Kansas State has added the UCA Bears to their 2017 football schedule, the Log Cabin Democrat has reported.
K-State will host UCA at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium in Manhattan on Sept. 2, 2017. The game will be the first ever meeting between the two schools.
The University of Central Arkansas, a member of the Southland Conference in the FCS, has never faced a team from the Big 12. Their athletic director, Dr. Brad Teague, spoke about the future of FBS vs. FCS games:
“There is some talk in NCAA committees about FBS schools eliminating games against FCS schools at some point in the future,” Teague said. “Right now, that’s basically one athletic director in one conference (Big 10). I don’t know what will happen there, but the good thing is we’re pretty much set with future games against FBS teams for the next five years.”
“I think as long as athletic directors and head coaches understand that a win against an FCS opponent counts the same as against an FBS opponent as far as bowl eligibility, they will continue to play FCS teams.”
UCA has contracts to play Colorado in 2013, Texas Tech in 2014, and Oklahoma State in 2015. They are reportedly in discussions with Auburn or Missouri for a game in 2016.
As for Kansas State, this contest continues their pattern of playing a light non-conference schedule under head coach Bill Snyder. UCA is their first scheduled game for the 2017 season.
Football Schedules