2024 McNeese Football Schedule

The Southland Conference released the updated 2024 football schedule on Thursday, one day following Stephen F. Austin announcing its return to the league.
 
McNeese's schedule continues with five home games, and while none of the non-conference contests have changed, one conference opponent was dropped to allow the addition to the Lumberjacks to the schedule.
 
"We are all excited about the upcoming football season," said McNeese Director of Athletics Heath Schroyer. "I think adding SFA is tremendous for our league for so many reasons. However, adding them this late has made all of the existing members tweak some things (with the schedule).
 
"However, the most important thing is we are 90 days from kick-off and I couldn't be more excited to get back on the field and winning football games."
 
The September 14 open day will be filled with a home game against Stephen F. Austin to kick-off the Southland Conference season and marking the first of two straight home games for McNeese. The Cowboys will follow on Sept. 21 against Alcorn State in The Hole.
 
The November 2 home opponent versus Southeastern Louisiana has been changed to Texas A&M-Commerce, which is being moved from the initial Oct. 12 date. October 12 will now be scheduled as the first of two bye weeks on the season.
 
The conference game at Houston Christian has been moved up from November 9 to October 5, making Nov. 9 the second bye week.
 
Southeastern Louisiana will no longer be on the 2024 schedule and the Nov. 2 contest against A&M-Commerce will continue to serve as the school's homecoming game.
 
McNeese and Stephen F. Austin last played each other on October 26 in Nacogdoches with the Cowboys winning by a 33-10 score. The last time played in Cowboy Stadium was the prior season on Sept. 29, a 17-10 McNeese victory. The Cowboys have won three straight in the series and leads it by a 20-13-1 all-time margin.
 
Also on Thursday, both ESPN and the SEC announced the kick-off times for both McNeese's Week Zero game at Tarleton and Week 3 match-up at Texas A&M. The Cowboys' season-opener at Tarleton, that was moved from Sept. 14 to Aug. 24, will kick-off at 2:30 p.m. and broadcast live on ESPNU. Two weeks later on Sept. 7 at Texas A&M, the contest will carry an 11:45 a.m. start and will broadcast on the SEC Network.
 
All McNeese home games will kick-off at 7 p.m.
 
Updated 2024 McNeese Football Schedule
Aug. 24   at Tarleton State (2:30 p.m., ESPNU)
Aug. 31   Southern (7 p.m., ESPN+) Military Appreciation
Sept. 7    at Texas A&M (11:45 a.m., SECN)
Sept. 14  *Stephen F. Austin (7 p.m., ESPN+) Breast Cancer Awareness/Teacher Appreciation
Sept. 21  Alcorn State (7 p.m., ESPN+) Hall of Fame/Family Weekend
Sept. 28  at Weber State (TBA, ESPN+)
Oct. 5      *at Houston Christian (6 p.m., ESPN+)
Oct. 12    Bye Week
Oct. 19    *at Incarnate Word (TBA, ESPN+)
Oct. 26    *at Nicholls (TBA, ESPN+)
Nov. 2      *Texas A&M-Commerce (7 p.m., ESPN+) Homecoming
Nov. 9      Bye Week
Nov. 16    *at Northwestern State (TBA, ESPN+)
Nov. 23    *Lamar (7 p.m., ESPN+) Battle of the Border
 
* Southland Conference games