Six home games and the first meeting with the Naval Academy since 2003 highlight the 2012 football schedule released Tuesday afternoon.
It will be the most homes games for a VMI football team since the Keydets played the same number during the 2007 season slate.
VMI will travel to Annapolis, Md. to take on the Midshipmen on September 22 in the first gridiron meeting between the military schools since the 2003 season opener when the Keydets last visited Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The game also marks the third time over the last four years that VMI has faced a service academy. The Keydets traveled to West Point, N.Y. to tangle with Army in both the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
VMI will open the 2012 slate on the road at Delaware State on September 1 in a return game from last season’s opener in Lexington. One week later, the Keydets play the first of six home games at Foster Stadium/Alumni Memorial Field against Chowan University in the second ever meeting between the schools. The Hawks from Murfreesboro, N.C., played the Keydets in Lexington in 2008.
The home slate resumes one week later on September 15 when Richmond visits Foster Stadium for the first time since the 2008 campaign. VMI will also open up its 10th season of Big South Conference action at home on October 6 against Presbyterian College.
Other home contests include Coastal Carolina (October 20) and The Citadel in the 68th renewal of the Military Classic of the South on November 10 – the first time the Bulldogs have been in Lexington since 2007. VMI closes out the 2012 season at home against conference and in-state foe Liberty on November 17.
Other road contests on the 2012 lineup include Charleston Southern (October 13), Gardner-Webb (October 27), and Stony Brook (November 3). The Keydets will have a bye weekend on September 29.
Home game kickoffs are expected to remain at 1:30 p.m. unless revised for television purposes. Road contest kickoffs will be announced at a later date.
Tickets for the 2012 season home games will go on sale in early July. For further information, call 540-464-7266 or access
2012 VMI Football Schedule
September 1 at Delaware State TBA
September 8 CHOWAN 1:30 p.m.
September 15 RICHMOND (1st Reunion Weekend) 1:30 p.m.
September 22 at Navy TBA
September 29 Open
October 6 PRESBYTERIAN (Homecoming) 1:30 p.m.
October 13 at Charleston Southern TBA
October 20 COASTAL CAROLINA 1:30 p.m.
October 27 at Gardner-Webb TBA
November 3 at Stony Brook TBA
November 10 THE CITADEL 1:30 p.m.
November 17 LIBERTY 1:30 p.m.
Home games in CAPS.