West Chester Game Notes l Bentley Game Notes
Live Stats l Live Video l WCHE Broadcast
WALTHAM, Mass. - West Chester University kicks off its 97th season of intercollegiate football Thursday evening when the Golden Rams travel to Waltham, Mass., for a non-league tilt against Northeast-10 opponent Bentley University. Head coach
Bill Zwaan, Sr., opens his 16th season on the sidelines while the game will mark the third straight campaign in which West Chester and Bentley have kicked off the year.
The two schools are in the third year of a four-year agreement, meaning Bentley will make a return trip to West Chester, Pa., next fall to open the 2019 season. West Chester is 57-37-2 in lid lifters overall and 30-28-1 when on the road. Additionally, the Golden Rams are 6-3 against Northeast-10 competition on the road in season openers, including a 31-24 win in 2016. Zwaan is 9-6 in his previous 15 season openers, including 6-4 on the road.
West Chester is coming off a 9-4 campaign in 2017 that saw the Golden Rams qualify for the NCAA II Playoffs for the 12th time in school history and advanced to the second round of the Super Region 1 Tournament. Bentley finished up 6-4 in 2017 and in third place in the NE-10 standings. The Falcons defeated conference powers New Haven and Assumption in the final two weeks of the campaign and will try to carry that momentum over into Thursday's opener.
