Home Opener Preview – BLACK OUT

ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany football team opens the 2026 season at home this Friday with a CAA night game under the lights of Casey Stadium against the New Hampshire Wildcats. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. with coverage on FloCollege. The game will feature a halftime fireworks display and serves as the official "Black Out" game.

GAME 1 INFO

UAlbany (0-0, 0-0 CAA) vs. New Hampshire (0-0, 0-0 CAA)

Friday, August 28 | 7:00 PM

Albany, N.Y. | Tom & Mary Casey Stadium

Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Tickets

THE PERKOVICH ERA BEGINS

Friday night marks a major milestone for UAlbany Football as head coach Tom Perkovich leads the Great Danes onto the field for his official head coaching debut. Officially introduced as the program's head coach in December 2025, Coach Perkovich arrives in the Capital Region following an extraordinary 10-season run at Susquehanna University, where he compiled an 84-25 overall record (.771 winning percentage) while leading the River Hawks to four consecutive conference titles and four straight NCAA DIII Tournament appearances. Known for building high-powered offenses and culture-driven programs, Perkovich now begins his tenure under the Friday night lights at Casey Stadium.

BLACK OUT – WEAR BLACK! 

Great Dane Nation is calling on all fans to pack the stands and wear black to match the team on the field as the Great Danes suit up in their black threads. Bring the energy, bring the noise, and wear black to build an intimidating sea of darkness and an electric home-field atmosphere for the season opener.

HALFTIME FIREWORKS

The action doesn't end when the teams head to the locker rooms! Stay in your seats during the break for a special, high-flying Halftime Fireworks Display lighting up the sky over Casey Stadium.

F-R-E-E FOR STUDENTS

Admission is FREE for all UAlbany undergraduate students to all home athletic events. To secure tickets for football games, students must claim their free ticket in advance using the official UAlbany Sports App and have their mobile ticket ready to scan at the gate. As an added bonus for the opener, the first 500 students to enter Casey Stadium will score an exclusive free Black Out T-Shirt! Download your ticket early, head to the student gates, and grab your tee while supplies last.

GREAT DANE GAMEDAY MOVES TO FIELD CLUB
The premier fan experience upgrade of the 2026 season is Great Dane Game Day, presented by Pepsi, moving inside of Casey Stadium with direct access to both the Broadview and Grass parking lots during pregame. Great Dane Game Day now opens 2.5 hours prior to kickoff in the Field Club area and is free and open to the general public with no game ticket required for entry. The area will feature music by Vara DJs, local food and beverage trucks, family games, inflatables, and field-level views of team warmups. Approximately 40 minutes prior to kickoff, fans will be asked to exit the Field Club and head to the main gates to scan their tickets and pass through security. Once inside, ticketed fans can return to the Field Club to enjoy full food and beverage concessions while watching the game just steps from the action.

UPDATED PREGAME TIMELINE 

Fans are encouraged to lock in their tailgate, head into Casey Stadium early, and be in their seats well before kickoff to catch every moment of the updated pregame schedule. Teams will take the field for warmups approximately 60 minutes prior to kickoff, followed by a pregame performance from the Marching Great Danes, UAlbany Cheer, and UAlbany Dance teams approximately 20 minutes before game start. The official team intro video will air six minutes prior, leading directly into the Great Danes taking the field. The coin toss featuring team captains from both squads will take place immediately following the entrance, culminating with the playing of the National Anthem right before kickoff with the Great Danes lined up on the field.

TAILGATING & PARKING

Located in the grass lots positioned right next to Casey Stadium, UAlbany’s gameday parking setup offers an incredible tailgating atmosphere just steps from the field. Moving gameday parking directly adjacent to the stadium has created a shorter walk, higher energy, and a premier environment for Great Danes fans to gather before kickoff.

• Early Parking Access: Parking lots open 4 hours prior to kickoff, giving fans ample time to set up and celebrate.
• Prime Tailgating Atmosphere: Grass-lot parking directly surrounding the stadium delivers the ultimate pregame environment.
• 10' x 10' Tailgate Space: Every single parking spot includes a dedicated 10' x 10' area for tents, grills, and pregame setups.
• Save on Parking: Fans who purchase single-game parking are encouraged to do so in advance to save $5 over the gameday rate. 

To secure your spot and lock in advance savings, click here. 

TICKETS

Have you secured your tickets yet? What are you waiting for?!

Be there live to support the Great Danes under the Friday night lights. Single-game tickets and full season packages can be purchased in advance online by clicking here. Tickets can also be bought in person on game day at the box office, or secured by reaching out directly to the UAlbany Athletics Ticket Office at (518) 442-DANE (3263) or GreatDaneTickets@albany.edu. 

Don't wait until kickoff—lock in your seats early!

QUICK NOTES – SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES 

• Opening at Home: UAlbany kicks off the 2026 season under Friday night lights at Casey Stadium, marking the first time in program history the Great Danes open their campaign with a CAA conference matchup at home on a Friday night.
• Coaching Staff Connections: Head Coach Tom Perkovich has assembled a strong staff featuring familiar faces, retaining program legend and all-time passing leader Will Fiacchi as wide receivers coach while adding former Great Dane workhorse Karl Mofor to coach the running backs.
• Susquehanna Pipeline: The Great Danes welcome key additions from Coach Perk's previous program, featuring four transfers who made the move from Susquehanna to UAlbany to play under his system.
• Ground Game History vs. UNH: Casey Stadium has historically produced legendary rushing performances against the Wildcats, highlighted by Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks’ school-record 298 rushing yards in 2016 and Karl Mofor’s program-record 45 carries in UAlbany's 20-7 win in 2021. 
• Home Field Advantage: The Great Danes are seeking to snap a four-game skid against New Hampshire, bringing a 3-4 all-time home record against the Wildcats into Friday night's opener.

QUICK NOTES – SCOUTING THE WILDCATS 

• New Hampshire enters the 2026 season under first-year head coach and alumnus Sean Goldrich ('15).
• UNH comes off an 8-5 campaign in 2025 that concluded with an FCS playoff appearance.
• The Wildcats were picked fourth in the 2026 CAA Preseason Coaches' Poll with 106 total points.
• UNH brings a four-game series winning streak against the Great Danes into Friday night's matchup.

UALBANY FOOTBALL WEEKLY

Get complete, behind-the-scenes access to the program all season long with the return of "UAlbany Football Weekly" presented by Broadview! Airing every gameday throughout the fall, the all-access show gives fans an exclusive inside look at Great Dane football. Each episode features mic'd up segments, the "100-Yard Walk," and in-depth game recaps and previews with head coach Tom Perkovich, the coaching staff, and student-athletes.

Full episodes will air on gameday and can be accessed at UAlbanySports.com and on the official WNYT YouTube Channel. Fans can also follow @UAlbanyFootball on social media for exclusive segments, previews, and highlight clips posted throughout the week.
 
Click here to access all shows for 2026 as they drop, or click here to visit the WNYT YouTube channel.

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