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(UWIRE) MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- The West Virginia University football team will open its 2008 season against a traditional basketball opponent and will square off with a pair of non-traditional, BCS-league opponents.
On Monday, Athletic Director Ed Pastilong announced the schedule, which opens Aug. 30 at home against Villanova.
"I am excited about this year's schedule," Pastilong said in a press release. "We have seven home games, which always is good for our fan base."
A road trip will be one of the more intriguing games on the non-conference slate when the Mountaineers fly to the Rocky Mountain State to face Colorado on Sept. 18.
It will mark the first matchup between WVU and the Big 12 Conference's Buffaloes.
Also standing out on the non-conference schedule is a mid-season meeting with Auburn, often a power in the Southeastern Conference, at home on Oct. 23.
"Our schedule, once again, is not only attractive but tough, featuring conference rivals and outstanding non-conference opponents," first-year West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said in a press release.
The Mountaineers will also have a road contest at East Carolina and a home bout with Marshall to complete their non-conference schedule.
West Virginia has home Big East games against Rutgers, Syracuse, Cincinnati and South Florida in the regular season finale.
The Mountaineers' league road games come at Connecticut, Louisville and Pittsburgh, the latter of which is set to be televised nationally on ABC on Nov. 28.
Three other games are set to be televised nationally on the ESPN family of networks.
"The overall schedule will provide many challenges, and I think our fans and supporters will enjoy it," Stewart said.
The team's Homecoming game will be against Syracuse on Oct. 11.
