Stephen F. Austin

Aug. 19, 2005

PLANO, Texas -- Southland Conference football fans will get a sneak peek at the upcoming gridiron season when Fox Sports Net Southwest will feature the 2005 Southland Conference Football Preview during the August 23rd edition of its nightly news program, Southwest Sports Tonight.

The 30-minute program will air at 6:30 p.m. Central and will be hosted by Kevin Eschenfelder and feature interviews and highlights from all seven Southland football programs.

"This is a great opportunity for Southland Conference fans to get a head start on the upcoming season," league commissioner Tom Burnett said. "We are excited to promote our football programs and our student-athletes in this manner."

The 42nd season of Southland football kicks off Sept. 1 with defending co-champion Sam Houston State University hosting Bacone College at 6 p.m. Thirty minutes later, league newcomer Southeastern Louisiana University will host Jacksonville. Two other Thursday night affairs have Stephen F. Austin State University hosting Henderson State and co-champion Northwestern State University traveling to former SLC foe and current NCAA I-A member Louisiana-Monroe. The other three Southland squads start the year two nights later.

The Southland preview show is a prelude to the league's 10th consecutive season of contests televised by Fox. This year's slate consists of three games on the network with the first being Sept. 24 when SHSU hosts Missouri State in a non-conference affair. The remaining two FSN games will be SLC contests with SHSU hosting SFA on Thursday, Oct. 20, and SFA hosting Texas State University on Nov. 12.

The Southland has again partnered with Cox Sports Television to televise three football games in 2005. The Cox schedule includes the Sept. 1 season opener for Northwestern State at UL Monroe, the McNeese State at Southeastern Louisiana contest on Oct. 22, and the Northwestern State at McNeese State game on Nov. 12.

Also, for the third straight year, Southland football will be featured as part of College Sports Television's I-AA National Game of the Week with the Sept. 17 McNeese State at Southern Mississippi non-conference tilt and Nov. 5 Southeastern Louisiana at Sam Houston State contest. CSTV serves over 20 million cable and satellite television homes from coast to coast.

Two games involving Southland Conference games will be included in the inaugural season of ESPNU, ESPN's all-collegiate sports network, including the Sept. 8 Alcorn State at Southeastern Louisiana contest and the Nov. 17 Stephen F. Austin at Northwestern State game.

2005 SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TELEVISION SCHEDULE
(as of Aug. 19, 2005)
Day, Date Time Game Network(s)
Thu., Sept. 1 7 p.m. Northwestern State at UL Monroe Cox Sports
Thu., Sept. 8 6:30 p.m. Alcorn State at Southeastern Louisiana ESPNU
Sat., Sept. 17 6:00 p.m. McNeese State at Southern Mississippi CSTV
Sat., Sept. 24 6:03 p.m. Missouri State at Sam Houston State FSN Southwest &
Fox College Sports
Thu., Oct. 20 7 p.m. Stephen F. Austin at Sam Houston State FSN Southwest &
Fox College Sports
Sat., Oct. 22 6 p.m. McNeese State at Southeastern Louisiana Cox Sports
Sat., Nov. 5 4 p.m. Southeastern Louisiana at Sam Houston State CSTV
Sat., Nov. 12 1 p.m. Texas State at Stephen F. Austin FSN Southwest & Fox
College Sports
Sat., Nov. 12 7 p.m. Northwestern State at McNeese State Cox Sports
Thu., Nov. 17 6:30 p.m. Stephen F. Austin at Northwestern State ESPNU
ALL TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE