WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University athletic department has announced the Colonels 2024 football schedule Monday afternoon to kick off a series of schedule releases for all fall sports teams.

The defending Cape Henry Bowl champion Colonels begin their second season in the Landmark Conference with a six-game slate, preceded by four non-conference matchups to round out the ten game season. This season will mark the first as head coach for long time assistant coach David Biever, who takes over following the departure of Jonathan Drach.

To view the full schedule, click here.

Wilkes opens the 2024 season on the road against cross-town rival King's College in the 28^th annual Mayor's Cup game on Saturday, September 7 at 6:00 p.m. This is the second consecutive year that the Mayor's Cup will open the season for the Colonels, following a narrow 23-27 defeat at Schmidt Stadium in 2023. The Colonels hold a 24-13 all-time record against their former Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) opponent, including a 16-11 lead in the Mayor's Cup, dating back to its creation in 1996.

The Colonels complete their non-conference slate across September with three familiar faces from 2023.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) of the Liberty League will make the trip to Schmidt Stadium for the first home game of 2024 on Friday, September 13 at 6:00 p.m. This matchup with the Engineers marks the first game under Friday night lights for the Colonels since 2018, a 31-16 road win at FDU-Florham.

Next, the Colonels travel to Brockport, N.Y. to take on the Elite 8's SUNY Brockport on Saturday, September 21 at 1:00 p.m., and finish their non-conference schedule against another Elite 8 team in St. John Fisher University at Schmidt Stadium for Homecoming on Saturday, September 28 at 12:00 p.m.

The Colonels made noise in their first season in the Landmark Conference, finishing with a 4-2 record good for second place in the standings. They begin their 2024 Landmark Conference quest on the road, traveling to Huntingdon, Pa. to take on Juniata College on Friday, October 4 at 6:00 p.m. The Colonels then welcome Lycoming College to Schmidt Stadium on Saturday, October 12. The Warriors also went 4-2 in conference play last year but lost to the Colonels 48-35.

Next up is a road matchup with Keystone College on Saturday, October 19 at 12:00 p.m. in La Plume, Pa. In 2023, the Colonels rushed for a single-game program record 503 yards on a rainy day at Schmidt Stadium en route to a 42-7 victory over the Giants. Wilkes rounds out the month of October against defending conference champions Susquehanna University on Saturday, October 26 at 12:00 p.m. The River Hawks finished the 2023 campaign ranked No. 14 in the nation by D3football.com and hold a 15-24 record all-time against the Colonels, with only three meetings taking place in the last 18 seasons.

Following a bye week on Saturday, November 2, the Colonels finish the season with two matchups in November. First up is a trip to Washington, D.C. for a matchup with Catholic University on Saturday, November 9 at 12:00 p.m. Last year marked the first matchup for these two teams, a 35-40 loss for the Colonels. Wilkes close the regular season with Senior Day at Schmidt Stadium against Moravian University on Saturday, November 16 at 12:00 p.m. Last season, the Colonels traveled to Bethlehem, Pa. and clinched a bowl game with a dominant display in all phases with a 35-17 win over the Greyhounds, their first meeting since the 2010 season.

Wilkes will continue to release its 2024 fall schedules with women's soccer on Tuesday.