The Howard Payne Yellow Jackets announced their 2023 football schedule on Monday, which will feature three non-conference games followed by seven American Southwest Conference contests.

The season begins Sept. 2 at George Fox University in Newburg, Oregon. The Bruins visited Gordon Wood Stadium last season, and Howard Payne made the trek to GFU previously in 2018.

Non-conference home games against Southwest Assemblies of God and Lyon College follow on Sept. 9 and Sept. 16, then HPU’s bye falls Sept. 23 – the week prior to the start of ASC competition.

The Yellow Jackets kick off conference action Sept. 30 at Hardin-Simmons and close the ASC slate at home Nov. 11 against Mary Hardin-Baylor – the only two league foes to defeat Howard Payne a year ago.

In between, Howard Payne hosts East Texas Baptist Oct. 7, welcomes Austin College Oct. 14, ventures to McMurry Oct. 21, plays Texas Lutheran at home Oct. 28, and travels to McMurry Nov. 4.

The Yellow Jackets are coming off back-to-back 7-3 seasons and will enter their first campaign under new head coach Kevin Bachtel, who served as defensive coordinator the previous two seasons.