CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears will open the 2017 season against a Big 12 foe for the second time in four seasons when they take on the Kansas State Wildcats in Manhattan, Kan., on Sept. 2.

    UCA, which finished 10-3 and reached the second round of the FCS Playoffs last fall, opened the 2014 season at Texas Tech and will meet KSU for the first time in football at the Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The facility is named for long-time head football coach Bill Snyder, a College Football Hall of Famer who, in two separate stints at KSU, has amassed more than 200 victories and led the Wildcats to 18 bowl games.

    "Opening up with Kansas State really adds emphasis to your offseason work, your weight program and your spring training,' said UCA head coach Steve Campbell, who will be entering his third season at UCA. "Kansas State is coming off a big bowl win over Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl. So we know Kansas State is a great football team, and they've got everybody back. Their quarterback was a sophomore, their great running back was young, their defense was young.

    "And they were really strong down the stretch and finished 9-4. They are a lot of people's pick to be right at the top of the Big 12. So that adds a lot of urgency to your offseason program when you know you open up with a team like that.' 

    The second non-conference game for the Bears will be the next week against Murray State University in Murray, Ky, on Sept. 9. UCA then begins its Southland Conference schedule with consecutive home games against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 16 and defending league champion Sam Houston State on Sept. 30.

    "It's always good to start off the conference schedule at home,' Campbell said. "And we start off with two of the top teams in the league traditionally. So we have to be ready to roll coming right out of the gates.'

    A road game at Houston Baptist is set for Oct. 7, followed by Stephen F. Austin coming to Estes Stadium on Oct. 14 for Hall of Fame Weekend. The Bears then travel to Natchitoches, La., to take on the Northwestern State Demons on Oct. 21 before returning home against McNeese State on Oct. 28 at Estes for Homecoming.

    Consecutive road games at Lamar (Nov. 4) and Incarnate Word (Nov. 11) will precede the final home game of the regular season against Abilene Christian on Nov. 18.

    "We're excited about the schedule we have, especially the home schedule,' said Campbell. "We have some really good teams coming in here, with the opportunity to play them on 'The Stripes.' It's a challenging schedule but one that we think works out to our favor.'

    The Bears will hold their annual Signing Day Reception from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at UCA Downtown (1105 W. Oak. St.), with Campbell and his staff highlighting the newest Bears with video and commentary.

2017 SCHEDULE