Sept. 26, 2005

ABILENE, Texas - Six home games, including 2004 national champion Linfield College, highlight the 2006 Hardin-Simmons football schedule that was announced today.

The Cowboys will open the season on Sept. 2 with a 6 p.m. game against Wisconsin-Stevens Point. On Sept. 16, the Cowboys will welcome in the current No. 1 team in the nation -- Linfield.

"We want to play the best people we can," said HSU head coach Jimmie Keeling. "Anytime we can get games against good teams prior to conference play that prepares us for ASC play. Linfield is No. 1 in the country right now and won it all last year so it will be a challenge and after playing UW-Stevens Point this year we know they are going to play hard and be a formidable opponent."

With Austin College leaving the conference after the 2005 season HSU had to schedule two non-conference games. The conference schedule also had been reworked.

The Cowboys will open American Southwest Conference play at 6 p.m. on Sept. 23 at Louisiana College and will follow that up with a home game against Mississippi College on Sept. 30.

In what has become one of the marquee games in not only the conference, but the nation, the Cowboys will play at Mary Hardin-Baylor on Oct. 7. HSU then is home for East Texas Baptist and then on the road at Howard Payne.

The Cowboys finish the season with an Oct. 28 game at Sul Ross State, Nov. 4 at Texas Lutheran and the Cowboys will close the season with the crosstown showdown with McMurry on Nov. 11.

"It is certainly an ambitious schedule for us, but it gives us six home games for 2006," said HSU Athletic's Director John Neese. "It is nice to get the non-conference portion of the schedule settled in advance. It is also exciting to be playing one of the top teams in the nation. It will be good for our players and fans to play a high-profile opponent like Linfield."

Hardin-Simmons will return the game at Linfield in 2007.