Football announces 2017 schedule

Posted: May 22, 2017

(Ann Arbor, MI) After a record breaking 2016 season, the Cardinals will look to improve upon the success with a competitive 2017 schedule. Following a school record seven wins, newly promoted head coach Joshua Schumacher will lead the Cardinals through their 2017 campaign. Many familiar teams remain on the schedule, with some opponents Concordia has not seen in several years and a former conference foe that is new to the gridiron.

The self-proclaimed "Dirty Birds" will open up the year with three straight road matches. The Cardinals will first take flight on the west side of the state as they clash with the Davenport Panthers. 2017 will be only the second year of football for Davenport, and their first while aligned to a conference. Davenport played as an independent last season and made the jump to NCAA DII this offseason where they will play in the GLIAC.

The next two weeks the Cardinals will find themselves in the Chicago area facing off against two of the schools in the Midwest League of the Mid States Football Association (MSFA). Week two will be in Deerfield, Illinois, as the Cardinals will play the Trinity International (TIU) Trojans for the seventh year in a row. The first four matchups against TIU went in their favor, but the Cards have had the advantage as of late, punctuated by a 41-24 trouncing in 2017.

Concordia will challenge the Tigers from Olivet Nazarene (ONU) in their third week of the season. The last time these two teams met was in 2014 in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and the Cardinals came home victorious, 24-21.

Starting in week four, Concordia will open up a two game homestand in Ann Arbor. The home opener will be on September 23^rd and feature the Eagles from Robert Morris (RMU). RMU has received early recognition in the preseason polls as they are currently ranked 1^st in the Midwest League of the MSFA and 15^th in the NAIA Coaches' poll. The Cardinals have not faced the Eagles since 2014 and hope to secure their first win against RMU in program history.

The second game to be played at Cardinal Stadium will be Concordia's Homecoming game on September 30^th against Lindenwood University-Belleville. Also a part of the Mideast League, Lindenwood has only squared off with Concordia the past two years. While the Lynx took the first matchup, the Cards came back with vengeance, winning by 43 points last year.

On the road in week six, the Cardinals will face perhaps their toughest challenge of the season. Concordia will line up across from the University of St. Francis, Indiana, for the seventh time. After winning the NAIA National Championship last year, the Cougars sit atop the preseason polls at #1

The Cardinals last road game of the season will require the team to head south to St. Louis, to play the Missouri Baptist (MBU) Spartans. The series record belongs to the Cardinals as they have yet to allow the Spartans double digits in both previous meetings.

Concordia will then return home and stay there for the remainder of the regular season. Week eight holds another esteemed opponent for the Cardinals as they will invite the Marian Knights up to Ann Arbor on October 21^st. Last season the Knights were ranked 1^st in the NAIA for the majority of the regular season and fell short of a championship in the quarterfinals to Eastern Oregon. Marian will begin 2017 ranked as 5^th in the nation and 2^nd in the Mideast League.

In week nine, CUAA will host Taylor University's Trojans on October 28^th. Taylor is certainly a familiar foe, as 2017 will mark their seventh clash. The Trojans bested Concordia in the first five matchups, but the Cards bounced back last year to earn the 34-14 result over Taylor.

The last game of Concordia's 2017 regular season campaign will be against arch rival Siena Heights on November 11^th. The Saints will come to town for their sixth bout with the Cardinals. Siena Heights claimed the first three games in this rivalry, but in what has become a trend, the Cardinals have since gained the upper hand. The prior two meetings with Siena were both highlights of the past two years. In 2015, the Cards erased a 20-point deficit on the road to edge the Saints, 28-27, in a game for the ages. Last season CUAA came out with determination and pummeled Siena Heights with a 41-0 shutout. With a chance to even up the series record, this game promises to be exciting. Concordia will also be honoring their talented group of 18 Seniors as they play their last regular season game at Cardinal Stadium.

The 2017 schedule features three opponents in the top 15 along with conference rivals that are looking for revenge. Despite all of this, the MSFA has the Cardinals ranked third in the Mideast League. The MSFA predicted that the Cards will fall in right behind Saint Francis and Marian, and above Siena Heights and Taylor with another seven-win season. (Complete Preseason Ranking)

Coach Schumacher knows the challenge this conference brings, but looks forward to the competition. "The MSFA Mideast is the best conference in the country and we love playing the best teams. Competing in the MSFA gives us an honest and real look in the mirror. We have an opportunity every season to make our mark. Knowing the challenge is great, but we need to know ourselves honestly and humbly. We have specifically outlined to our guys what must be doing during the off-season and this summer to accomplish our goals in the fall. The challenge does not rest on one of us individually, but as an entire team. We are compelled to make every aspect of the team better."

August 31, 7:00 PM CUAA @ Davenport University

Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex - Grand Rapids, MI

Will be the first meeting between the two teams

September 9, 2:00 PM CUAA @ Trinity International University

Leslie A. Frazier Field - Deerfield, IL

Last meeting – W 41-24 (2016)

September 16, 2:00 PM CUAA @ Olivet Nazarene University

Ward Field - Bourbonnais, IL

Last meeting – W 24-21 (2014)

September 23, 1:00 PM CUAA vs. Robert Morris University (#15)

Cardinal Stadium - Ann Arbor, MI

Last meeting – L 6-17 (2014)