FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 4, 2020) - A top-10 challenge to open the schedule, another consensus top-10 opponent and the traditional pair of rivalries highlight Northern Arizona University's six-game Spring 2021 football schedule released by the Big Sky Conference.
The Lumberjacks will open their season on Feb. 27 in Flagstaff as they host the Montana Grizzlies. The two universities were originally scheduled to play in the Walkup Skydome during the Fall 2020 schedule, with the matchup being the first meeting between the schools since 2017. NAU has won the past two meetings in Flagstaff, with a 45-34 victory in 2016 and a 34-16 win in 2013.
Three other games originally scheduled for this past fall remain on the schedule, with a trip to Cal Poly on March 27, a meeting in Flagstaff against Southern Utah on April 3 and the regular-season finale at Northern Colorado on April 10.
The Mustangs return to Flagstaff after facing the Lumberjacks in the Walkup Skydome in 2018, with the two universities splitting their past two contests. With the annual meetings against Southern Utah and Northern Colorado remaining on this season's modified schedule, the Lumberjacks will look to snap one streak and extend another. In the past seven meetings with Northern Colorado dating back to 2013, the home team has come away with the victory. The same streak exists with Southern Utah dating back to 2017, with the home team winning the past three meetings.
With the schedule shortened six games, with bye weeks set for the entire conference on March 20 and April 17 to allow for flexibility in making up delayed or canceled contests, NAU lost four of its originally announced conference matchups while adding two opponents from the 2019 schedule.
Hosting Portland State in the second game of the season on March 6, the Lumberjacks will face off with the Vikings again following a 31-29 victory thanks to a 38-yard field goal by
Luis Aguilar with four seconds remaining in the game. NAU will also return to Weber State on March 13, who the Lumberjacks have beaten in four of the past five meetings. The Wildcats enter the season coming off of an appearance in the FCS semifinals and rank inside the top six of most preseason polls.
Weber State and Montana were picked to finish first and second by both the coaches and the media in July. Portland State landed seventh in the media poll and eighth for the coaches, with Cal Poly, Southern Utah and Northern Colorado 10th, 12th and 13th respectively in both polls.
Game times and potential attendance capacities for the Walkup Skydome will be announced at a later date. Stay tuned to NAUAthletics.com and follow NAU Football on
Twitter,
Instagram and
Facebook for updates on the Lumberjacks throughout the fall.
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