GREENWOOD, Ind. - Three games will highlight opening week around the Division II football landscape for a trio of Great Midwest Athletic Conference institutions.

Thursday's slate features two games under the lights while Saturday will include an afternoon matinee as Alderson Broaddus, Kentucky Wesleyan and Malone kickoff the 2016 fall season.

Incoming 2017 G-MAC institutions Findlay, Hillsdale, Lake Erie, Ohio Dominican and Walsh, are also in action for week one.

The first wave of G-MAC Athletes of the Week (offensive, defensive and special teams) will be released on Tuesday, Sept. 6, as a post-Labor Day announcement.

The conference will also be updating a records document on a weekly basis following the conclusion of the week of play.


Kentucky Wesleyan (0-0) vs. Delta State (0-0)
Thursday, Sept. 1
Cleveland, MS
Parker Field-McCool Stadium
6 p.m. CST (7 p.m. EST)
Media:  Live Video  |  Live Stats  |  Audio Broadcast

The Panthers will be tested in a rematch against the Statesmen of Delta State on the road to begin the season. KWC played the same program last year on Sept. 19, but fell on the short end of a 51-18 final.

Delta State is receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches Preseason Poll and the program was ranked in the top 10 early in 2015 campaign.

In last year's game, KWC All-American wide receiver Keelan Cole ran wild with a 100-yard kickoff return end zone to end zone and had a two-yard scoring haul towards the end of the second quarter.

KWC veteran head coach Brent Holsclaw alluded to his players being a little bit starstruck going into last year's meeting, but watch for Kentucky Wesleyan to come out more composed after having been in McCool Stadium already. The buzz around the Panthers is also high after the institution launched a new branding campaign last week that includes a new logo.

Delta State finished 2015 with a 6-5 overall record and went 2-5 in the Gulf South Conference. KWC was 5-6 in 2015 while playing an independent schedule.














Alderson Broaddus (0-0) vs. Robert Morris (0-0)
Thursday, Sept. 1
Moon Township, PA
Joe Walton Stadium
7 p.m. EST
Media:  Live Video  |  Live Stats  |  Audio Broadcast

The Battlers also gets a look at a tough opponent to start the year AB meets Division I FCS opponent Robert Morris in a rematch on Thursday night. This is the start of a challenging road ahead for Alderson Broaddus as the bar for the strength of schedule has been raised to another level.

AB is no stranger to FCS opponents after playing Wagner and Duquesne previously. The Battlers have played Duquesne in each of the past two seasons.

Alderson Broaddus is projected to start a total of 12 seniors in Thursday's contest, including 10 of 11 returning starters on defense. Safety tandem Michael James and Malcolm Lee will try and disrupt the Robert Morris offensive tempo in the defensive backfield.

Senior running back Brandon Jones is raring to go after missing the final four games of an injury shortened 2015 season. Jones enters the season as the school's all-time leading rusher with over 3,100 yards and 30 touchdowns. Watch for Jones to return to form quickly.

Alderson Broaddus finished last season with a 7-4 overall record with an independent schedule. Robert Morris was 4-7 last year in the Northeast Conference.














Malone (0-0) vs. Taylor (1-0)
Saturday, Sept. 3
Canton, OH
GlenOak High School - Bob Commings Field
2 p.m. EST
Media:  Live Video  |  Live Stats  |  Audio Broadcast

The newest member of the G-MAC unveils a new head coach in Fred Thomas on Saturday against NAIA-affiliated Taylor.

Malone is ready to turn the page and start a new era and it will have to do against a Trojans' program that has already toppled NCAA DII provisional year-one member Davenport in its season opener.

Four different Taylor players ran for touchdowns last Saturday. The Trojans are preparing for this game on short rest and they will figure to see a heavy dose of Malone workhorse Matt Blasiole on the ground.

Blasiole would have crossed the 1,000-yard rushing milestone last season if it wasn't for an injury late in the season. Pioneers' quarterback John Iacucci will make the opening day start after winning the job in preseason camp while speedy Ashton Dulin will look to spread the Taylor defense as a deep threat.

Malone was 0-10 last year as a member of the GLIAC. Taylor was 7-3 last year and is currently 1-0 this season.














Future G-MAC Institutions (Week 1):

Thursday, Sept. 1
Ohio Dominican vs. Ferris State (7:30 p.m.)

Saturday, Sept. 3
Northern Michigan vs. Lake Erie
Walsh vs. Michigan Tech
Saginaw Valley vs. Findlay
Indianapolis vs. Hillsdale