Moon Township, Pa. - The first season-opening game at home since 2008, back-to-back road games against Big South foe Liberty and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opponent Morgan State and a full slate of Northeast Conference games highlight the 2011 Robert Morris University football schedule.

Led by 18th-year head coach Joe Walton, the Colonials will play 11 games as part of their regular season in 2011.

RMU will open its 2011 campaign at Joe Walton Stadium for the first time since 2008 with a Noon kickoff Saturday, Sept. 3, against Dayton. It marks the second straight year the Colonials will open the season against the Flyers and marks the 14th meeting between the two programs.

Robert Morris takes to the road to complete its non-conference schedule the next two weeks, visiting Big South foe Liberty Saturday, Sept. 10, before traveling to Baltimore, Md., for its inaugural matchup against Morgan State Saturday, Sept. 17. 

The Colonials open defense of their 2010 NEC regular-season championship Saturday, Oct. 1, against Monmouth at Kessler Field in West Long Branch, N.J.

The 2011 slate also features league road games at Albany (Oct. 15), Central Connecticut State (Nov. 5) and Duquesne (Nov. 19) and home games against Saint Francis (Oct. 8), Bryant (Oct. 22), Sacred Heart (Oct. 29) and Wagner (Nov. 12).

For the second time in league history, the winner of the NEC regular-season championship will earn an automatic bid to the 2011 NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs.

Thanks to a 7-1 (.875) league record in 2010, including a head-to-head win over 2010 NEC co-champion Central Connecticut State (11/6/10) at Joe Walton Stadium, 42-24, Robert Morris earned the NEC's inaugural berth in the NCAA FCS Playoffs last season.

The Colonials took to the road in the first round of the FCS Playoffs and fell to No. 25 North Dakota State (11/27/10), 43-17, at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D.

Led by Walton, the only head coach in RMU history, the Colonials own an all-time record of 104-70-1 (.597). During that span Robert Morris has claimed a league-high six NEC titles (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2010), a pair of I-AA mid-major national championships according to Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette (1999, 2000) and two ECAC Bowl victories (1996, 1997).

In 2011 Robert Morris returns nine starters and 32 letterwinners from a team that finished with an overall record of 8-3 (.727) in 2010, the 11th winning season in 17-year history of the program.

Highlighting the group are junior quarterback Jeff Sinclair (Natrona Heights, Pa. / Highlands) and senior tight end Shadrae King (McKeesport, Pa. / McKeesport), who each were named to the 2010 All-NEC First Team.

Also earning All-NEC honors last year that will return in 2011 include junior defensive lineman Nolan Nearhoof (Gibsonia, Pa. / Mars Area) and senior center Logan Miles (Southmoreland, Pa. / Southmoreland). Nearhoof was named to the 2010 All-NEC First Team, while Miles garnered second team accolades.

RMU Schedule Quick Hits: The combined record of RMU's three non-conference foes in 2011 finished with an overall record of 22-11 (.667) last year ... Central Connecticut State, Saint Francis and Wagner are the only opponents Robert Morris has faced in each of its first 17 years as a Division I program ... The Colonials are a combined 39-11-1 (.775) all-time against the Blue Devils, Red Flash and Seahawks ... RMU will meet Morgan State for the first time in school history Saturday, Sept. 17 ... The Colonials are 18-9-1 (.661) all-time when facing an opponent for the first time ... Morgan State is the first opponent in school history that Robert Morris will play from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) ... RMU and Dayton will meet for the 14th time in 2011, the longest running non-conference rivalry in school history.

Robert Morris 2011 Football Schedule