The Cincinnati Bearcats have added the Northwestern State Demons to their 2025 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned.
A copy of the football game contract with the University of Cincinnati was obtained from Northwestern State University via a state public records request. The contract was executed on Oct. 25, 2023.
Cincinnati will host Northwestern State at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. The Bearcats will pay the Demons a $425,00 guarantee for the game, according to the copy of the contract.
The 2025 Cincinnati-Northwestern State contest will mark the third overall meeting between the two schools on the gridiron. The two schools first met in 1977 and played most recently in 2013 in Cincinnati, which resulted in a 66-9 victory for the Bearcats.
Northwestern State University, located in Natchitoches, La., competes in the Southland Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Demons canceled the remainder of their 2023 season and head coach Brad Laird resigned following the passing of junior safety, Ronnie Caldwell.
With the addition of Northwestern State, Cincinnati now has all three opponents set for its 2025 non-conference schedule. The Bearcats are scheduled to open the season on Aug. 30 against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., which we reported last month. The Bearcats will then host the Miami RedHawks the following week on Sept. 6 at Nippert Stadium.
Northwestern State now has four opponents on its 2025 non-conference schedule with one more slot available. The Demons are slated to open the season at home against the Alcorn State Braves on Aug. 30 before traveling to play the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Sept. 6, which we reported on Monday. NSU is also scheduled to visit the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks on Sept. 27.
FCS teams usually play 11-game schedules, but are allowed to play 12-games during the 2024 and 2025 seasons due to the calendar.
Football Schedules
@KevinKelleyFB,
Wow,
A 12 games NCAA allowed Season in TwothousandtwentyFour & Five?
Hmm?
Conversely, I wish 85 scholarship Unis. were allowed to only play 11 Games, the pre-2006 Policy adhered to by Trust 5-6 Conferences from the 1950s till that fatefull 2005 season ncaa Bylaw change.
63 scholarship Unis. 2024 Season will be longer.
If a qualifying 9-16 seed playoff Contender plays 12 regular season Games: they will need to last through 16 total games, w/out skill player Injuries & peak in play over another 2 Weeks of the 2024 Season.
If they play thru the real national championship that’s almost an NFL season long block of Time.
yes, it has happened in the past. if the calendar for any year has 14 saturdays between labor Day weekend, and Thanksgiving weekend, FCS can play 12 games.
https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/?year=2024&country=1
17.11.6 Number of Contests. [FBS/FCS]
17.11.6.1 Maximum Limitations — Institutional. [FBS/FCS] In bowl subdivision football, a member institution shall limit its total regular-season playing schedule with outside competition during the permissible football playing season in any one year to 12 contests (games or scrimmages), except as provided for member institutions located in Alaska and Hawaii, under Bylaw 17.31.2, and except as provided for all members under Bylaw 17.11.6.2.
In championship subdivision football, a member institution shall limit its total regular-season playing schedule with outside competition during the permissible football playing season in any one year to 11 contests (games or scrimmages), except as provided for member institutions located in Alaska and Hawaii, under Bylaw 17.31.2, and except as provided for all members under Bylaw 17.11.6.2. Twelve football contests shall be permissible during those years in which there are 14 Saturdays from the first permissible playing date through the last playing date in November (e.g., 2024, 2025). (Revised: 1/12/99 effective 8/1/02,
8/5/99 effective 8/1/02, 4/28/05 effective 8/1/06, 12/15/06)