Last week, Southeastern Athletic Director Jay Artigues announced Coach Scelfo’s squad will host South Dakota State at Strawberry Stadium on Sept. 21, 2024, with a rematch scheduled for Sept. 18, 2027, in Brookings, S.D.

SDSU went 14-1 last season en route to their first FCS national championship in school history. The Jackrabbits’ lone loss was week one at FBS and Big Ten foe Iowa 7-3 in a throwback-style game. 

South Dakota State ended the season on a 14-game winning streak capped off by thumping their arch-rival and perennial FCS powerhouse North Dakota State 45-21 for the title.  

SDSU has made the playoffs for 11 consecutive campaigns dating back to 2012 and 12 of the last 13 years if you include their first-ever appearance in 2010. 

Some of the older Southeastern faithful will remember that this isn’t the first time the Lions and Jackrabbits have scheduled a home-and-home series with each other. 

The two programs first faced off at the ‘Berry in 2012 when SDSU beat SLU 31-14. The Green and Gold made their way to South Dakota the following year in 2013 and played a much better game, but ultimately fell in defeat again, 34-26.

With the all-time series in favor of South Dakota State 2-0, Southeastern will try to half that deficit next September when the Jackrabbits hop their way back to Hammond over a decade later.                                                                  

This home-and-home gridiron series between two FCS heavyweights isn’t the first of its kind for the Lions as last summer they agreed to a similar deal with Eastern Washington.

SLU will travel to Cheney, Wa. in roughly two months’ time on Sept. 16 to take on the Eagles in week three of this upcoming season. EWU will make their way southeast to the Lion’s den on Sept. 14 of next year (2024) in Hammond, America exactly one week before SDSU comes to town. 

The defending Southland Conference champions will have their work cut out for them this fall with a rigorous non-conference slate. 

Southeastern opens its 2023 voyage in Starkville, Miss. against SEC opponent Mississippi State on Sept. 2 at 3 p.m. The game will be televised on SECNET. 

SLU will then head further east to play at South Alabama in a Southland vs. Sun Belt showdown on Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. in Mobile the week before traveling to Washington to play EWU. 

The South Alabama Jaguars are coming off an impressive 10-3 season in 2022 and dismantled the Lion’s biggest rival Nicholls 48-7 a year ago in Alabama.

Southeastern also is set to host Tarleton State out of conference on Sept. 30 for a 3 p.m. kick-off at Strawberry Stadium. 

For more SLU football coverage, check https://lionsports.net/sports/football and as always stay tuned to The Lion’s Roar newsletter.