Manchester native Ryan Day, the Ohio State head coach, celebrates the Buckeyes' win over Notre Dame in South Bend on Saturday night. (AP photo)

DURHAM – The University of New Hampshire football team will challenge The Ohio State University of the Big Ten Conference on Sept. 11, 2027, at Ohio Stadium, the two schools announced Thursday.

The Wildcats are 2-1 all-time versus current Big Ten schools, with victories against Rutgers (2004) and Northwestern (2006) –both with Head Coach Rick Santos ’08 as quarterback– and a loss to Minnesota (2012).

The head coaching matchup between Santos and Ohio State’s Ryan Day ’02 will pit two all-time great Wildcat quarterbacks head-to-head in The Horseshoe.

Santos passed for 13,212 yards and 123 touchdowns while accumulating 14,615 yards of total offense in from 2004-07. The three-time Walter Camp All-American won the Walter Payton Award in 2006 as the most outstanding offensive player in FCS football when he threw for 3,125 yards and 29 touchdowns. He was a three-time Atlantic-10/CAA Offensive Player of the Year (2005-07) and four-time All-Conference First Team QB.

Santos possesses school career records in pass attempts (1,498), completions (1,024) and passing yards (12,189). He holds the top two and four of the top six single-season records in completions, headlined by 301 in 2005. His ’05 season included a school all-time high 3,797 passing yards.

In his tenure as Wildcat signal caller (1997-2001), Day set nine UNH records, including career marks for pass completions (653), touchdown passes (53), completion percentage (59.9 percent) and total offense (8,492 yards). Each of those records was subsequently surpassed by Santos.

Day is still ranked third in program history in pass attempts (1,089) and fourth in passing yards (7,670) and completions (653). He holds the University single-game mark for most pass attempts (65), which he set Nov. 4, 2000, when he helped rally the Wildcats from a 31-3, late third-quarter deficit to a 45-44, overtime victory at No. 2 Delaware.

SATURDAY’S GAME

No. 14/17 UNH (2-2, 0-1 CAA) meets Towson (1-3, 0-1 CAA) for Family Weekend/Cheer & Spirit Day on Saturday. Opening kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium.

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