TURN ALL THE LIGHTS ON! 7PM

The football game between Central Connecticut and Wagner will kickoff at 7 p.m. on Saturday night at Arute Field.  In addition to being the first night game at Arute since the 2004 season, the game will also air live on national television.

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TURN ALL THE LIGHTS ON!

The game was originally scheduled for a 6 p.m. kickoff, but the start was pushed back to 7 p.m. when the game was selected to be televised.  Newly renovated Arute Field will be on display to a regional audience on MSG Plus and a national audience on Fox College Sports.  Both networks will air the game live on Saturday night.

The Blue Devils (0-3, 0-0 NEC) and Seahawks (0-3, 0-1 NEC) both enter the game looking for their first win of the season.  Last year, the Blue Devils pulled out a 28-24 victory on the road and CCSU has won seven of the last eight meetings between these programs.

Here are some notes on the Blue Devils heading into Saturday:

Tonight's Game
The Blue Devils host the Seahawks of Wagner College for the 25th time in the all-time series.  Today's game is also the Northeast Conference opener for the Blue Devils who have won their first NEC game five years in a row.  Last season, Central went on the road and defeated Wagner, 28-24.  Both squads enter today's game coming off difficult losses to quality opponents, the Blue Devils fell at #18 New Hampshire, 43-10, and Wagner lost to Monmouth, 38-17.

Series History
The Blue Devils and Seahawks have played to an even 12-12 record over the first 24 meetings.  This series began in 1937 with Wagner and CCSU meeting each year up until 1941. CCSU did not have a football team over the next four years because of World War II and the series did not resume until 1993.  Since 1993, these programs have met every season.  Recently, the Blue Devils have held the advantage winning the last two meetings and seven times in the last eight seasons.  Last season the Blue Devils won on the road at Wagner, 28-24.
 
Arute Field
On September 8, the Blue Devils opened the 2012 season at Arute Field.  Central Connecticut has been playing football on Arute Field since the 1950s and the field has occupied its current location since the 1960s.  The current incarnation has been in use since the 2000 season and has been a kind home for the Blue Devils, especially of late, despite Saturday's 35-14 loss to Lehigh, CCSU still boasts a 24-6 record under head coach Jeff McInerney. With the additional seating for the 2012 season, 5,098 fans were able to pack Arute Field for the home opener.  The crowd also got to enjoy the new video board, which allowed fans to watch replays throughout the game.

Saturday Night Lights
Tonight is the first true night game for the CCSU football team at Arute Field since the 2004 season.  That year the Blue Devils hosted Wagner (Sept. 25) and Marist (Oct. 2) in games that started at 6 p.m.  Since then no football game at Arute Field has started after 5 p.m.  Both of those games were victories for the Blue Devils.

NEC Openers
The Blue Devils have won five straight NEC openers: 2007 (at Saint Francis (PA), 43-7), 2008 (Wagner, 35-10), 2009 (Sacred Heart, 24-12), 2010 (Bryant, 41-24), 2011 (at Wagner, 28-24).  The only NEC opener that the Blue Devils have dropped under head coach Jeff McInerney was in 2006, a (19-14) loss on the road at Albany.