ORONO — The University of Maine football team unveiled its schedule for the 2017 season on Wednesday featuring a rare opener against its arch rival and a stop at historic Fenway Park.

Maine will kick off the season at UNH on Saturday, Sep. 2. It is the first time in 25 years the rivals will meet in the first game of the season.

The Black Bears open their home schedule against Bryant on Sep. 9. 

After a bye week, the Black Bears go on a three-game road trip, starting with defending Football Championship Subdivision national champion James Madison on Sep. 23. That will be followed by the first of Maine’s two Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) games, which will be against Central Florida. The swing ends at Villanova on Oct. 7.

Maine returns to Alfond Stadium for homecoming weekend on Oct. 14 to take on Rhode Island. It will be the 96th meeting between the New England rivals.

The Black Bears  hit the road again the following week to face Albany before back-to-back home games against William & Mary and Delaware.

On Nov. 11, Maine travels to Fenway Park to meet their second FBS opponent, UMass. In their first appearance at Fenway for a football game, the Black Bears will try to pick up their second win in a row over the Minutemen, who they beat, 24-14, at Gillette Stadium for the program’s second-ever win over an FBS opponent. 

Maine closes out the regular season at home on Nov. 18 against Stony Brook.

The Black Bears finished 6-5 in head coach Joe Harasymiak’s first season in 2016.

Season tickets are available at the Black Bear ticket office at (207)-581-BEAR.