WISE - - UVA Wise announced its 2022 football schedule Thursday. The Cavaliers will open the season with a pair of non-conference games, including the season opener at home Sept. 1 against Ferrum College before playing nine consecutive South Atlantic Conference contests to close the year.

Dane Damron's squad will travel to NCAA Division I FCS North Alabama in week two in what will be the first ever meeting between the two programs. A week later, the Cavs open league play against Barton for Homecoming 2022 on Sept. 17.

The month of October looks to be exciting for the program as UVA Wise plays a quartet of games that will spur interest.

Lenoir-Rhyne makes a return visit to Smith Stadium on Oct. 1. A year ago, the nationally-ranked Bears were upended 35-28 by the Cavs. On Oct. 8, UVA Wise and Emory & Henry will meet on the gridiron for the first time since 2011 and for the first time ever as conference foes when the two square off in Emory, Va. Tusculum visits Wise on Oct. 15  for the 13th all-time meeting between in a rivalry that has seen each side win six games. The following Saturday, Damron's team will face off with its former defensive coordinator when UVA Wise travels to Due West, S.C. to face Head Coach Shap Boyd and Erskine. Senior Day will wrap up the month as Mars Hill visits Smith Stadium on Oct. 29.

The Cavs close the season with a pair of league road tilts at Carson-Newman on Nov. 5 and at Wingate on Nov. 12.

General admission tickets for the 2022 season will be $15. Fans out of the area can watch home games live on uvawisecavs.com