PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo has announced its schedule for the upcoming 2024 football season.
The ThunderWolves' 2024 schedule will feature six home games and four games against teams that advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs a season ago. The Pack's 11 opponents this coming season recorded a combined record of 72-57 during the 2023 season, including both of the Pack's non-conference foes each advancing to the NCAA Playoffs in 2023 and posting a 21-4 overall record.
CSU Pueblo's 16th season of football since the program restarted in 2008 begins with a week zero match-up on Thursday, Aug. 29 in Rapid City, S.D., against South Dakota Mines in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener for both teams. The NCAA voted at this past January's convention to allow Division II schools to play a football game on week zero of the regular season, which this season is Aug. 29-31.
"Really excited about our fall 2024 season schedule. This is the first year in Division II football that we were able to play in week zero," second-year CSU Pueblo head football coach
Philip Vigil said. "Being able to play an RMAC opponent to start the season will give our team a much needed bye week later in the season."
The season opener at South Dakota game will mark the second earliest opener in program history and the earliest conference game in school history as the Pack opened the 2017 season on Aug. 31 with an RMAC home game against Colorado School of Mines. The earliest season opener in football for the Pack came in 2010 when they opened the season with an Aug. 28 game at Oklahoma Panhandle State.
Following the opener at South Dakota Mines, the Pack will home its slate of six home games in the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. against UT-Permian Basin. UTPB is a member of the Lone Star Conference and finished the 2023 season with a program-best 10-2 record and an NCAA Playoff appearance.
The following week, Saturday, Sept. 14, the Pack will host Grand Valley State for a 6 p.m. game for Red Out Night in the ThunderBowl. GVSU advanced to the third round of the NCAA Playoffs a season ago where they lost to eventual National Champion Harding University. The Lakers finished last season with an 11-2 overall record. This will mark the fourth consecutive season that the Pack is playing Grand Valley State.
"Our non-conference schedule will be a great test to see where we stack up against some of the best teams in the country. Both UTPB and Grand Valley State were conference champions in their respective conferences and also were NCAA playoff teams," added Vigil about his team's two non-conference opponents. "We will be able to see early where we can improve and get better!"
After playing two consecutive non-conference games, the Pack will return to RMAC play and conclude its three-game homestand on Saturday, Sept. 21 with a 2 p.m. game on Band Day against Colorado Mesa. The Mavericks went 6-5 last season will playing in Pueblo for the second consecutive season as the Pack earned a 59-20 win last season.
Following its three game homestand, the Pack will hit the road for a Saturday, Sept. 28 game at Adams State. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. in Alamosa, Colo.
The Pack will then return home to open the month of October with its annual Homecoming and Hall of Fame game on Saturday, Oct. 5 against New Mexico Highlands. Kickoff for the homecoming game is scheduled for 2 p.m. The Pack are 15-0 in homecoming games since 2008 and are 31-6 all-time in program history in homecoming games.
After the homecoming game, the Pack will return to the road for a 12 p.m. game on Saturday, Oct. 12 in Durango, Colo., against Fort Lewis. It marks the second straight year the Pack will play the Skyhawks in Durango.
The Pack will follow-up the game at Fort Lewis with another home game on Saturday, Oct. 19 against Black Hills State. Kickoff for the Black Hills State game is slated for 1 p.m. Black Hills State posted a 6-5 record last season and tied for fourth in the league standings.
With its South Dakota Mines game being moved to week zero this season, the Pack will have a bye week on Oct. 26, before returning to action on Saturday, Nov. 2 with a 1 p.m. game in Gunnison, Colo., against Western Colorado. The Mountaineers finished second in the RMAC last season with an 8-1 conference mark and a 10-2 overall record and advanced to the NCAA playoffs.
Following the Western Colorado game, the Pack will close out its regular season home school by hosting two-time defending NCAA National Runners-up Colorado School of Mines for a 1 p.m. Senior Day game on Saturday, Nov. 9 in the ThunderBowl.
The Pack will conclude the 2024 regular season with a road contest on Saturday, Nov. 16 in Chadron, Neb., against Chadron State College. The Pack will be making its second straight trip to Chadron State this season as the Pack won 28-3 last season on the Eagles' home field.
The NCAA Division II playoffs begin with first round games on Saturday, Nov. 23. The national semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 14 with the National Championship game scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 21 in McKinney, Texas.
CSU Pueblo, who captured the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championships and have advanced to the NCAA playoffs nine times since 2011, concluded the 2023 season with an 8-3 overall record and finished third in the RMAC with a 7-2 mark. The Pack ended the 2023 season winning seven consecutive games after opening the season with a 1-3 overall record. The three losses came to teams that all advanced to the NCAA playoffs and posted a combined overall record of 35-5 on the season.
Season ticket sales and Pack Club memberships for the 2024-25 school year will begin on Monday, June 3. More details on both season tickets and Pack Club memberships will be released in the coming weeks.
2024 Pack Football Schedule
| Date |
Opponent |
Time |
| Thur., Aug. 29 |
at South Dakota Mines* |
6 p.m. |
| Sat., Sept. 7 |
vs. UT-Permian Basin |
6 p.m. |
| Sat., Sept. 14 |
vs. Grand Valley State (Red Out Night) |
6 p.m. |
| Sat., Sept. 21 |
vs. Colorado Mesa* (Band Day) |
2 p.m. |
| Sat., Sept. 28 |
at Adams State* |
1 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 5 |
vs. New Mexico Highlands* (Homecoming/HOF Day) |
2 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 12 |
at Fort Lewis* |
12 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 19 |
vs. Black Hills State* |
1 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 26 |
BYE |
|
| Sat., Nov. 2 |
at Western Colorado* |
1 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 9 |
vs. Mines* (Senior Day) |
1 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 16 |
at Chadron State* |
TBA |
| Sat., Nov. 23 |
at NCAA Playoffs (First Round) |
TBD |
| Sat., Nov. 30 |
at NCAA Playoffs (Second Round) |
TBD |
| Sat., Dec. 7 |
at NCAA Playoffs (Quarterfinals) |
TBD |
| Sat., Dec. 14 |
at NCAA National Playoffs (Semifinals) |
TBD |
| Sat., Dec. 21 |
at NCAA Championship Game @McKinney, Texas |
TBD |
*-Denotes Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) games
Home games denoted in Bold and are played at CSU Pueblo Thunder Bowl
All games times listed are Mountain time and are subject to change
