SLU Announces 2017 Football Schedule

HAMMOND, La. – A trip to FBS foe Louisiana-Lafayette and five home games highlight the 2017 Southeastern Louisiana football schedule, which was announced on Tuesday.

 

The Lions are coming off a 7-4 finish that saw the team post a 7-2 record in Southland Conference game and win six of its last seven games. The 2017 season will open on Sept. 2 with SLU traveling to Lafayette to face the Ragin’ Cajuns. Other trips for Southeastern include conference games at Central Arkansas (Sept. 16), Northwestern State (Sept. 30), Houston Baptist (Oct. 14), Abilene Christian (Oct. 21) and McNeese (Nov. 4).

 

Southeastern opens its home schedule on Sept. 9, hosting Bethune-Cookman out of the MEAC. Southland opponents visiting Strawberry Stadium include Lamar (Sept. 23), Incarnate Word (Oct. 7), Sam Houston State (Oct. 28) and Nicholls (Nov. 16).

 

The game with Louisiana-Lafayette will be the 39^th meeting between the two in-state rivals and the first in over three decades. The last meeting saw the Lions blank the host Cajuns, 7-0, on Sept. 12, 1981.

 

Bethune-Cookman and Southeastern will be meeting for the first time ever in the Lions’ home opener. The Wildcats finished 4-6 overall and 4-4 in conference play in 2016. The game will be the start of a home-and-home between the two schools as the Lions are scheduled to return the trip in 2019.

 

Southeastern opens league action in Conway, Arkansas against the Bears, one of two Southland teams to defeat the Lions in 2016. UCA, which leads the all-time series, 7-3, has defeated SLU each of the last two seasons, including a 45-10 win last Oct. 29 in Hammond.

 

Southeastern will be looking to avenge a 2016 league loss for the second straight week when Lamar visits Hammond for SLU’s home opener. SLU is 8-4 all-time versus the Cardinals, but LU rolled past the Lions, 38-14, last Oct. 1 in Beaumont, Texas.

 

The following week, SLU will head to Natchitoches with a chance to extend its five-game winning streak over in-state foe Northwestern State. On Sept. 24 of last year, the Lions outlasted the Demons for a 34-24 victory in Hammond.

 

Southeastern will then return home to host Incarnate Word for Homecoming. The Lions are 3-1 all-time versus one of their newest Southland foes. SLU’s most recent victory – a 30-10 win – came last Nov. 5 in San Antonio, Texas.

 

Following Homecoming, the next two weeks will see the Lions hit the road. The first trip will see SLU head to Houston Baptist. Southeastern has won all three previous meetings with the Huskies, including a 37-3 victory in Hammond.

 

Southeastern will return to Texas the following week with a road contest at Abilene Christian. The all-time series is knotted at 2-2 after the Lions handled ACU, 31-19, last Nov. 12 in Hammond.

 

After the two-week road swing, the Lions return home to host defending Southland Conference champion Sam Houston State. SLU and SHSU have not met in the regular season since 2013 and the Bearkats have an 11-6 advantage in the all-time series. The two teams met in the FCS Playoffs in both 2013 and 2014, trading victories on their respective home fields.

 

The Lions close out their 2017 road slate at McNeese. The Cowboys lead the all-time series, 23-19, but Southeastern has won four of the last five meetings – including a dramatic 31-24 victory last Oct. 8 in Hammond.

 

After a week off, Southeastern will close out the regular season at home, hosting Nicholls for the River Bell Classic. The Lions reclaimed the trophy and evened the all-time series, 13-13, with a 44-42 victory over the Colonels last Nov. 17 in Thibodaux.

 

Southeastern will begin preparations for the 2017 season when spring practice opens on March 7.

 

2017 Southeastern Louisiana Football Schedule
Sept. 2 – at Louisiana-Lafayette – Lafayette, Louisiana
Sept. 9 – Bethune Cookman – Strawberry Stadium
Sept. 16 – at Central Arkansas* – Conway, Arkansas
Sept. 23 – Lamar* – Strawberry Stadium

Sept. 30 – at Northwestern State* — Natchitoches, Louisiana

Oct. 7 – Incarnate Word (Homecoming)* — Strawberry Stadium

Oct. 14 – at Houston Baptist* — Houston, Texas

Oct. 21 – at Abilene Christian* — Abilene, Texas

Oct. 28 – Sam Houston State* — Strawberry Stadium

Nov. 4 – at McNeese* — Lake Charles, Louisiana

Nov. 16 – Nicholls* — Strawberry Stadium

 

Southeastern home games in bold
* – Southland Conference contest