. This opener is also the schools 150th anniversary which brings that much more hype to the ball game.

[JSUSoutherner]

4/10

Being billed as the first game of the year and being on ESPN is cool and all but I really wish we could play a D1 school.

[ASU33]

4/10

Being billed as the first game of the year and being on ESPN is cool and all but I really wish we could play a D1 school.

Jax State/Troy would be 12/10

[JSUSoutherner]

Jax State/Troy would be 12/10

I said I wanted a D1 opponent, didn't I?

[ASU33]

I said I wanted a D1 opponent, didn't I?

What's the likelihood of us seeing this game soon?

[JSUSoutherner]

What's the likelihood of us seeing this game soon?

None.

[RootinFerDukes]

There is a lot of excitement at ACU--

New Coach. Adam Dorrel in 6 years as HC at D2 Northwestern MO. he averaged more than 12 wins a year, was 3x D2 national coach of the year, Won 4 conference championships and 3 national titles, including the last two years. In the short time he has been on campus he has initiated a profound change in the culture. Players are held accountable for actions on and off the field

New Stadium. Opening for a new 52 million dollar on campus stadium is set for Sept 16, following two away games vs Mt West opponents.

There's no way a coach with that pedigree, even if it's D2, isn't going to turn ACU into a Southland contender in relatively short order (3-5 years from now). A new stadium is always exciting and helps to draw bigger crowds.

Heck, if he can assemble a smash mouth defensive presence, the SLC teams will crumble.

[Catatonic]

There's no way a coach with that pedigree, even if it's D2, isn't going to turn ACU into a Southland contender in relatively short order (3-5 years from now). A new stadium is always exciting and helps to draw bigger crowds.

Heck, if he can assemble a smash mouth defensive presence, the SLC teams will crumble.

Thanks. Expectations are high. Three to five years sounds about right for ACU to become a serious contender. Hey, it took Nick Saban 3 years to get things going at resource rich Alabama. Some fans are hoping for an immediate turn around. I like to point out that Saban lost to Louisiana-Monroe his first season at Bama. A little patience is due.

[GodHelpTheBears]

I'm so excited that I'm going to Chicago for the weekend. I have no desire to watch our guys get blown out by UM-C.

[Iridebikes]

EWU starts on the road at Texas Tech, last I heard no TV so will be imagining the game. With all of the changes that we've incurred in the coaching staff I've got more apprehension the anticipation. Beau was 6 and 5 his first year here, with a fairly good team. Could be a year of highs and lows.