MONROE, La. – The ULM Warhawks (0-5, 0-1 Sun Belt) will face a familiar foe from just down the road at home as Sun Belt play continues, hosting the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (3-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) on October 17 at 7 p.m. in FMOL Health St. Francis Stadium. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Sean Fox and Desmund Lighten on the call, as well as on LA105 with the Voice of the Warhawks Mike Hammett and color analyst Mike McGee.

OPENING DRIVE –
• When playing as four-year institutions, ULM and Louisiana Tech have competed in 43 football games, with Tech taking the 30-13 advantage. When playing in Monroe, the Bulldogs hold the 13-8 record. After playing almost every year since 1953, the teams have not competed against each other since 2000. The last win the Warhawks had over Louisiana Tech came in 1987, a 44-7 victory in Ruston.
• The game also marks the second competition of the inaugural Radiance Technologies I-20 Showdown Rivalry Series, the Bulldogs holding the 1-0 edge in the contest. Both teams have opportunities to record points from wins over the other. The first to 6.5 points of the 12 available will clinch the victory. This is the first competition held in Monroe this season.
• The game will also honor Pat Collins, late then-NLU head football coach and Louisiana Tech football player and assistant coach. Collins led the NLU 1987 team to the 1-AA National Championship team, producing 17 All-Americans and 66 all-conference players in his eight seasons at the helm.
• In hosting six opponents at home for the first time since 2024, the Warhawks also host three opponents from the state of Louisiana for the first time since 2002. ULM will host Southeastern Louisiana to open home play, then taking on Louisiana Tech and the Ragin' Cajuns in Monroe. 
• The 2026 season is the first playing in FMOL Health | St. Francis Stadium, the name changed to recognize an expanding partnership with FMOL Health | St. Francis. The new name was announced on August 7, with a press conference held earlier this month. Additionally, the FMOL Health | St. Francis logo will be represented in jersey patches across all ULM women's sports as part of the expanded partnership.
• While the name has been changed, an installation is in progress to recognize the former namesake of the stadium, Coach James Malone, widely revered as the father of ULM Athletics. Malone was Northeast Louisiana's second head football coach, leading the Indians from 1934 to 1953, boasting a 94-64-12 record. With one of the top records of any football coach at ULM, he coached two unbeaten football teams and three bowl teams, leading the 1935 team to the junior college national championship. Malone also led the team from junior college into senior college competition in 1951. 
• On the 2026 roster, ULM welcomes back 49 returners and brings in 56 newcomers, providing an 48% retention rate from 2025. Out of the newcomers, the Warhawks welcome 10 first-years, 23 NCAA transfers and 23 JUCO transfers to the bayou. Out of those returning to Monroe, 20 have played with ULM for one year, 21 for two years, three for three years and four for four years.
• 17 Warhawks on the roster are competing in the 2026 season having already completed a degree. On the defense, Billy Pullen, Kevontay Wells, Navarion Benson, Cooper Eldridge, Kelbee Holmes, Levontae Jacobs, Marcus Ross and CJ Wilson have already graduated. For the offense, Brandon Buckhaulter, Javon Campbell, Don Chaney, John Curtis Goodman Jr., Quentis Griffin Jr., Drew Hutchinson, Reese Steele and Korian Wilson have collected degrees. Max Larson is the lone member of the special teams room to have received a degree prior to the 2026 season.
• ULM's 12-game football schedule features six home games, four being conference opponents. The last time ULM had six home games was the 2024 season, where the Warhawks went 4-2 at Malone Stadium. Overall, it marks the eighth time that the Warhawks have played a six-game home schedule since joining the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-A). 
• ULM's 2026 opponents went a combined 72-81 (.471) in 2025, with five opponents going over .500. In addition, seven foes also participated in postseason bowl games a year ago: Mississippi State (Duke's Mayo Bowl), Louisiana Tech (Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl), Troy (IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl), Southern Miss (New Orleans Bowl), Arkansas State (XBox Bowl), the Ragin' Cajuns (68 Ventures Bowl) and App State (JLab Birmingham Bowl).
• Four ULM football players have been recognized on the Preseason All-Sun Belt teams, the most in the Bryant Vincent era and the most since 2020. Two offensive and two defense players were featured on the teams for the Warhawks. AJ Vinson and Noah Flemmings were recognized on the Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team and Nic Trujillo and Jabari Tiller were named to the second team.
• ULM has 26 states featured on its roster in 2026. In announcing its roster, ULM Football posts 19 Louisiana players, 11 coming from Monroe's own Ouachita Parish. Louisiana is the state with the most representatives on the team, with Mississippi following close behind with 18. Texas records the third-most with 15 and Alabama records 10. Iowa, Florida, Pennsylvania and Georgia all record a few, while 19 other states are represented with one or two. 
• ULM's coaching staff features six new faces in 2026, including offensive coordinator and receivers coach Jesse Montalto, special teams coordinator and defensive line coach Tony McClain, pass game coordinator Chris Jones, running backs coach Shawn Simmons and tight ends coach Gavin Blomberg. Montalto arrives after eight seasons at the helm of Iowa Central CC, where he claimed the Region XI title and ICCAC Coach of the Year in 2019. McClain makes his ULM appearance after time at East Texas A&M, where he spent two seasons. Jones arrives from a season in the Belichick era at North Carolina as the senior associate director of player personnel. Simmons also arrives from Iowa Central CC, previously playing at Central Methodist. Blomberg rounds out the new staff from Iowa Central.
• Staff updates came in the offseason as well, with Troy Reffett taking over duties at defensive coordinator. Derek Cronenwett was named the team's general manager as Micheal Atiyeh became the director of football operations. Isaac Lopez is responsible for strength & conditioning efforts for the team.
• Family connections on the ULM football coaching staff include Bryant Vincent's son, Brady Vincent, as the team's Tight Ends Coach. Bret Vincent makes it three Vincents featured in the ULM football program, with Bret playing wide receiver for the Warhawks.