TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology will open the 2017 football season on Saturday at 6 p.m. Central Time (7 p.m. Eastern Time), when the Fightin' Engineers travel to Illinois College.
LIVE COVERAGE:
Rose-Hulman at Illinois College - Sept. 2 - 6 pm CT (LIVE STATS / LIVE VIDEO)
MEDIA GAME NOTES
RHIT NEWS & NOTES:
* Rose-Hulman is ranked No. 23 nationally by Street & Smith's Football Preview Magazine and received votes in the d3football.com preseason Top 25 poll.
* Senior Alec Thompson has been named a first-team preseason All-American by Street & Smith's, HeroSports and D3football.com.
* Rose-Hulman has been picked to finish second in the HCAC this season, according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
* Rose-Hulman returns eight all-conference players from the 2016 season: DB Tyler Brutofsky, RB Stanley Hogan, TE Michael Iacono, LB Kaelen Garner, LB Mike Henry; DB Alec Thompson; OL Parker Young; and Special Teams Player of the Year K/P Matt Murray.
* Head coach Jeff Sokol enters the 2017 season ranked No. 1 in school history in career winning percentage. He stands 40-21 overall (.656).
* Rose-Hulman takes the field for the first time since finishing the 2016 season at 8-3, including its first trip to the NCAA Division III Playoffs in 117 years of Fightin' Engineer football.
MEET THE OPPOSITION:
* Illinois College finished 6-4 last season and 5-3 in Midwest Conference play.
* The Blueboys return all-conference performers Ryan Torrance (LB) and Jason Barbour (RB) from the 2016 squad.
SERIES HISTORY:
* Rose-Hulman leads 17-10-1. Illinois College won 14-13 last season. Rose-Hulman has won eight of the last nine series meetings, including six straight wins on the road at Illinois College.
DID YOU KNOW?
* Rose-Hulman and Illinois College played the highest scoring game in NCAA Division III football history on Sept. 13, 2014. The Fightin' Engineers defeated the Blueboys 74-68 in triple overtime. Rose-Hulman set school records for total offense in a game (824 yards), passing yards in a game (603), touchdown passes (7) and total plays run (114).
