It's official: Army and Rutgers will play at Yankee Stadium on Nov 12, 2011. Coach Schiano and A.D. Tim Pernetti attended a presser at the stadium this morning for the formal announcement. This year's contest in West Point will be broadcast on ESPN 2, but the 2011 game will air on Pernetti's former employer, CBS College Sports Television.

What was NOT mentioned: there were no announcements of future games between the two teams. After Army's visit to Rutgers Stadium in 2010, and the 2011 matchup in the Bronx, the future of the series is presumably left up in the air. Army is still working on games (link fixed), including a 2011 match up with Notre Dame in Orlando, but there's nothing so far with RU beyond that date. Rutgers and Army were already going to meet in 2011; now we just know that Army's home game is moving from Michie to Yankee Stadium. (clarification: there has been talk elsewhere about Army owing RU another game for 2012, I was merely basing this paragraph off of what the Army beatwriter said.)

Yankee Stadium or not, my sincere hope is that the Army series does not resume for the near future (i.e., in reference to last week's rumor in the Post about a second game at the Stadium between the teams). It's nothing personal; Rutgers needs more home games, and needs to upgrade its football schedule. It was great for Rutgers football to be front and center this morning. That's another chance to reiterate that Rutgers has the only BCS conference football program in the area.

Playing Army is nice for several reasons, and playing in New York City is even nicer, but any games still would directly contradict those two primary goals. Them being on the schedule for the next few years virtually assures that Rutgers will play weak (but not as weak as 2009's) schedules, as long as there's a requirement for seven home games. The next three games were already on the schedule, and this announcement slightly takes the sting out of my wish that these games weren't occuring at all. Of course, it's not fair to pass judgment on these rumored games until the athletic department officially announces them.

Tim Pernetti was scheduled to throw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium today. The boards were saying that Schiano was on the YES broadcast commentary for a half inning, which is also nice. SNY is pushing Rutgers football, and now RU gets a nice mention on their rivals. The Ledger has more on the RU angle from the presser, including video. YESnetwork.com has its own interview with Coach Schiano.