The seventh season of Big South football kicks off this evening, Thursday, Aug. 28 with two games, followed by four games on Saturday, Aug. 30.  A printable version of this email is available below in .pdf format.

THURSDAY, AUG. 28

CHARLESTON SOUTHERN BUCCANEERS (0-0) at Miami Hurricanes (0-0) • Dolphin Stadium • 7:30pm • ESPN360
• This is the second-straight year Charleston Southern is playing an FBS team, as well as its first-ever ACC opponent.
• Charleston Southern is opening the campaign on the road for the sixth-straight season.
• This is the first time in school history that CSU will open its season with an FBS team.
• WR MARKUS MURRY needs nine receptions to become the 12th player in Big South history with 100 in his career.
• Charleston Southern has not been shutout in its last 31 games played.

GARDNER-WEBB RUNNIN' BULLDOGS (0-0) at Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (0-0) • Tucker Stadium • 8:00pm • LIVE STATS
• This is the third meeting between the schools, with the series tied, 1-1.  GWU won the last meeting in ‘06 (30-26).
• Gardner-Webb is opening the season on the road for the fourth time in five years.
• Senior LB MARIO BROWN is a preseason All-American and the Big South’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
• The Runnin’ Bulldogs last won a season opener in 2006, a 49-14 victory at Jacksonville.
• RB DAVID MONTGOMERY needs 24 rushing yards to move into 18th place on the Big South’s career rushing list.

SATURDAY, AUG. 30

COASTAL CAROLINA CHANTICLEERS (0-0) at Penn State Nittany Lions (0-0) • Beaver Stadium • 12:00pm • Big Ten Network • LIVE STATS
• Coastal Carolina opens the 2008 season at Penn State -- the Chanticleers’ first-ever FBS opponent.
• The Chanticleers have never been shutout in its history, a Big South Conference record spanning 56 games.
• Senior QB WILLIAM RICHARDSON is the younger brother of former PSU QB WALLY RICHARDSON (1992, 1994-96).
• Coastal Carolina is opening the campaign on the road for the fourth time in its six-year football history.
• Senior OL BRITT LEGGETT has been named a preseason All-American by College Sporting News.

Colgate Raiders (0-0) at STONY BROOK SEAWOLVES (0-0) • LaValle Stadium • 6:00pm • Big South EDGE • GAME DAY CENTRAL
• Associate member Stony Brook begins its affiliation in the Big South Conference this season.
• Despite both schools being located in New York, it is the first-ever meeting between Stony Brook and Colgate.
• It will be the third time over the last four years that Stony Brook has opened with a Patriot League foe.
• Stony Brook carries a five-game home winning streak into the season.
• This will be the fourth consecutive season that Stony Brook is opening the season at home.

North Greenville Crusaders (0-0) at LIBERTY FLAMES (0-0) • Williams Stadium • 7:00pm • WTLU, FamilyNet, WSET-TV, Big South EDGE • GAME DAY CENTRAL
• This is first meeting between the two schools.
• Liberty carries a five-game overall win streak into 2008, and also has won its last eight home games.
• RB RASHAD JENNINGS and KR DOMINIC BOLDEN have been named to two preseason All-American teams.
• Senior RB ZACH TERRELL has scored a rushing touchdown in his last 16 appearances.
• The Flames have won their last four season openers, which have all been at home.

PRESBYTERIAN BLUE HOSE (0-0) at Wofford Terriers (0-0) • Gibbs Stadium • 7:00pm • GAME DAY CENTRAL
• This is 81st meeting between the schools, with Presbyterian leading, 40-37-3.
• The last PC win in the series came in 1994 when the Blue Hose defeated the Terriers, 10-7 in Spartanburg.
• Presbyterian starts the year on the road for the third-straight season, and last won its season opener in 2006.
• The last time PC defated a SoCon team was in 1979, a 17-10 victory at Furman.
• Presbyterian is not eligible for the Big South football crown in 2008, but will be eligible starting in 2009.

VMI KEYDETS (0-0) idle
• VMI opens its 119th football season next Saturday, Sept. 6 vs. St. Francis (Pa.) at home.
• VMI is led by new head coach SPARKY WOODS, who was head coach at Appalachian State and South Carolina.
• The Keydets established Big South records of 3,115 rushing yards and 283.2 rushing yards per game in 2007.
• Slotback TIM MAYPRAY is coming off a record-breaking season with 1,975 all-purpose yards.
• RB HOWARD ABEGESAH needs 879 yards to reach the 2,000 rushing yard plateau in his career.