MONROE, La. – The ULM football team (2-7, 2-3 Sun Belt) returns to FMOL Health St. Francis Stadium to compete in a midweek contest against local and conference foes, the UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (6-3, 3-2 Sun Belt). The face-off will occur Thursday night (Nov. 12) at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.
 

OPENING DRIVE –
• The Cajuns hold the 34-26 edge in the series as a four-year college, playing in 60 contests dating back to 1951. The last win for the Warhawks came in 2022, a 21-17 victory in Monroe. Last season, the Cajuns went to overtime with ULM in Lafayette, edging out the visitors by a field goal. 

• For the third-straight season, ULM will play on a Thursday in its season. The difference in this case is playing a conference opponent in a midweek. The last conference midweek game for ULM Football came in 2019, a Thursday night game at Texas State, in which the Warhawks claimed the 24-14 victory.

• When playing on a Thursday night since joining the Sun Belt in 2001, ULM is 8-7. In all midweek contests, the Warhawks are 10-8 since 2001.

• The game will be streamed on ESPN2, the channel covering the Warhawks for the first time since 2021. In 2021, ULM was on ESPN2 when the team traveled to face LSU in Baton Rouge. But the last time ESPN2 made the trip to Monroe was 2020, a home contest against UTEP.

• Most recently, ULM picked up a second road conference victory in 2026, a 19-17 win at Arkansas State. While a missed extra point had the Red Wolves with the edge, it was two interceptions, two sacks and 268 rushing yards that secured ULM's two-point victory. It was the first back-to-back win over Arkansas State since 1988, as the team also won in 2025. The Rice Bowl trophy remains in Monroe, ULM holding the 2-0 edge when playing for the Rice Bowl.

• Earlier this season, Warhawks claimed a 21-14 victory at Troy, as the team earned its first win of the season and of conference play. In the Bryant Vincent era, ULM is 2-0 when playing at Troy. The win was capped off with three touchdowns scored in the final two-and-a-half minutes, including a fumble recovered in the end zone by Billy Pullen to seal the deal.

• 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.

• 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. 

• 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. 

• 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 home. 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.