DAYTON – The first game of the Trevor Andrews era at the University of Dayton will be Saturday, September 2, when the Flyer football team opens the 2023 season at Illinois State.  

UD will play scholarship programs in all three non-conference games – Illinois State of the Missouri Valley, Central State of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Taylor of the Mid-States Football Association.

The first home game of 2023 will be on Saturday, Sept. 9 against Central State, followed by Taylor at home on Sept. 16.

Dayton will begin the quest for its 13th Pioneer Football League championship on Saturday, Sept. 23 when the Flyers are at San Diego.  UD will then host defending PFL champion St. Thomas on Sept. 30.  Dayton will play at Morehead State on Oct. 7 and then play back-to-back home games against Presbyterian (Oct. 14) and Butler (Oct. 21).

After a bye week on Oct. 28, the Flyers are at Valparaiso (Nov. 4), home against Marist (Nov. 11) on Senior Day and then at Davidson (Nov. 18).

The first round of the FCS playoffs will be on Saturday, Nov. 25.

UD will play six home games and five on the road this fall.  UD has three non-conference games on the schedule, and eight games in the Pioneer Football League.   With 11 members beginning in 2021, the two teams Dayton will not play this year are charter member Drake and Stetson. 

Andrews, a Flyer alum who brings 25 years of college coaching experience back to the Hilltop, has a group of returnees eight Flyers who earned All-Pioneer Football League honors last season – offensive tackle David Tkatch, defensive tackle Sam Schadek (who were named to the first team), linebacker Nathan Arthur (second team) and wideouts Luke Brenner, Sam Bubonics and Derek Willits, safety Cole Hildebrand and placekicker Sam Webster (all honorable mention).

UD was 8-3 overall in 2022, including 6-2 in the PFL, which tied for second place in the league.

All game times for the 2023 season will be announced at later date.