BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Gardner-Webb announced its 2010 football schedule Tuesday, a slate that features five home games beginning on September 4 vs. Brevard in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (6-5, 3-3 Big South last season) will face a challenging group of tests away from home out of conference, with road dates at Division I FBS Akron (Sept. 11), at Sam Houston State (Sept. 25) and at Old Dominion (Oct. 2).

GWU will also face each of the Big South Conference's co-champions away from home late in the season, traveling to face Liberty (Nov. 6) and Stony Brook (Nov. 13) in back-to-back weeks.

The home schedule features five games, with the non-conference highlight coming in the form of Western Carolina's first visit to Spangler Stadium since 2004. The Catamounts and Runnin' Bulldogs will face off on Sept. 18.

Presbyterian will visit Boiling Springs for Homecoming on October 23, with other league home games on tap with Coastal Carolina (Oct. 30) and VMI (Nov. 20).

"This is a very tough, competitive schedule for us overall, and we look forward to the challenges ahead of us in 2010," said GWU head coach Steve Patton. "We're working hard right now in spring practice to prepare ourselves for an exciting season this fall. Our young men and coaching staff are very focused on doing what it takes to improve our program."

Gardner-Webb is currently in the midst of its 2010 spring practice schedule, which will culminate with the annual Spring Game on April 17, in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium. The Spring Game is currently scheduled for 1:00 pm.

2010 Gardner-Webb University Football Schedule

09/11 at Akron (Akron, Ohio)

09/25 at Sam Houston State (Huntsville, Texas)

10/02 at Old Dominion (Norfolk, Va.)

10/16 at Charleston Southern * (Charleston, S.C.)

11/06 at Liberty * (Lynchburg, Va.)

11/13 at Stony Brook * (Stony Brook, N.Y.)

* Denotes Big South Conference Games