JONESBORO - Arkansas State announced Wednesday its full 2017 football schedule, which features a  home opener against five-time national champion Miami and a pair of nationally televised midweek Sun Belt Conference contests.

A-State, the only FBS program in the nation to win five conference titles over the past six seasons, begins its 2017 slate with four consecutive non-conference games for the fourth consecutive season. The Red Wolves kick off the season Sept. 2 at Nebraska and follow with home games against Miami and Arkansas-Pine Bluff before completing its non-conference lineup Sept. 23 at SMU.

Nebraska is one of five teams on A-State’s schedule that played in a bowl game last year, along with Miami, Louisiana, South Alabama and Troy. The Red Wolves and Huskers last met during the 2012 season (Nebraska won 42-13) and will face each other for the third time, also playing in 2009 (NU won 38-9).

A-State will meet Miami a week later in the third all-time meeting between the two schools. This year’s contest will count as the second game of a home-and-home series that began in 2014, and it will give the Red Wolves a home outing against a current ACC opponent for the first time in the program’s existence.

The Red Wolves play back-to-back home games twice during the season, including the Miami and UAPB games.  A-State will meet the Golden Lions for just the second time in school history. A-State clobbered UAPB 62-11 in 2013.

A-State will close out non-conference play at SMU the following Saturday, facing the Mustangs for the third time in school history and the first time since 2007.  The series is tied 1-1 and the 2017 contest will count as the first in a home-and-home series that will send SMU to Jonesboro in the Red Wolves’ 2019 season opener.

Arkansas State has won 40 of its last 47 Sun Belt Conference games (.851 winning percentage), and will begin league play in 2017 with a Wednesday night ESPN2 game at Georgia Southern on Oct. 4. A-State claimed a dramatic 27-26 home victory last season in the first meeting between the two teams as Sun Belt opponents and is now set to face the Eagles for the first time in Statesboro.

Continuing league play Oct. 14 against Coastal Carolina, A-State will carry a 13-1 record over its previous 14 Homecoming contests into the game. Holding an all-time 61-27-1 Homecoming record, the Red Wolves will play the Sun Belt Conference newcomer for the first time in school history.

Five days later on Oct. 19, Arkansas State will play its second midweek game on national television when it hosts Louisiana.  The game will be played on a Thursday night and be televised on ESPNU. The Red Wolves and Ragin’ Cajuns have played 45 previous games, A-State’s second most all-time versus any opponent.

Arkansas State then returns to the road for back-to-back outings at New Mexico State and South Alabama on Oct. 28 and Nov. 11, respectively. The Red Wolves will play their only home game in the month of November when it hosts Texas State the Saturday after playing South Alabama.

A-State travels to Monroe on Nov. 25 to play ULM before concluding the regular season at Centennial Bank Stadium on their Senior Day when they play Troy Dec. 2.

The Red Wolves have strung together 12 consecutive years (2005-16) with a winning record at Centennial Bank Stadium. A-State is now 55-13 (.809 winning percentage) since the 2005 season when playing in Jonesboro and has won 30 of its last 36 home outings.

The Arkansas State Athletics Department has announced that new season tickets for the Red Wolves’ 2017 football campaign are now on sale and the renewal period for current season-ticket holders will run through March 31.

Tickets may be purchased or renewed through the A-State Ticket Office, located at the Convocation Center’s lower red entrance, in person, by phone at 870-972-2781 or online by visiting AStateRedWolves.com/tickets.

Fans renewing online should use the “Online Renewal” link located on the tickets page. In order for current season ticket holders to maintain their seats, tickets must be renewed in full or on an installment plan by Friday, March 31.

2017 A-STATE SCHEDULE
Sat., Sept. 2 at Nebraska
SAT., SEPT. 9 MIAMI
SAT., SEPT. 16 ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
Sat., Sept. 23 at SMU
Wed., Oct. 4 at Georgia Southern* (ESPN2)
SAT., OCT. 14 COASTAL CAROLINA*#
THUR., OCT. 19 LOUISIANA* (ESPNU)
Sat., Oct. 28 at New Mexico State*
Sat., Nov. 11 at South Alabama*
SAT., NOV. 18 TEXAS STATE*
Sat., Nov. 25 at ULM*
SAT., DEC. 2 TROY*
*Sun Belt Conference Game
#Homecoming