The 2024 McNeese Cowboys at Tarleton State Texans football game has been moved to Week Zero, both schools announced on Wednesday.
The McNeese-Tarleton game, originally scheduled for Week 3 on Saturday, Sept. 14, will now be played on Saturday, Aug, 24, 2024. The Cowboys and Texans will square off at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville, Texas.
The contest between two Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams is eligible to be played in Week Zero because the game will be nationally televised by an ESPN network, according to the release.
Both schools will now have an open date/bye week on Sept. 14, which will be the first of two this season.
“I want to thank the NCAA and United Athletic Conference for supporting our efforts to start our season on Week 0, when we will begin our first season as a full-fledged Division I program by playing on the national stage,” Tarleton State Vice President and Director of Athletics Steve Uryasz said. “Tarleton State’s season opener will be available to a national audience, and thus, will bring greater exposure to this elite program, our deserving student-athletes, and this top-tier university.”
McNeese and Tarleton State played the first game of their home-and-home series last season at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles, La. The Texans defeated the Cowboys in that contest, 52-34.
“I’m really excited to move our game with Tarleton to Week Zero this season,” said McNeese Director of Athletics Heath Schroyer. “I want to personally thank Dr. (James) Hurley, Tarleton’s president, for working with me on this and for his leadership during this entire process.
“Having the ability to help kick-off the 2024 college football season and play on linear ESPN is a fantastic opportunity for us. Enhancing our brand as an athletic department and as a university has been one of my major objectives, and this move helps us do just that. I couldn’t be more excited!”
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