BUTTE -- The Kyle Samson era will officially begin Saturday, Aug. 29, when the Montana Tech football team opens its 2020 season in La Grande, Ore. against the Eastern Oregon University Mountaineers.
Samson enters his first year as head coach of the Orediggers after longtime coach Chuck Morrell took a position on the Fresno State staff this offseason. A former Helena Capital and MSU-Northern quarterback, who coached at both MSUN and Kalispell Flathead before joining Morrell's staff as an offensive coordinator, Samson will seek his first collegiate win against veteran coach Tim Camp at EOU.
Tech opens its home schedule the following Saturday, Sept. 5, during the annual Copper Game against rival Carroll College. The Orediggers fell at Carroll, 30-19, in their lone meeting last fall.
Following an early bye week, the Orediggers welcome Rocky Mountain College for the first of two contests between the foes on Sept. 19, Tech's annual Hall of Fame Game. Tech travels to Dillon to meet Montana Western on Sept. 26, before returning to Alumni Coliseum for homecoming on Oct. 3 against MSU-Northern.
Three of the final five games of the season will be spent on the road, beginning with an Oct. 10 trip to the College of Idaho, which swept Tech last season. Following another bye, the Orediggers host Southern Oregon, travel to Rocky and then welcome Western.
Tech concludes its regular season at MSU-Northern on Nov. 14.
Samson and the Orediggers look to improve on last season's 6-4 record, and will seek a berth in the NAIA football championship series for the first time since the 2016 season.
2020 Montana Tech football schedule
*times TBD
Aug. 29: at Eastern Oregon
Sept. 5: vs. Carroll College (Copper Game)
Sept. 19: vs. Rocky Mountain College (Hall of Fame Game)
Sept. 26: at Montana Western
Oct. 3: vs. MSU-Northern (Homecoming)
Oct. 10: at College of Idaho
Oct. 24: vs. Southern Oregon
Oct. 31: at Rocky Mountain College
Nov. 7: vs. Montana Western
Nov. 14: at MSU-Northern
