The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks have added the Northeastern State RiverHawks to their 2026 football schedule, according to the official website of NSU.
Stephen F. Austin will host Northeastern State at Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. The game will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.
Northeastern State, located in Tahlequah, Okla., competes in Division II and is playing football as an Independent at least through the 2026 season. The RiverHawks were a member of the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), but withdrew from the league two years ago in an attempt to rebuild their program, which recorded just 16 victories in 11 seasons.
With the addition of Northeastern State, Stephen F. Austin now has two opponents for its non-conference schedule in 2026. The Lumberjacks are also slated to visit the Abilene Christian Wildcats on Sept. 12.
Stephen F. Austin’s Southland Conference schedule for next season has not yet been revealed, but the league is expected to begin playing a nine-game conference schedule.
Stephen F. Austin is 9-2 overall and undefeated in Southland Conference action (7-0) with one regular-season game remaining. The Lumberjacks have already clinched a share of the 2025 Southland title and have also secured the league’s automatic qualifier to the FCS Playoffs.
Are Northeastern State and Northeastern (Boston) related?
Heavens no. It is Northeast Oklahoma St.
They are trying to rebuild their Division II program and so they schedule a Division I-AA opponent. Makes zero sense.
Two of them, makes even less sense. They also have No Colorado on the schedule. There is no Division I-AA anymore though, that ended around 2002.