ST. GEORGE — Six home games and eight conference contests highlight Utah Tech University football’s 2024 schedule.
Three of the Trailblazers’ four non-conference games will come against Big Sky Conference opponents, beginning with the season opener against perennial FCS power Montana State inside Greater Zion Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31.
According to a news release, Utah Tech will open its six-game road schedule one week later with a quick trip to Las Vegas to take on 2023 Mountain West Conference runner-up and Guaranteed Rate Bowl game participant UNLV on Saturday, Sept. 7, at Allegiant Stadium.
The Blazers then return home for a Sept. 14 match-up against Northern Arizona, before wrapping up their non-conference schedule with a Sept. 21 road date at UC Davis.
This past November, the United Athletic Conference announced its expanded eight-game football schedule for the 2024 campaign. The competition slate features four home games and four road games for each of the league’s 10-member institutions.
Utah Tech will kick off its second season of UAC play with back-to-back home games vs. Abilene Christian (Sept. 28) and North Alabama (Oct. 5). The Trailblazers will then head to Texas for consecutive conference road dates, beginning with a trip to Stephenville to face Tarleton (Oct. 12).
Following their bye week on Oct. 19, the Blazers travel back to the Lone Star State to square off against Stephen F. Austin (Oct. 26). Utah Tech will then alternate home and road games the rest of the way, starting at home with its first-ever match-up against Central Arkansas (Nov. 2).
The Trailblazers then make the long cross-country trek to The Peach State to play at UAC newcomer West Georgia (Nov. 9), which will be starting its first transitional season from NCAA Division II to the Division I FCS ranks.
Utah Tech will wrap up its 2024 home slate against 2023 UAC champion Austin Peay (Nov. 16), and will close out the regular season with the annual Battle For The Ax showdown at in-state rival Southern Utah (Nov. 23).
Game times for all 12 games have yet to be determined. Season and single-game ticket information for the 2024 season will be announced in the near future.
Utah Tech, which will be eligible for NCAA Division I FCS postseason play for the first time in program history in 2024, closed its final D-I transition season in 2023 with a 2-9 overall record, which included a 1-5 mark in UAC play.
First-year coach Lance Anderson takes over a Trailblazer team that finished 2-9 in 2023, its first season in the UAC.
And on the signing front, Utah Tech locked in nine early recruits in December, including
Four of the nine signees are from the state of Utah, including a pair of St. George standouts — safety Jace Sweeten and offensive lineman Jacob Zarate from the 2023 Utah 4A state champion Crimson Cliffs High School.
Updated 1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8: Corrects name spelling of Jace Sweeten and state championship information in last paragraph.