Montana State Director of Athletics Leon Costello Announces Change to 2024 Football Schedule – Montana State University Athletics

Football
5/29/2024 11:00:00 AM

Leon Costello

Bobcats add Mercyhurst on Sept. 21 after Stephen F. Austin drops game scheduled for Sept. 14

From Montana State Director of Athletics Leon Costello:
On Friday, May 24, I received notification from Stephen F. Austin State University Athletic Director Michael McBroom that SFASU would be cancelling the football series with MSU, including a home game this year (Sept. 14) and the road game in 2025 (Sept. 13).  This development is disappointing and disturbing given the 2024 Bobcat Football season kicks off in less than three months. 

Since receiving this notification, my priority has been to replace the game for this year, knowing the options were extremely limited given the timing.  Fortunately, we were able to sign a contract with Mercyhurst University, an FCS school from the Northeast Conference, for a game on Sept. 21, 2024. I understand the effects of this change are wide-ranging and not ideal for our fans who have already made plans to attend a home game on a different date. However, adding this game gives us the opportunity to maintain a six-game home schedule with a full 12-game schedule for the 2024 season. That is important for many reasons, particularly FCS playoff considerations.

Bobcat fans are the best in the FCS, and I share your extreme disappointment in dealing with this late change to our 2024 schedule. While our options to replace the game were very limited, we are grateful to everyone at Mercyhurst and their willingness to work with us and we look forward to hosting them in September.

 

About Mercyhurst Football

* Mercyhurst University is a Catholic comprehensive institution in Erie, Pennsylvania.

* Lakers Athletics begins competition in NCAA Division I in 2024-25, including the football program playing its first season as an FCS program in the Northeast Conference.

* Montana State’s only contest against a current NEC member was a 47-24 win against Wagner in 2018, and the Cats beat Bryant, then an NEC school, 27-24 in 2016.

* The Lakers’ game at MSU on Sept. 21 marks the program’s first game west of the Mississippi River.