Williamsburg, KY – The Patriots Football program are looking ahead to the 2024 season where Head Coach
Shan Housekeeper has announced the 10-game schedule, which features four teams ranked in the final NAIA Top-25 Coaches' Poll last season. This year's slate will see five home games and five games on the road, with the first four games coming against non-conference AAC opponents.
"This will be a tough schedule as we play some of the best teams in the country. We will be challenged every Saturday, but that's what we want," says Coach Housekeeper on the team's schedule this year. "Our guys are already working hard now to take us to that next level."
For the first time in five seasons UC will kickoff the year on the road as they travel to Virginia to take on Bluefield University on September 7th at 1:30 PM ET. This will be the first meeting since 2018 for the two programs as Cumberlands took the previous matchup in a one-sided battle, 50-17. Coach Houskeeper talked about the season opener saying, "Coach Lusk does a great job with that program … We have to come in to that first game prepared and ready to face adversity."
The Pats will come back to the Burg' for their home opener the following weekend where they will faceoff against the University of Pikeville Bears. They will kickoff under the lights on September 14
th with game time scheduled for 7 PM ET. UC earned a come-from-behind victory against UPIKE a season ago and have won five of the last six meetings.
UC will hit the road the following week for a noon game with their first ranked opponent of the season, Reinhardt. The Eagles finished 2023 ranked 18
th in the NAIA and appeared in the NAIA Football Championship Series for the ninth time in their program's history. The Patriots have not won in Waleska, GA in over a decade, and look to change that on September 21
st.
The historic Battle for the Brass Lantern rounds out UC's non-conference schedule on Sep. 28
th at 7 PM. Cumberlands looks to defend their home turf against Union Commonwealth University, formerly Union College, where they are shooting for their sixth consecutive victory over the Bulldogs. This will also be homecoming for the Pats as they welcome alumni to come back and watch a battle with their longtime rivals.
"It's always a big matchup with the rivalry and the Battle for the Brass Lantern there are a lot of emotions involved," said Coach Housekeeper. "I'm excited for the alumni to come back and see us maybe for the first time of the season. It is special for everybody."
October will begin Mid-South Conference play for Cumberlands as they take on two of the top teams in the league. They will travel south to McKenzie, TN on the first Saturday of the month to take on the Wildcats of Bethel University, who finished last season ranked seventh in the NAIA. Gametime for the MSC opener is slated for 2 PM ET/1 PM CT. Coach Housekeeper added his thoughts about this game saying, "Opening up the Mid-South with one of the top teams will be a challenge and we will find out where we're at early in conference play."
UC will be back home the next weekend as they host Lindsey Wilson College at 2:30 PM ET. The Blue Raiders will be the third UC opponent of the year to finish the previous season ranked.
The final two Saturdays of October feature MSC contests with Faulkner and Cumberland University. UC earned a big win over the Eagles a season ago and will try and replicate that on the road at 12 PM ET/11 AM CT. The Phoenix will travel up to James H. Taylor, II Stadium at 6 PM ET the next weekend, where Cumberlands will try and get their revenge after a hard-fought loss in 2023.
Reigning MSC Champs Georgetown College will be on the opposing sideline to begin November. Cumberlands will head up I-75 to play the Tigers who were one of the final four teams in the semi-finals of the 2023 Football Championship Series. Gametime is scheduled for 1:30 PM ET.
"Being able to go up and play the previous year's champion on the road is an exciting challenge for us," said Coach Housekeeper. "I feel like our guys will be able to play well in that type of exciting atmosphere."
The 2024 regular season will finish after a bye week on November 16th in Williamsburg, Ky on the Patriots' Senior Day. They will host Campbellsville University, whom the Pats currently have an eight-game winning streak against.
Live video for all home will be available
here, while live stats for all games can be found
here.
For the latest and most up-to-date information on University of the Cumberlands Athletics. Please visit www.cumberlandspatriots.com. Follow us on Twitter- @UC_Patriots and @UCPatsGameday, Instagram- @UCPatriots, TikTok- @ucpatriots, YouTube- Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching University of the Cumberlands Athletics.
