LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University football announced its 2024 schedule in conjunction with the Northeast Conference on Jan. 30. The schedule features 11 total games with six conference and five non-conference opponents. The Red Flash will play four home and seven away games.
 
The 2024 schedule is headlined by two FBS opponents in the same season for the first time in program history. The Red Flash will visit Kent State on Sept. 7 and Eastern Michigan on Sept. 21. Saint Francis first appeared in a game against an FBS opponent in a 35-15 loss to Eastern Michigan on Sept. 3, 2021. Saint Francis is 0-3 against FBS opponents across the last three seasons.
 
In 2023, Kent State went 1-11 overall and 0-8 in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play, while Eastern Michigan went 6-7 overall and 4-4 in MAC play. The Eagles ended its season with a 59-10 loss in the 68 Ventures Bowl against South Alabama.
 
The 2024 season kicks off at Dayton on Aug. 31 and marks the first meeting between the programs since 2002. The Flyers are 2-0 over the Red Flash with victories in 2001 and 2002. Dayton went 4-7 last season overall and 2-7 against Division I programs.
 
After the Sept. 7 trip to Kent State, Saint Francis has its first home and conference game on Sept. 14 against Central Connecticut. The Red Flash most recently won two games in a row over the Blue Devils 49-14 in 2023 and 39-13 in 2022. Central Connecticut went 3-8 overall and 1-6 in conference last season after a 2-9 overall and 2-5 conference record in 2022.
 
Saint Francis has a bye on Sept. 28 after its second game against an FBS opponent, Eastern Michigan, on Sept. 21.
 
Out of the bye weekend, the Red Flash travel to Delaware State on Oct. 5. Saint Francis holds a 2-1 record over Delaware State, which included 35-21 and 45-14 victories in 2019 and 2018, respectively. The Hornets went 1-10 last season with its only victory against Division II Virginia-Lynchburg.
 
Saint Francis returns to conference action at home against reigning NEC Champion Duquesne on Oct. 12. The Dukes went 7-5 overall and 6-1 in conference last season to clinch its first NEC title since 2018 and first outright title since 2015.
 
The Red Flash have their first road conference game of the season at Wagner on Oct. 19. Saint Francis is currently on a four-game winning streak over Wagner, which included a 31-7 victory last season on CBS Sports Network – the first-ever nationally televised linear game in NEC football history.
 
Saint Francis is back on the road Oct. 26 to face Robert Morris who returns to the NEC in 2024 after a four-year stint in the Big South Conference. The programs faced each other as non-conference opponents last season in a 31-21 Robert Morris victory. As a member of the NEC from 1996-2019, Robert Morris held a 15-9 record over Saint Francis.
 
Saint Francis hosts Stonehill for the third meeting in program history on Nov. 2. The Red Flash are 2-0 over the Skyhawks with both victories by less than five points. After a bye on Nov. 9, Saint Francis concludes its conference schedule on Nov. 16 at LIU. Last season the Sharks defeated the Red Flash for the first time in program history after Saint Francis won the first three meetings.
 
The 2024 regular season concludes at home against Sacred Heart on Nov. 23. The Pioneers will play the 2024 season as an FCS independent after it announced moving athletics to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), who does not sponsor football. It marks the first non-conference meeting between the programs since 1994. Sacred Heart held a 14-11 advantage over Saint Francis as a member of the NEC.
 
Saint Francis went 4-6 overall and 4-3 conference record last season, which marked the third consecutive season with a winning record in conference play. The Red Flash hold an 18-15 overall and 15-6 conference record across the last three seasons. All-six of Saint Francis' conference losses were by three points or less during the three-year stretch.

The 2024 schedule times are to be determined. Saint Francis' spring schedule dates and times will be released in February.