(LAKE CHARLES) – Fans that aren’t able to see the McNeese Cowboys in person will get a chance to watch them at least three times this season on various television or steaming networks.

It was announced last week McNeese’s season opener on September 5 at LSU will be broadcast live on SEC Network Alternate and will carry a 6:30 p.m. kickoff. On Wednesday, the Southland Conference released its early broadcast schedule that has McNeese being shown two more times – vs. Incarnate Word (Sept. 12) and at Stephen F. Austin (Sept. 19).

The Sept. 12 home opener against UIW, which will also be the Cowboys’ Southland Conference opener, will kickoff at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on the American Sports Network.

The Cowboys’ game at Stephen F. Austin will be carried on ESPN3 and will kickoff at 6 p.m.

The Southland Conference will select more games to be broadcast for games on Oct. 3 and beyond. Those games will be revealed 12 days prior to kickoff that will allow for the best matchups to be selected each week for various partners.

ESPN plans to exercise its option to make the initial choice most weeks, placing a top-tier game on ESPN3, its multi-screen network. The Southland Conference on American Sports Network will then make its selection, with those games syndicated throughout the region and beyond. Cox Sports Television is set to air a package of games as well, but those dates and times are still to be determined.

The American Sports Network was launched in July 2014 and is aired primarily across stations owned by Sinclair (in particular, CW and MyNetworkTV), and syndicated to non-Sinclair stations and regional sports networks.

ASN primarily deals in college sports and at the mid-major level that includes the Southland Conference.

Opening night falls on Thursday, Sept. 3, and will feature a conference matchup between Southeastern Louisiana and Northwestern State. The Southland Conference on American Sports Network will carry the game on local affiliates across the country. ASN’s list of partner stations will be announced at a later date.

The season’s first Saturday, Sept., 5, will feature at least three televised games. Stephen F. Austin’s opener against Northern Arizona will be available exclusively on ESPN3, while a pair of road games will also receive coverage with McNeese State at LSU on SEC Network Alternate and Sam Houston State visiting Texas Tech on Fox Sports Net.

The Southland Conference on American Sports Network will feature four more games in the early portion of the schedule, including UIW at McNeese State (Sept. 12), Lamar at Sam Houston State (Sept. 19), Stephen F. Austin at Abilene Christian (Sept. 26) and Lamar at Southeastern Louisiana (Oct. 1). Two matchups later in the season have also been locked in for ASN: Central Arkansas at Houston Baptist (Oct. 10) and Nicholls at Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 19).

For games not selected by conference partners, individual schools will have the ability to produce broadcasts via television or online outlets. For example, Stephen F. Austin has announced a partnership that will allow all unselected home games to air on ESPN3, including the aforementioned opener vs. Northern Arizona.

Southland Conference Football: Early Television Selections

Thursday, Sept. 3
Southeastern Louisiana at Northwestern State, 6 p.m., American Sports Network

Saturday, Sept. 5
Northern Arizona at Stephen F. Austin, 6 p.m., ESPN3
McNeese State at LSU, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network Alternate
Sam Houston State at Texas Tech, Time TBD, Fox Sports Net

Saturday, Sept. 12
UIW at McNeese State, 6 p.m., American Sports Network
Northwestern State at Louisiana-Lafayette, 6 p.m., ESPN3
Nicholls at Louisiana-Monroe, 6 p.m., ESPN3
Central Arkansas at Oklahoma State, 6:30 p.m., Fox Sports Net
Lamar at Baylor, 6:30 p.m., Fox Sports Net

Saturday, Sept. 19
Southeastern Louisiana at Ohio, 1 p.m., ESPN3
Northwestern State at Mississippi State, 3 p.m., SEC Network
McNeese State at Stephen F. Austin, 6 p.m., ESPN3
Lamar at Sam Houston State, 6 p.m., American Sports Network

Saturday, Sept. 26
Stephen F. Austin at Abilene Christian, 2:30 p.m., American Sports Network
Central Arkansas at Northwestern State, 6 p.m., ESPN3

Thursday, Oct. 1
Lamar at Southeastern Louisiana, 6 p.m., American Sports Network

Saturday, Oct. 10
Central Arkansas at Houston Baptist, 2:30 p.m., American Sports Network

Thursday, Nov. 19
Nicholls at Southeastern Louisiana, 6 p.m., American Sports Network

Other television selections will be made no later than 12 days prior to kickoff. All times listed are central.