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ELON, N.C. – With the 2017 Elon football season approaching, get to know the Phoenix's upcoming opponents with our preview series. Today, we will take a look at New Hampshire.
 
NEW HAMPSHIRE WILDCATS
 
Location: Durham, N.H.
Home stadium: Wildcat Stadium
Conference: CAA Football
2016 record: 8-5
2016 conference record/finish: 6-2 (T-2nd)
2016 Postseason: Second Round FCS Playoffs
All-Time series: Elon trails 0-3
Head coach: Sean McDonnell
Letterwinners returning/lost: 50/16
Offensive/Defensive starters returning: 6/7
Top returning offensive players: 
• QB Trevor Knight (179-319 passing, 1,714 yards, 14 TD, 10 INT, 56.1 completion pct., 138 carries, 397 yards, 2.9 ypc, 4 TD, 33.0 ypg)
• RB Trevon Bryant (82 carries, 496 yards, 6.0 ypc, 5 TD, 45.1 ypg)
• WR Neil O'Connor (58 rec., 834 yards, 6 TD, 14.4 ypc, 64.2 ypg)
Top returning defensive players: 
• DB Pop Lacey (63 ua, 19 at, 82 total tackles, 2 INT, 5 PBU, 1 FF, 1 FR)
• LB Jared Kuehl (42 ua, 18 at, 60 total tackles, 6.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 INT, 2 FF, 1 FR)
• DB Rick Ellison (35 ua,, 14 at, 49 total tackles, 2.0 TFL, 3 PBU, 1 FR)

2017 Schedule
Aug. 31 vs. Maine
Sept. 9 at Georgia Southern
Sept. 16 at Holy Cross
Sept. 23 vs. Rhode Island
Sept. 30 vs. Bryant
Oct. 14 at Stony Brook
Oct. 21 vs. Towson
Oct. 28 at James Madison
Nov. 4 at William & Mary
Nov. 11 vs. Elon
Nov. 18 at Albany
 
A Glance at the Wildcats
Under the leadership of 19th-year head coach Sean McDonnell, New Hampshire has made 13 consecutive trips to the FCS Playoffs. McDonnell has compiled a career mark of 141-83 at his alma mater. In league games, McDonnell's teams have gone 90-57. He has won two Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year awards (2005, 2014).

In 2016, New Hampshire's offense averaged 28.5 points and 379.2 yards per game. In his first season as the starting quarterback, Trevor Knight posed a dual threat to defenses as he threw for 1,714 yards and ran for another 397 yards during his sophomore season. Knight benefited from the receiving duo of Neil O'Connor and Malik Love, who both return for 2017. Love had a team-high 59 catches for 520 yards, while O'Connor was a third-team all-league selection after catching 58 balls for a team-best 834 yards. In the backfield, the Wildcats must replace standout Dalton Crossan who ran the ball 233 times for 1,281 yards and caught 42 passes for 266 yards a year ago. Trevon Bryant is the leading returning rusher (496 yards on 82 carries), but was injured in the spring.

On the defensive side of the ball, UNH allowed 24.3 points and 377.5 yards per outing. The Wildcats bring back all-conference safety Pop Lacey who led UNH with 82 tackles as a true freshman. The unit also returns the 2016 CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year in Prince Smith, Jr. Smith picked off five passes, the third-most in the league and the mos for a Wildcat since 2011. 

After opening the 2016 season with a loss at San Diego State, UNH picked up a win over Holy Cross. Following a setback at Dartmouth, the Wildcats reeled off three consecutive conference victories before falling by just three points to #6 James Madison. UNH won three of its final four regular season games, including a 43-14 win over #20 Stony Brook, before downing #15 Lehigh in the first round of the FCS Playoffs. The following week presented a rematch with JMU that saw the #5 Dukes defeat UNH 55-22.
 
Matchup
Elon and New Hampshire have met every year since the Phoenix joined CAA Football. UNH has won each of the three meetings, including a 13-10 decision at Rhodes Stadium last year.