ALBANY — The game isn’t even listed on the University at Albany football schedule yet because the contract is being finalized.
But the Great Danes have added a Sept. 2 trip to Marshall of the Football Bowl Subdivision to its 2023 slate, which creates a challenging scenario next season.
After opening at home Aug. 26 against Fordham, UAlbany will play the Thundering Herd in Huntington, W. Va. The following week, the Great Danes fly almost 5,000 miles to face the University of Hawaii Sept. 9 in Honolulu. That’s back-to-back “guarantee” games against FBS programs — $350,000 to play Marshall and $150,000, plus travel expenses, to take on the Rainbow Warriors.
Marshall,which plays in the Sun Belt Conference, went 9-4 last season and beat UConn in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. Hawaii finished 3-10 in the Mountain West Conference.
“It’s an opportunity to bring money into our program,” UAlbany coach Greg Gattuso said Monday, the first day of spring practice. “It’s very important to us and the Hawaii trip will be a great experience for this team. I’ve got good friends who played them and we’re looking forward to going down there and competing. It’s the nature of the sport right now and I have no problem with it. We’re excited about Marshall and I’d certainly rather play Marshall and Hawaii than Baylor again.”
UAlbany opened at Baylor of the Big 12 last season and lost 69-10 for a $500,000 payday. The Great Danes went 3-8 last season.
This will be the first time UAlbany plays two FBS opponents in one season. FBS teams can give out a maximum of 85 scholarships compared to the 63 at UAlbany’s level, the Football Championship Subdivision.
UAlbany has played two guarantee games in a season once before, during the 2021 campaign. The Great Danes lost their opener at North Dakota State, a top-notch FCS program, and were blown out at Syracuse two…
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