BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University will travel to Natchitoches, La., Saturday to take on Northwestern State in their first Southland Conference game since the 2020 season (which was actually played during the spring 2021 semester due to the COVID pandemic). After a one-year stop in the WAC, the Cardinals have returned to the Southland this season and open league play against Northwestern State – the last team LU recorded a conference victory against.
 
For the second week in a row, the Cardinals (0-3) are facing a team in a similar situation to themselves. The Demons are 0-3 and enter conference play looking for their first victory of the season. Also, just like LU, the Demons have faced a daunting non-conference schedule which has included road games at No. 2 Montana and Southern Mississippi. Saturday will serve as the official home opener for NSU whose other game was a neutral site contest against Grambling State (in Shreveport, La.).
 
The Cardinals are 11-21 (.344) all-time in Southland Conference openers, and 2-7 (.222) since bringing back the program. The Cardinals have dropped seven of their past eight Southland openers. The last time LU opened a league schedule against Northwestern State was the 2018 season in Beaumont when the Cards dropped a one-point decision, 49-48.
 
The all-time series between the two schools dates back to the 1951 season with NSU holding a slight edge. The Demons are 12-9-0 all-time against Big Red and 9-4-0 in Natchitoches. This is LU's first trip to Natchitoches since the 2019 season.
 
Saturday's game is slated to kick off at 3:30 p.m. from Turpin Stadium and will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.