FRISCO, Texas – The Southland Conference Television Network released its 2011 football broadcast schedule, which will feature 11 live football telecasts including a pair of Southeastern Louisiana University home games, league commissioner Tom Burnett announced Wednesday.
This year's schedule includes 10 games on the Southland's network of affiliated television stations, plus an additional broadcast licensed exclusively for regional cable network Cox Sports Television – Southeastern's regular-season finale on Nov. 17 against arch-rival Nicholls State in the annual River Bell Classic.
Southeastern's Oct. 1 game against Lamar is scheduled to be part of the league package with kickoff scheduled for 3 p.m. The Southeastern-Nicholls State game, one of two Thursday night contests on the league's TV schedule, will kick off at 7 p.m.
“We're very pleased to announce another season of outstanding football broadcasts,” Burnett said. “The Southland Network has provided welcome and compelling programming over the last three years, and the 'in-house' concept of our broadcast effort has been mimicked by other conferences as a unique and effective way to promote institutions and their student-athletes.”
The network will open its broadcast schedule Thursday, Sept. 1, when Sam Houston State plays host to Western Illinois. The second telecast will be the Southland opener between Northwestern State and Nicholls State Sept. 24.
"The Battle of the Piney Woods" between Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin played at Houston's Reliant Stadium Oct. 8 will be televised for the second consecutive year. The remainder of the Southland Network schedule will feature McNeese State at Central Arkansas Oct. 15, the first telecast on Central Arkansas' new multi-colored turf at Estes Stadium. The UCA at Lamar game Oct. 22 will also be featured on the Network, and the McNeese State at SFA tilt Oct. 29 will close out the month.
The Southland Network will televise three games in November, including Central Arkansas at Northwestern State Nov. 5. The final two regular-season Saturdays have been designated for "wild card" broadcasts based on how the Conference race is shaping up. The Nov. 12 game will be one of three possible matchups: Lamar at Nicholls, Southeastern Louisiana at Stephen F. Austin or Northwestern State at Sam Houston State. The Nov. 19 contest will feature either McNeese State at Lamar or Stephen F. Austin at Northwestern State, the annual "Battle for Chief Caddo" rivalry game.
The network will also televise the championship matches of the Southland Conference soccer and volleyball tournaments as part of its fall broadcast schedule. The soccer championship will be televised Sunday, Nov. 6 and the volleyball championship will be televised Sunday, Nov. 20.
A complete list of Southland Television Network affiliates will be announced prior to the season.
2011 Southland Conference Television Network Football Broadcast Schedule
Thu., Sept. 1 - Western Illinois at Sam Houston State, 6 p.m., Southland TV
Sat., Sept. 24 - Northwestern State at Nicholls State*, 3 p.m., Southland TV
Sat., Oct. 1 - Lamar at Southeastern Louisiana*, 3 p.m., Southland TV
Sat., Oct. 8 - Sam Houston State at Stephen F. Austin*#, 2 p.m., Southland TV
Sat., Oct. 15 - McNeese State at Central Arkansas*, 3 p.m., Southland TV
Sat., Oct. 22 - Central Arkansas at Lamar*, 3 p.m., Southland TV
Sat., Oct. 29, McNeese State at Stephen F. Austin*, 3 p.m., Southland TV
Sat., Nov. 5 - Central Arkansas at Northwestern State*, 3 p.m., Southland TV
Sat., Nov. 12 - Wild Card Game*, 3 p.m., Southland TV
Thu., Nov. 17 - Nicholls State at Southeastern Louisiana*, 7 p.m., CST
Sat., Nov. 19 - Wild Card Game*, 3 p.m., Southland TV
All times Central; schedule subject to change;
*Southland Conference Game;
#Reliant Stadium, Houston;
Wild Card games will be announced 7-10 days prior.
