DII releases regular-season schedule

Division II and CBS Sports Network have announced their 2012 regular-season football television schedule.

Division II Vice President Mike Racy said the program, now in its seventh year, has been good for the participating institutions and Division II in general.

“This will be the seventh season of Division II regular-season coverage on CBS Sports Network,” Racy said. “After this year, national telecasts will have originated from 35 different Division II football stadiums, and about 25 percent of our football-playing members will have had regular-season national television exposure. It’s been great for the division, and the schools say it’s also been valuable for them.”

This will be the first appearance on the CBS Sports Network series for eight institutions in football or basketball.

The 2012 season will kick off Sept. 6 with a nonconference matchup between Bowie State of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Benedict of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

After that, the series will include five conference matchups, including a Sept. 13 game between Texas A&M-Commerce and Midwestern State. That contest will be part of a Lone Star Football Festival — a three-day, six-game event at Cowboy Stadium that will include all nine LSC teams.

The remaining matchups include:

Truman State at Central Missouri (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association), Sept. 20. This will be the only 2012 football matchup between founding members of the MIAA, which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Wingate at Carson-Newman (South Atlantic Conference), Sept. 27. Carson-Newman is a three-time Division II finalist.

Wayne State (Mich.) at Saginaw Valley State (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference), Oct. 11. Wayne State lost to Pittsburg State in the 2011 championship game.

New Haven at Stonehill (Northeast-10 Conference), Oct. 18. New Haven received a first-round bye in last year’s Division II championship playoffs.

A 2012-13 men’s and women’s basketball schedule will be announced later.

All games are scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.