Southland Announces Early TV Selections for 2016 Season
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – Southland Conference football television plans for the first five weeks of the season have been finalized, the league announced Tuesday. Matchups in the early portion of the schedule are set for telecast across ESPN3, the American Sports Network, Cox Sports Television and other outlets.
For games on Oct. 8 and beyond, the conference will reveal most television choices 12 days prior to kickoff. This will allow for the best matchups to be selected each week for various partners.
ESPN will exercise its option to make the initial choice most weeks, placing a top-tier game on ESPN3, its multi-screen network. The American Sports Network’s selected game will be syndicated throughout the region and beyond. Cox Sports Television will also make several choices, scattered throughout the schedule.
Opening night falls on Thursday, Sept., 1, and will feature a conference matchup between Houston Baptist and Central Arkansas. The American Sports Network will carry the game on local affiliates across the country. ASN’s list of partner stations will be announced at a later date.
Friday, Sept. 2, will showcase Northwestern State at Baylor on Fox Sports Net.
The season’s first Saturday, Sept. 3, will feature at least four televised games. Two matchups will be available exclusively on ESPN3: Lamar’s opener against Coastal Carolina and Sam Houston State’s meeting with Oklahoma Panhandle State. A pair of road games will receive coverage on Fox Sports Net, as Southeastern Louisiana visits Oklahoma State, and Stephen F. Austin goes to Texas Tech.
The American Sports Network will feature three more Southland games in the early portion of the schedule, including UIW at Northwestern State (Thursday, Sept. 8), Stephen F. Austin at McNeese (Saturday, Sept. 17), and Central Arkansas at Abilene Christian (Saturday, Oct. 1). In addition, ASN is set to carry the River Bell Classic between Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls at season’s end (Thursday, Nov. 17). American Sports Network broadcasts will be simulcast on the Southland Digital Network, available via southland.org and the Southland app.
ESPN3’s early-season schedule includes the Battle of the Piney Woods. Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State meet Saturday, Oct. 1, at Houston’s NRG Stadium.
Cox Sports Television has two games among the Southland’s preseason selections, featuring all four of the league’s Louisiana football teams. Northwestern State visits Southeastern Louisiana in the first (Saturday, Sept. 24), followed by a matchup between Nicholls and McNeese (Saturday, Oct. 1). Cox Sports Television broadcasts will be simulcast on ESPN3 outside CST’s territory.
For games not selected by conference partners, individual schools will have the ability to produce broadcasts via television or online outlets.
Southland Conference Football: Early Television Selections
Thursday, Sept. 1
Houston Baptist at Central Arkansas, 6 p.m.,
American Sports Network
Friday, Sept. 2
Northwestern State at Baylor, 6:30 p.m.,
Fox Sports Net
Saturday, Sept. 3
Southeastern Louisiana at Oklahoma State, 2:30 p.m.,
Fox Sports Net
Oklahoma Panhandle State at Sam Houston State, 6 p.m.,
ESPN3*
Coastal Carolina at Lamar, 7 p.m.,
ESPN3*
Stephen F. Austin at Texas Tech, 7 p.m.,
Fox Sports Net
Thursday, Sept. 8
UIW at Northwestern State, 6 p.m.,
American Sports Network
Saturday, Sept. 10
McNeese at Louisiana-Lafayette, TBD
, ESPN Network TBD
Nicholls at Georgia, 11 a.m.,
SEC Network
Lamar at Houston, 11 a.m.,
ESPN3
West Alabama at Stephen F. Austin, 6 p.m.,
ESPN3*
Texas Southern at Houston Baptist, 7 p.m.,
ROOT Sports Southwest*
Saturday, Sept. 17
Stephen F. Austin at McNeese, 6 p.m.,
American Sports Network
Abilene Christian at Houston Baptist, 7 p.m.,
Fox College Sports*
Sam Houston State at Lamar, 7 p.m.,
ESPN3*
Saturday, Sept. 24
Central Arkansas at Arkansas State, TBD,
ESPN Network TBD
Nicholls at South Alabama, TBD
, ESPN Network TBD
Northwestern State at Southeastern Louisiana, 6 p.m.,
Cox Sports TV
Abilene Christian at Stephen F. Austin, 6 p.m.,
ESPN3*
Sam Houston State at Houston Baptist, 7 p.m.,
Fox College Sports*
Saturday, Oct. 1
Central Arkansas at Abilene Christian, 2:30 p.m.,
American Sports Network
Stephen F. Austin vs. Sam Houston State, 3 p.m.,
ESPN3
Nicholls at McNeese, 6 p.m.,
Cox Sports TV
UIW at Texas State, 6 p.m.,
ESPN Network TBD
Southeastern Louisiana at Lamar, 7 p.m.,
ESPN3*
Thursday, Nov. 17
Southeastern Louisiana at Nicholls, 6 p.m.,
American Sports Network
*Institutional broadcast
Other television selections will be made no later than 12 days prior to kickoff. All times listed are central.