The logic is irrefutable.
Now that Centenary, as of this fall, and Louisiana Christian, for over two decades now, are playing football, why aren’t they playing at Northwestern State?
The Demons have a NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision team. Yes, there’s a big gap between that level and the Gents’ 2024 resumption of football as a Division III program, along with the Wildcats’ newfound NAIA Division I status (LC was in NCAA Division III in all sports until last
year, when it shifted football to the NAIA ranks – not much difference really, except a shorter path to the postseason and longer regular-season road trips).
But it’s time to bring the Gents or Wildcats to NSU, starting ASAP, maybe with one visiting in 2025, since 2024 schedules are already set in place.
All it takes is reconsidering a flawed mindset that doesn’t fit the current situation.
That happened a half-century ago, in what was then known as State Fair Stadium in Shreveport, in 1974 when Grambling and Northwestern squared off in the first Deep South collision of a predominantly Black (nowadays known as HBCU) program and a mostly white university in the holy sport of
football. That barrier-breaking had happened just a few years earlier in hoops in NAIA playoffs, and in baseball.
It was at the time an infinitely bigger deal than this would be. It went great. A crowd estimated at over 30,000 saw a thrilling 14-13 Grambling win still fondly remembered.
Nowadays, we’re not talking about a societal milestone, just some football games that would have benefits for each side.
First, the obvious upside. It doesn’t even take half a tank of gas to go back and forth between Shreveport and Pineville to Natchitoches.
Team travel costs: virtually nil. No doubt, it produces also better than normal visiting fan counts. Probably a fair chance for more NSU supporters to show up, too – because the Demons are absolute locks to win, and the visiting teams’ rosters will include lots of young men from nearby.
From the Centenary or LC perspective, the incentives are simple: they’ll make more money from a game guarantee check than they will in a year of
collecting home game admissions, and spend very little of it traveling to
play. The resulting exposure and buzz around the games will resonate far past that weekend and benefit much more than football for those small colleges. Any suggestion that it would be a negative for Northwestern is absurd.
NSU hasn’t played a lower-division opponent since 2019. After joining NCAA Division I in 1977, the Demons have never played an NCAA Division III foe in football, and have hosted only one NAIA opponent, Langston in 2013 (a 37-0 Demons’ walkover).
Meanwhile, other Southland Conference members have been hosting and feasting on Division III and NAIA teams.
The Demons hope to eventually find their way back to the FCS playoffs, something not accomplished in 20 years. That’s been the excuse for not hosting LCU in recent years – playing a lower division opponent would hamper chances for an at-large invitation to the FCS postseason, since non-DI wins
don’t factor into postseason consideration.
But as Saints’ coach Jim Mora once exclaimed: “Playoffs?!? Playoffs?!? ….”
First, Northwestern obviously needs to focus on simply posting winning seasons, something not accomplished since 2008. That’s right – as painful as it is, it’s true – the Demons and their fans have endured a spirit-obliterating 15 consecutive seasons either below .500 or at break-even (6-6 marks in 2013 and 2014). During this span, NSU has scheduled uphill, playing only two lower-division opponents in the past 10 years while facing at least one higher-level foe every year, including LSU, Texas A&M
and the like.
This year, the Demons’ five-game non-conference slate includes perennial FCS playoff entry Weber State and a Southeast Missouri team with three playoff trips in the last six years, along with two FBS programs (Tulsa and South Alabama). Oh, and there’s a home game against Prairie View of the SWAC. The
Panthers have won at least five games in each of the last 10 full seasons (skipping past a 2-1 mark in the pandemic spring 2021 season).
Suffice to say, a home date with Centenary or LC would be a soothing fit for win-starved Northwestern.
Not saying it should happen every fall – not saying that’s a totally terrible idea, either — but suggesting it sure makes sense to see Centenary making some short trips south on I-49, and LC coming 50 miles north to Turpin Stadium.
Playing FCS teams is not new to Louisiana Christian. They’ve recently made a 15-hour bus ride to Deland, Fla., to play Stetson, and rode nine hours to visit Abilene Christian. There was a comparatively short journey to Lorman, Miss., for a game at Alcorn State.
Besides, those frisky Wildcats, fresh off a 9-2 season and an NAIA playoff appearance, are traveling four hours to play Houston Christian this fall. That’s the HCU Huskies – who play in the Southland Conference along with NSU.
If that can happen, why can’t this?
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com