LAFAYETTE -- Northwestern State lines up against its third-oldest football rival, UL Lafayette, for the first time in 10 years, and for the 75th time since 1909, Saturday evening at 6 at Cajun Field.
 
The game broadcast will be on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 KZBL in Natchitoches and including 710 AM KEEL in Shreveport, 105.5 FM KBKK in Alexandria and 103.1 KWLA in Many/Leesville. A free audio stream is available through NSUDemons.com.
 
The contest will be available to viewers through ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. It can be accessed by visiting this link: http://es.pn/1KvwagM
 
Both teams are 0-1 after comebacks fell short in last week's season openers. It's the first road game for NSU and the home opener for ULL.
 
The Demons narrowly trail in the series, 36-35-3, after the Ragin' Cajuns have claimed the last two meetings in 2004 and 2005. NSU's last win came in 2000.
 
 The Ragin' Cajuns play in the FBS while the Demons are in the FCS subdivision of Division I football. FBS teams have 85 full scholarships and larger coaching staffs, while FCS teams have 63 scholarships to award. NSU is 11-33 since 1977 against FBS foes, including a 30-27 victory last Sept. 20 over Louisiana Tech.
 
The Demons will try to shore up a defense lashed for 438 yards rushing last week, and hope starting sophomore Joel Blumenthal will spur a better start for the offense, which got only four first downs in the first half. Blumenthal entered the game as NSU's third quarterback and led two long scoring drives, including one that ended with a 44-yard touchdown throw to Shakeir Ryan.
 
Ryan is one of eight Lafayette-area natives returning home to play against ULL.
 
Others are receiver Bryson Bourque (New Iberia), running back Matthew Flores (St. Thomas More), defensive end Dannie Harmon (Rayne), receiver Cody Jones (Ville Platte),  cornerback D'Ronne Littleton (Carencro), receiver Brandon Monrose (STM),  safety Darius Poullard (Ville Platte), plus a member of last year's Cajuns' squad, DE Darrien Batiste. Assistant coach De'Von Lockett is a Franklin product.
 
With three catches last week against Southeastern Louisiana, senior Ed Eagan has 122 in just 25 games as a receiver. He's 4 from tying Derrick Doyle's school record 126 from 2003-06.
  
Eagan already owns five school records outright and shares another. He owns the career record for kickoff return yards (2,205), single-season marks for kickoff return yards (1,045 in 2014), kickoff returns (45 last year), pass receptions (73 in 2014, breaking the old mark by 19), and single-game records for receiving yards (238 on 10 grabs in 2014 vs. McNeese) and receptions (tied the mark of 13 a week later at Abilene Christian, making 10 by halftime).
 
Defensive end Leroy Armstrong and linebacker Jacob Merriman are the Demons' top tacklers with 10 each. Chase Collins had nine stops in the SLU game and Paxton Cook made eight. Poullard had seven tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery while Desmond Lacey made an interception.
 
Andy Wickman averaged 42.2 yards on six punts last week and Chris Moore was perfect on field goals of 37 and 46 yards.