Lights announce 2015 football schedule

The Montana State University-Northern Lights are in the midst of spring drills under new head coach Aaron Christensen. But now, the Lights also have an opponent to aim for with the 2015 season now a mere five months away.

Northern recently released its 2015 schedule, and the Lights will play 10 games, all against Frontier Conference opponents. MSU-N, which went 3-8 a season ago, including beating Dickinson State in a non-conference game, will open the Frontier season at home Sept. 5 against Montana Tech. The Lights opened the 2014 season with a loss to the Orediggers in Butte.

In all, Northern will play five games at Blue Pony Stadium next season, as well as five on the road. After Tech, MSU-N will also play UM-Western at home Sept. 19, College of Idaho at home Oct. 10, Eastern Oregon at home Oct. 24 and Rocky Mountain College at home Nov. 14. The game against the Battlin' Bears will be senior day and the Lights' regular season finale.

Northern's road games include a visit to RMC Sept. 12, a trip to NAIA defending national champion Southern Oregon Sept. 26, a visit to Montana Tech Oct. 17 and back-to-back road games at defending Frontier champion Carroll College Oct. 31 and UM-Western Nov. 7. Northern's bye week will come Oct. 3.

For the second straight season, the Lights will also play Tech, RMC and Western twice, while only playing the remaining Frontier schools once. Before last season, Northern had played Carroll twice every year for the last 14 seasons. This season will mark the first since Northern revived football that the vaunted Saints won't play a game inside Blue Pony Stadium. However, this season also marks the first time that the College of Idaho will come to Havre. Last year was the Yotes' inaugural season in the Frontier Conference.

MSU-N will continue spring drills, with a scrimmage set for Saturday morning. The Lights will wrap up spring drills April 18 with their Spring Game, and will begin fall camp in August. The Lights' 2015 debut will be against Montana Tech Sept. 5 in the Blue Pony Stadium.

2015 MSU-Northern Football Schedule

Sep. 5 vs Montana Tech

Sep. 12 at Rocky Mountain

Sep. 19 vs UM-Western

Sep. 26 at Southern Oregon

Oct. 3 BYE

Oct. 10 vs College of Idaho

Oct. 17 at Montana Tech

Oct. 24 vs Eastern Oregon

Oct. 31 at Carroll College

Nov. 7 at UM-Western

Nov. 14 vs Rocky Mountain