Football | 04/26/24 | 1:49 PM

HELENA, Mont. – Head Football Coach Troy Purcell has officially announced the schedule for the 2024 Carroll College Football season.
 
The 2024 slate of games features a standard ten-game schedule, with eight Frontier Conference games, however, the schedule features six home contests for the Fighting Saints as opposed to the traditional five. The schedule is a mirror of the 2023 season, swapping home games before the arrival of conference member-to-be Dickinson State next season.
 
The six-game home slate couldn't come at a better time, with the excitement and anticipation surrounding an enhanced Nelson Stadium at an all-time high.
 
"You see all the construction happening here on campus, and it just amplifies the excitement for our team heading into that first game against Tech." said Purcell.
 
Construction crews are hard at work in the NAIA's hardest place to play. A brand-synthetic playing surface is currently being installed, and Valley Bank Field at Nelson Stadium will be the perfect setting for the abnormally large grouping of home games.
 
"Exciting times right at Carroll College, and our football program. To be able to host six home games is going to be awesome. In 35 years of coaching, I've never had that. Add in new turf, new lights, and the majority of those games coming early in the season, that makes the excitement level rise for our guys."
 
The season will officially kick-off on September 7, as the Saints host rival Montana Tech in a non-conference bout to break-in the new turf. Kick-off time for that game is yet to be determined.
 
Rocky Mountain College comes to town on September 14 for the first Frontier Conference game on Valley Bank Field. Last season, Jack Prka (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho / JR) broke the all-time program record for passing yards in a game, leading his team to a monumental comeback win and NAIA Player of the Week honors in Billings.
 
Simpson University will make their first trip to the Capital City on September 21. That weekend will be Carroll's homecoming weekend, and a hearty crowd donned in Purple in Gold will surely look to make the Red Hawks' visit one to forget. Due to the annual Hall of Fame ceremony, as well as additional homecoming activities, that game will kick at 2 p.m.
 
The Saints will make their first trip to the desert on September 28 for a showdown with the Firestorm of Arizona Christian. Carroll picked up a 35-20 win in the first meeting between the two schools last season in Helena.
 
MSU-Northern comes to Helena for the first time under Head Coach Jerome Souers on October 5. Carroll has made the trek to the Hi-line each of the last two seasons, winning those games by an aggregate score of 90-6.
 
Following a bye week on October 12, the Saints will welcome Eastern Oregon to Nelson Stadium on October 19. The Saints have a four-game win-streak over the Mountaineers dating back to the 2021 season.
 
The Saints will then head to Caldwell, Idaho to take on the College of Idaho and round out the month of October. The Saints haven't lost in Caldwell since the 2018 season, and will look to keep the streak going in a critical late-season game against last year's furthest advancing Frontier team.
 
The Raiders of Southern Oregon will make the 878-mile trip to Helena for the Saints' final home game of the regular season on November 2. Carroll will look to make it four straight over SOU, the only team in the Frontier with a winning record in their all-time series against the Saints (7-9 all-time).
 
The Saints will end the season with a pair of road games against traditional Frontier rivals in Southwest Montana.
 
On November 9, Carroll will head to Dillon, looking to avenge a late-season loss to reigning Frontier Champion Montana Western.
 
Capping the season is a one-hour trip South to Butte for the 132^nd meeting between Carroll and Montana Tech. The Saints hold an 88-41-2 advantage in the storied rivalry, and will look to add to the lopsided total on November 16.
 
"You can feel a definite 'vibe' around the program right now. The anticipation is rising, and we're ready to get to work" said Purcell.
 
Outside of the Montana Tech game on September 7, and Homecoming game against Simpson on September 21, all games will kick-off at 1 p.m.
 
Season ticket renewals will begin in the back-end of next month, before all remaining tickets will be open for purchase in July.
 
Stay tuned to www.carrollathletics.com in the coming months for more information, and to stay up to date with Carroll Football's pursuit of a 46^th conference championship.