Eastern Kentucky announces 2016 football schedule

Eastern Kentucky University opens its first football season under new head coach Mark Elder on Sept. 3 at Purdue.

The Colonels announced an 11-game 2016 schedule Tuesday that includes six games on the road, four at home in Richmond and eight in the Ohio Valley Conference.

“I can’t wait to lead the Colonels onto the field for the first time at Purdue on Sept. 3,” said Elder, a former Tennessee assistant who replaced Dean Hood as Colonels coach this offseason. “I’m looking forward to seeing Roy Kidd Stadium packed for our home games. Colonel fans are going to make this the toughest place in the country to play.”

Purdue, of the Football Bowl Subdivision’s Big Ten Conference, went 2-10 in 2015.

Eastern Kentucky, of the Football Championship Subdivision, plays its home opener on a Thursday night, Sept. 8, against Pikeville of the NAIA. Pikeville is coached by former Colonels quarterback Allan Holland Jr., who led Eastern to back-to-back OVC titles in 2007 and 2008.

EKU closes the non-conference portion of its campaign Sept. 17 at Ball State of the FBS Mid-American Conference, which went 3-9 in 2015.

The conference schedule begins at Tennessee Tech on Oct. 1. The first OVC home game is Oct. 8 against Southeast Missouri.

Eastern’s 2016 homecoming game will be against defending OVC champion Jacksonville State on Oct. 22. The Gamecocks advanced to the NCAA championship game in 2015.

The first round of the FCS playoffs is scheduled for Nov. 26.

Game times for all EKU home games, except the homecoming contest and the home opener, will be announced seven to 14 days before each game.

Season ticket renewals are due May 1. For season ticket information, call the EKU Athletics Ticket Office at (859) 622-2122.

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 3:38 PM with the headline "Eastern Kentucky announces 2016 football schedule."