It’s finally official: The University of Alabama-Birmingham will play football again in 2017.

UAB made the announcement on its website, uabsports.com, on Tuesday afternoon.

The news came after the National Collegiate Athletic Association told UAB that it would be exempt from requirements of a Football Bowl Subdivision program for the next three academic years. Additionally, UAB will be considered a full FBS program on the schedules of its opponents — an important consideration, since FBS schools may only schedule one opponent per season from the Football Championship Subdivision (the old Division I-AA) or lower.

“I am so excited that UAB Football will return to FBS competition in 2017,” head football coach Bill Clark said in a statement released by the school. “Like our fans, I wanted to light the scoreboard much sooner, but doing it right is more important than doing it fast, and this was our best option. We want a program that is here to stay. We have to start by building a new, stronger foundation. We need to take our time to do it right, then we can compete for conference and bowl championships.”

The other programs eliminated by President Ray Watts late last year will be reinstated sooner. Bowling will return as a varsity sport in 2016, and rifle will go on uninterrupted, but will field a co-ed team this year. Eight out of 10 of last year’s team members will be back this season.