(HALIFAX, N.S.) - Atlantic University Sport released the 2018 football schedule today for the upcoming fall season.
Each of the conference's five teams will play eight regular season games over the course of a 10-week schedule.
The Bishop's Gaiters joined the Atlantic conference football league beginning in the 2017 season. This marked the first time since 1990 that a new team had entered the AUS football league.
The regular season will once again kick off in August, with opening night set for Friday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. The Saint Mary's Huskies—2017 AUS runners up—will host the StFX X-Men in Halifax, N.S.
The Bishop's Gaiters will then look to start their season off on the right foot after finishing their inaugural season in the AUS conference with a 1-7 record. They will visit the Mounties, who finished last season at 4-4, in the Mount Allison home opener Saturday, Aug. 25 at 3 p.m. ADT.
The reigning AUS champion Acadia Axemen will first see action Friday, Aug. 31 when they visit the X-Men in a 7 p.m. game. The Axemen will host Mount Allison in their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 2 p.m.
The Mounties will play host to StFX in their homecoming game on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m.
StFX and Bishop's will each host their respective homecoming games the following Saturday, Sept. 29. The X-Men will host Saint Mary's at 2 p.m. ADT, while the Gaiters host Mount Allison at 2 p.m. EDT.
Saint Mary's and Acadia will each play their respective homecoming games Saturday, Oct. 13. The Huskies will host the Mounties at 2 p.m. ADT, while the Axemen host Bishop's at 3 p.m. ADT.
Regular season play will wrap up with two games on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. ADT. StFX will host Mount Allison while Acadia's hosts Saint Mary's.
AUS playoffs are set to begin the following weekend when the second-seeded team hosts the third-seeded team Saturday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. in the playoff semifinal.
The winner will advance to the 2018 Subway AUS Loney Bowl which will be played Saturday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. and hosted by the top-seeded team.
The AUS champion will then move on to compete in the 2018 U SPORTS Uteck Bowl Saturday Nov. 10, which will be hosted by the RSEQ conference champion.
The Mitchell Bowl and Uteck Bowl winners will advance to play each other in the 54th Vanier Cup on Saturday, Nov. 24.
The complete 2018 Atlantic University Sport football schedule is now available here and is listed below.
The remainder of the 2018 AUS fall sports schedules, including women's rugby, men's and women's soccer and men's and women's cross country, will be announced next week.
2018 AUS football schedule
(*All game times in ADT unless otherwise indicated.)
Week 1:
Friday, Aug. 24 – StFX at Saint Mary's, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 25 – Bishop's at Mount Allison, 3 p.m.
Week 2:
Friday, Aug. 31 – Acadia at StFX, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 1 – Saint Mary's at Bishops, 7 p.m. EDT
Week 3:
Saturday, Sept. 8 – Acadia at Bishop's, 2 p.m. EDT
Saturday, Sept. 8 – Saint Mary's at Mount Allison, 2 p.m.
Week 4:
Saturday, Sept. 15 – Mount Allison at Acadia, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 15 – Bishop's at StFX, 3 p.m.
Week 5:
Friday, Sept. 21 – Acadia at Saint Mary's, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 22 – StFX at Mount Allison, 2 p.m. (*Homecoming)
Week 6:
Saturday, Sept. 29 – Saint Mary's at StFX, 2 p.m. (*Homecoming)
Saturday, Sept. 29 – Mount Allison at Bishop's, 2 p.m. EDT (*Homecoming)
Week 7 (Thanksgiving):
Friday, Oct. 5 – StFX at Acadia, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 6 – Bishop's at Saint Mary's, 3 p.m.
Week 8:
Saturday, Oct. 13 – Bishop's at Acadia, 3 p.m. (*Homecoming)
Saturday, Oct. 13 – Mount Allison at Saint Mary's, 2 p.m. (*Homecoming)
Week 9:
Saturday, Oct. 20 – Acadia at Mount Allison, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 20 – StFX at Bishop's, 2 p.m. EDT
Week 10:
Saturday, Oct. 27 – Mount Allison at StFX, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 27 – Saint Mary's at Acadia 2 p.m.
Week 11: AUS Semifinal
Saturday, Nov. 3 - Third Place at Second Place
Week 12: AUS Championship (Subway AUS Loney Bowl)
Saturday, Nov. 10 - Semifinal Winner at First Place
Week 13: U SPORTS Uteck Bowl
Saturday, Nov. 17 – AUS Champion at RSEQ Champion
Week 14: U SPORTS Vanier Cup
Saturday, Nov. 24 - Mitchell Bowl Winner vs. Uteck Bowl Winner