UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond Football squad is slated to take on teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Southeastern Conference in each of the next six seasons. Virginia headlines a list which includes Duke and Vanderbilt as future Division I-A opponents on the Spiders' schedule through the 2012 season.

"We are excited about the challenge of facing teams from the ACC and SEC," head coach Dave Clawson said. "These are attractive games for our players, Spider fans and future recruits."

Two of the most awaited Division I-A match-ups on the Spiders' future schedule are with Virginia in the 2008 and 2010 seasons. Richmond has faced the Cavaliers 28 times in its 123-year history with the most recent meeting dating back to Sept. 1, 2001, when it lost 17-16 in Charlottesville, Va.

Next season the Spiders return to Nashville, Tenn., to face the Commodores of Vanderbilt. In 2005, Richmond fell, 37-13, in Vanderbilt Stadium to a then-undefeated Vandy squad. Richmond is also slated to make a trip to Vanderbilt in 2012.

Richmond will open its 2006 schedule with a game at ACC-foe Duke, Sept. 2, at 6 p.m. Return trips to Duke are also on the schedule for 2009 and 2011. The 2006 matchup between the Spiders and Blue Devils will be the 11th in Richmond's 123-year history.

RICHMOND SPIDERS' FUTURE DIVISION I-A OPPONENTS
2006 - Duke
2007 - Vanderbilt
2008 - Virginia
2009 - Duke
2010 - Virginia
2011 - Duke
2012 - Vanderbilt