By LEE HILLER, Journal Sports

Northwood will have a revamped schedule for its 58th football season that will have four new opponents and only three games on the road.

The Falcons will start the season for the fourth straight season against former 1-4A rival Benton. The Tigers come to Northwood’s Jerry Burton Stadium having won the last three and seven of the last eight of a series they lead 21-7-1.

Two new non-district opponents, Peabody and Mansfield, fill the second and third weeks of the season.

Peabody Magnet makes the drive up I-49 from Alexandria to play at Northwood’s Jerry Burton Stadium. It will be the first meeting of the two schools since 1983-84, the only two times they have played. Both of those games were won by Northwood.

A journey to Mansfield is the first road game of the season for Northwood. The two schools have played once (2019) since 1990 and both teams have won seven games in the series.

A return back home has Northwood entertaining its biggest recent District 1-4A rival, North DeSoto. The Griffins were finally able to defeat the Falcons on the field last season for the first time since 2016.

A road game with Woodlawn precedes three straight home games. The Falcons have played the Knights every year since 1999 and lead the series 19-8.

Booker T. Washington comes to Northwood for the 22nd meeting of the two schools. Northwood has won the last seven with BTW’s last win coming in 2002. The Falcons have a 15-6 series edge.

Northwood hosts Bossier with a chance to increase its four-game win streak over the Bearkats, who own the series edge 19-15.

Southwood, a newcomer to 1-4A, is the next visitor to Northwood. The Falcons have won three of the six in the series on the field, but had to forfeit the last meeting in 2020.

Northwood’s third and last road game of the regular takes it to Minden. The Tide provide one of the Falcons’ longest running 1-4A rivals with a majority of the 45 meetings coming in the district.

The final game of the regular season will bring the other 1-4A newcomer, Loyola, to Northwood.  The two schools have played five of the 12 in the series since 2009.

2024 Northwood football schedule

Sep. 6               Benton

Sep. 13             Peabody

Sep. 20             at Mansfield

Sep. 27             North DeSoto

Oct. 4               at Woodlawn

Oct. 11             BTW

Oct. 18             Bossier

Oct. 25             Southwood

Nov. 1               at Minden

Nov. 8               Loyola

Contact Lee at leeh051@hotmail.com