BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University football team will be back in front of their fans Saturday when they kick off against Nicholls. The match up against Nicholls will serve as Big Red's Southland Conference home opener. The Cardinals enter the contest looking to end a minor two-game slide, while at the same time handing Colonels their second consecutive defeat.
 
A tradition on all college campuses prior to kick off is tailgating and LU has several events going on during tailgating to help fans get ready for the 7 p.m. start. Saturday's game sponsor is Wells Fargo, and they will be handing out stadium cushions and draw string bags.
 
In addition to the Wells Fargo giveaway, local area youth football players will receive free admission to the game through Gate 4 by wearing their gameday jersey. JAG returns to Provost Umphrey Stadium for the pregame concert. The performance is slated to being at 4:30 p.m. near the marquee at the northwest corner of the stadium. In addition to JAG, LU has also hired a DJ for the student tailgate.
 
Adding to the pageantry of every LU home game is the LU marching band. In addition to a pregame performance in front of the Dauphin Athletic Complex, they will also be performing their primary concert at halftime.
 
The Cardinals will have a special guest on the field to do the coin toss. The Neches Federal Credit Union Legends of the Golden Triangle Coin Toss will be done by former NFL standout Frank Middleton jr. The Beaumont native played in the eight seasons spending time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders.
 
One of the nation's top offensive linemen for Beaumont West Brook High School, Middleton played junior college ball before making his way to the University of Arizona. Middleton garnered all-state and All-America honors at West Brook before moving on to Fort Scott Community College (Kan.). He went on to earn NJCAA All-America honors, and was named to the Fort Scott Athletics Hall of Honor before transferring to Arizona.
 
Saturday's game will kick off at 7 p.m. from Provost Umphrey Stadium. The Cardinals (1-3/0-2 SLC) enter the week in a three-way tie for eighth in the standings. Nicholls comes to Beaumont in a two-way tie for fifth (2-2/1-1 SLC) just a game up on the Cardinals.
 
-LU CARDINALS-