NATCHITOCHES – Five home Southland Conference contests, including the first two and three of the last five, combine with season-opening visits to Louisiana Tech and Grambling on Northwestern State's 2017 football schedule announced Thursday.
 
Director of Athletics Greg Burke and head coach Jay Thomas released the schedule, which has no road trip longer than four hours for the 2017 Demons, who return a projected 59 letterwinners including 36 who started at least once last fall.
 
It kicks off with a unique pairing, non-conference visits less than 90 miles away in Lincoln Parish against old rival Louisiana Tech on Sept. 2 and Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Grambling a week later.
 
NSU and Louisiana Tech first met in 1907 and most recently played in Ruston in 2014, with the Demons rallying for a 30-27 victory. The Demons and Grambling's Tigers – coached by former NSU assistant coach Broderick Fobbs, the HERO Sports FCS Coach of the Year in 2016 – collided for the first time in an historic 1974 matchup in Shreveport, more recently splitting a home-and-home series in 2008-09.  Grambling will meet NSU in Natchitoches in 2018.
 
The nine-game Southland Conference slate kicks off in Turpin Stadium on Sept. 16 against Lamar. After an open date, in-state rival Southeastern Louisiana visits on Sept. 30.
 
Among the four conference road games, the longest trip is for a first-ever matchup against Houston Baptist. NSU will face in-state rivals Nicholls and McNeese on the road, along with a mid-October trip to defending Southland champion Sam Houston State.
 
The Demons' homecoming game is Oct. 21 against 2016 FCS playoff entry Central Arkansas. The other two home games are Nov. 4 (Abilene Christian) and Nov. 18 in the annual "Battle for Chief Caddo," the largest trophy in sports, with old rival Stephen F. Austin to wrap the regular season slate.
 
"Perhaps more so than has been the case for many years, the proximity of every opponent on the 2017 NSU football schedule makes it easier for Demon fans to attend every game," said Burke. "There is a great deal of excitement over the fact that the two non-conference opponents - Louisiana Tech and Grambling - are both within an easy drive of the NSU campus.
 
"On top of that, the furthest Southland Conference away contest is but four hours from Natchitoches. It truly will be meaningful for the team to have great support from the Demon fan base while on the road," he said.
 
Thomas, who will be in his fifth season coaching the Demons, is excited about his 2017 team and its schedule.
 
"We'll play 11 quality Division I opponents and be challenged every week, which is great. I know we're going to have a veteran, quality team taking the field with tremendous determination," said Thomas, "and with this schedule, we'll have a big group of fans supporting us every time out."
 
Tickets will be available beginning on National Signing Day Feb. 1 at the Demons' annual Signing Day Luncheon in Prather Coliseum, and online at NSUTickets.com. NSU will begin spring practices in March with the annual Joe Delaney Bowl spring football game planned for mid-April.
 
The 2017 Northwestern State Demon football schedule:  Sept. 2 at Louisiana Tech; Sept. 9 at Grambling; Sept. 16 home vs. *Lamar, 6 p.m.; Sept. 23 open date; Sept. 30 home vs. *Southeastern Louisiana, 6 p.m.; Oct. 7 at *Nicholls; Oct. 14 at *Sam Houston State; Oct. 21 home vs. *Central Arkansas (homecoming), 6 p.m.; Oct. 28 at *Houston Baptist; Nov. 4 home vs. *Abilene Christian, 6 p.m.; Nov. 11 at *McNeese; Nov. 18 home vs. *Stephen F. Austin, 3 p.m.  (* indicates Southland Conference games).
 
2017 Northwestern State Demon Football Schedule

Sept. 2 at Louisiana Tech
Sept. 9 at Grambling
Sept. 16 *LAMAR, 6 p.m.
Sept. 23 open
Sept. 30 *SOUTHEASTERN LA., 6 p.m.
Oct. 7 at *Nicholls
Oct. 14 at *Sam Houston
Oct. 21 *CENTRAL ARKANSAS (Homecoming), 6 p.m.
Oct. 28 at *Houston Baptist
Nov. 4  *ABILENE CHRISTIAN, 6 p.m.
Nov. 11 at *McNeese
Nov. 18 *STEPHEN F. AUSTIN, 3 p.m.
 
Dates and kickoff times tentative, pending potential changes for TV. Road game kickoff times TBD.