RIVER FALLS, Wis. – UW-River Falls head football coach Matt Walker announced the 2024 football schedule, released June 5, 2024.

The Falcons are coming off a third consecutive winning season, going 7-3 during the 2023 season with a 4-3 WIAC record and a 5-1 mark away from Ramer Field. UWRF got off to a 5-0 start in 2023, the strongest in program history since 1993, including a win over No. 3-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor. The Falcons also broke program records for margin of victory with 75-3 win at Northwestern, a school and WIAC record 863 yards of total offense along with a single-game record 11 touchdowns and the most points scored against a league opponent during a 75-14 win at UW-Stevens Point.

In 2023, UWRF earned the program's highest national rankings by a coaches' poll and national media outlet, ranked as high as No. 4 by D3football.com and the AFCA Division III Coaches' Poll. UWRF led the WIAC with 298 total first downs (2nd/NCAA DIII), 43 points per game, passing offense (329.5 yards per game), 527.1 yards of total offense per game, and red zone defense (71.9%).

The 2024 schedule features four regionally ranked and a trio of nationally ranked opponents, including the season opener on Sept. 7 at Alma College in Alma, Mich. The Scots, ranked No. 6 in the final 2023 D3football.com Top 25 poll, won their second consecutive MIAA Title and reached the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals.

"We are very excited about this year's schedule," Walker commented. "We have high hopes heading into the season and are ready to take on the challenge."

UWRF hosts Greenville University for the home opener on Sept. 21 and UW-Eau Claire on Oct. 5 for the WIAC opener. The schedule also features a road non-conference game at Mount St. Joseph on Sept. 28 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the back-to-back HCAC Champions.

"I cannot imagine too many tougher schedules in Division III," Walker said. "On top of competing in the best league in the country, two of our non-conference opponents will be on the road against reigning conference title and national playoff teams."