EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) --  The first major college football
game at the new Meadowlands Stadium is going to feature Rutgers
and Army.

The schools and the New Meadowlands Stadium Corporation
announced Thursday that the two New York metropolitan area teams
will play on Oct. 16.

It will be the 37th meeting between the teams and the 10th at
the Meadowlands, with the first nine being played at Giants
Stadium.

There is a chance that the first college game at the new home
for the Jets and Giants will be between Football Championship
Subdivision opponents.

Giants Stadium has been the site for the New York Urban League
Classic for more than three decades. There is a chance that
another classic will be played at the new stadium before the
Rutgers-Army game. Talks are in progress but nothing has been
completed.

Rutgers has played more games at the Meadowlands than any other
college team. It is 20-28 all-time at Giants Stadium, where it
played its 1993 home schedule when Rutgers Stadium was being
renovated.

"The Meadowlands and Rutgers have enjoyed a long history, and we
are pleased to continue with the tradition," said Mark Lamping,
the chief executive of the New Meadowlands Stadium.

Rutgers defeated Columbia 47-0 on Oct. 23, 1976 in the first
collegiate football game played at Giants Stadium. The Scarlet
Knights last played at the Meadowlands on Oct. 12, 1996, vs.
Army.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for Rutgers and we are
thankful to our friends at the New Meadowlands Stadium
Corporation, along with the Jets and Giants for their
partnership," Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti said. "We
have witnessed first-hand the construction of the New
Meadowlands Stadium and we are looking forward to competing
during the inaugural season at the state-of-the-art facility."

The new stadium will seat 82,500 fans, including 9,500 club
seats and 222 luxury suites. It will be the NFL's third-largest
stadium.

Army has played at the Meadowlands 17 times, but not since 2002.

"This is a great opportunity for West Point and the Army
football program," Army athletic director Kevin Anderson said.

This will be Army's second major stadium opener. This summer,
officials from the New York Yankees, Army and Notre Dame
announced that the Black Knights and Fighting Irish will
participate in the first college football game to be played in
the new Yankee Stadium on Nov. 20.