TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State announced Friday that its football program will renew its in-state series with Langston this fall as the two teams meet in the inaugural Oklahoma Gridiron Classic on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m. inside W.E. Anderson Stadium in Langston, Okla.
"We are excited to reunite this historic in-state football rivalry with Langston University," Director of Athletics John Sisemore said. "Two Oklahoma institutions with similar missions and rich histories will once again meet on the football field, creating an exciting opportunity for our student-athletes, alumni and fans."
The late October meeting will mark the first installment of the series since Nov. 16, 1996, just before the start of NSU's NCAA era in 1997. The programs met 32 times from 1958 through 1996, sharing membership in that span in the Oklahoma Collegiate Conference (OCC) and the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference (OIC).
The matchup brings together two programs with proud traditions and passionate fan bases in the Sooner State. With the universities separated by just under 150 miles, the Oklahoma Gridiron Classic also serves as a natural regional rivalry that fans and alumni from both schools can easily attend and support.
"With strong alumni support from across eastern Oklahoma on both sides, we believe this game will become one of the premier in-state matchups and create an incredible atmosphere for years to come," Sisemore said. "Being located just a short distance apart makes this a natural rivalry that will generate outstanding game-day environments for both universities."
"Reigniting this in-state rivalry is great for both Northeastern State University and Langston University, and more importantly it is great for the state of Oklahoma," Northeastern State head football coach Darrin Chiaverini said.
The RiverHawks enter their third season under Chiaverini after posting a 9-3 record in 2025, the program's highest win total since 2000. The season concluded with the team's first postseason win since 1999, a 56-21 victory over East Central in the First Americans Bowl, where NSU set a program single-game record with 651 yards of total offense.
Langston enters the season under interim head football coach Calvin Miller, who heads into his 16th season on the LU football staff. The Lions have been members of the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) since 2018 and most recently finished with a 3-7 overall record in 2025, with all three wins occurring inside of conference play.
Langston's athletics department has been led by Director of Athletics Donnita Rogers since 2015.
"Working with Donnita has been an absolute pleasure," Sisemore said.
Following this year's matchup, the Oklahoma Gridiron Classic is scheduled to continue in 2027 with Northeastern State hosting Langston in Tahlequah on a date and time to be announced.
"This is more than just a football game—it's the beginning of renewing a great Oklahoma tradition," Sisemore said. "We are excited to develop an official name for the rivalry and create a traveling trophy that both programs will compete for each year, adding another chapter to the proud history of both universities."
