Football | 2/25/2015 11:02:00 AM

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University football program has finalized its 2015 schedule and game times for the contests at Adams Field this fall.

"We always like to play a challenging schedule," said head coach Paul Winters.  "Including a non-conference game against Truman State, who is always one of the top teams in the GLVC, will improve our overall strength of schedule."

The Warriors will open the campaign at Michigan Tech before hosting Truman State in a non-conference match-up on Sept. 12.  The Warriors have lost three straight to the Huskies and last won in Houghton in the 2006 season opener (36-14 behind 176 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Joique Bell).  The last time WSU played Truman State, the Bulldogs were known as Northeast Missouri State.  The squads had a pair of home-and-home series in the 1970's with TSU winning the first two meetings (14-6 in Missouri and 44-0 in Detroit in 1971 and 1972, respectively) before the Tartars had victories of 21-0 in Motown and 41-7 in Kirksville in 1974 and 1975, respectively.

The following Saturday (Sept. 19), WSU will entertain Malone in the first of two night games of the season.  The 6 p.m. kickoff will also feature the annual Tartar/Warrior Reunion.  The Warriors are 3-0 all-time against the Pioneers since the Canton, Ohio school joined the GLIAC.

Wayne State will end September and begin October with a pair of road contests at Northwood and Tiffin.  WSU has won three straight vs. the Timberwolves to pull within 16-18 in the all-time series.  The Dragons won in Detroit last year to end the Warriors six-game winning streak in the series.

Grand Valley State will be the Homecoming opponent on Saturday, Oct. 10, and for the first time in the history of Adams Field the annual Homecoming contest will be a night game with a 6 p.m. kickoff.  The following week the Warriors will host Northern Michigan on Oct. 17 for a noon kickoff.  GVSU will be WSU's Homecoming opponent for the first time since 2007, and Wayne State has won the last three meetings in Detroit against the Wildcats.

After venturing to Canton, Ohio, to face Walsh in Fawcett Stadium, home of the annual NFL Hall of Fame game, Wayne State will conclude its regular-season home schedule with back-to-back games for the third time in the season.  WSU will battle Findlay on Oct. 31 in the Trick-or-Treat with the Warriors game, and the following Saturday (Nov. 7) Lake Erie College will be the opponent for the Salute to the Armed Forces game.  Both contests will have a noon kickoff.

Last year's meeting in Detroit against the Cavaliers was the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.  The Warriors have won four of the last five meetings against the Oilers with the only setback coming at home in the 2011 regular-season finale (43-42 OT) after which WSU won four consecutive road playoff contests to reach the national championship game.  Wayne State has won four of the five all-time meetings with the Storm.

The Warriors will complete the 2015 regular season with a contest at Hillsdale, that will also have a noon kickoff.  The series began in 1926 and WSU has won four of the last five meetings.