BEAUMONT, Texas – Preseason camp has ended, classes across the country have started for the 2024-25 academic year and Saturday the Lamar University Cardinals will kick off the 2024 season at Texas State. The contest will start the second year for Red and White under the direction of head coach Pete Rossomando.
 
In his first season with the program, Rossomando changed the mindset of the program and posted FCS football's fourth-largest single-season turnaround. The Cardinals went from being a one-win team in 2022 to being on the verge of a conference title last season. Big Red will go in search of a higher level of success this season and they open the year against a team that is also looking to improve upon a strong 2023 campaign.
 
Texas State played in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl last season where they defeated Rice putting an exclamation point on an 8-5 season. The Bobcats enter 2024 with high expectations with some publications calling Texas State a dark horse candidate for the FBS playoffs.  
   
Notes:
Cardinals Set for 2024 Season Opener
Saturday's game will kick off at 7 p.m. from UFCU Stadium, and also marks the second time in the past three seasons that LU has opened a season on the road (2022 at Abilene Christian). The game will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.
 
LU vs. Texas State
The Cardinals are 6-15-1 (.295) all-time against Texas State, a former Southland Conference opponent - a record that includes a 3-8-1 (.292) mark in San Marcos. While the two teams have split the last two meetings, Texas State has claimed seven of the previous 10. The last time the teams met on the gridiron Texas State recorded a 46-21 decision in San Marcos (during the 2011 season). Lamar's last victory in the series was a one-point decision during the 1989 season. LU enters the contest also looking to record the Southland's 57th win over an FBS school, and the league's first since 2022.
 
Preseason Hype
Led by five first-team selections, Lamar had 12 players named to the 2024 Preseason All-Southland Conference squads, including a preseason All-America selection in Caleb Williams. The 12 selections were more than Lamar has received in the previous six seasons combined. The Cardinals also received one first-place vote and were picked fourth in the preseason poll which is the highest selection for Lamar since the 2016 campaign.
 
Looking to Go Back-to-Back
Lamar recorded its first winning season since 2018 last year posting a 6-5 campaign. The Cardinals enter this year looking to record back-to-back winnings season for the first time since the 1966 (6-4) and 1967 (7-3) seasons. The Red and White are also in search of their first consecutive winning seasons in conference play since 1971 (4-1) and 1972 (3-2).
 
Returning Experience
Lamar will enter the 2024 campaign with its largest number of returning players since the 2021 season. The Cardinals return 52 letterwinners from a season ago including 20 starters. The returning starters include 10 on offense, six on defense and four specialists.