WEEK 1 SCHEDULE
Thursday, August 29
Jackson State at Louisiana-Monroe
6:00 p.m. ESPN+
Coastal Carolina at Jacksonville State
7:00 p.m. CBS Sports Network
Saturday, August 31
East Tennessee State U at Appalachian State
2:30 p.m. ESPN+
Boise State at Georgia Southern
3:00 p.m. ESPNU
Old Dominion at South Carolina
3:15 p.m. SEC Network
Stony Brook at Marshall
4:00 p.m. ESPN+
North Texas at South Alabama
4:00 p.m. ESPN+
Central Arkansas at Arkansas State
6:00 p.m. ESPN+
Nevada at Troy
6:00 p.m. ESPN+
Southern Miss at Kentucky
6:45 p.m. SEC Network
Georgia State at Georgia Tech
7:00 p.m. ACC Network
James Madison at Charlotte
7:00 p.m. ESPNU
Grambling at Louisiana
7:00 p.m. ESPN+
Lamar at Texas State
7:00 p.m. ESPN+
All Times CT
WHAT TO WATCH FOR KICKOFF CONTESTS
ULM will officially open the 2024 Sun Belt football season when it hosts Jackson State at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 29, on ESPN+. The contest is 1-of-6 Sun Belt season-openers against FCS opposition in 2024. App State will host ETSU at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 31, on ESPN+ and Marshall will welcome Stony Brook to Huntington at 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 31, on ESPN+. Three additional Sun Belt programs will take on in-state FCS opponents on Saturday, August 31, as Arkansas State hosts Central Arkansas at 6 p.m. on ESPN+, Louisiana hosts Grambling at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ and Texas State hosts Lamar at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
ERAS TOUR
Coastal Carolina and James Madison will open their 2024 seasons on the road against fellow nonautonomy conference foes. The Chanticleers will join ULM in kicking off the Sun Belt campaign on Thursday, August 29, when they travel to Jacksonville State at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. Coastal Carolina won last year’s matchup in Conway for the first victory of the Tim Beck era. The Dukes will aim to secure the first win of the Bob Chesney era on Saturday, August 31, when they visit Charlotte at 7 p.m. for a nationally-televised matchup on ESPNU. James Madison, which has rattled off a 19-5 record over its first two FBS campaigns, is 2-0 all-time against the 49es—with a victory in each of Charlotte’s two FCS seasons in 2013 and 2014. The programs have yet to meet since ascending to the FBS ranks.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN
Georgia Southern welcomes Boise State to Statesboro at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31, for a nationally televised matchup on ESPNU. While this is the first-ever meeting between the two storied programs, Georgia Southern and head coach Clay Helton each have a positive track record against Mountain West foes. The Eagles are 2-1 all-time against current Mountain West members, while Coach Helton boasts a 5-0 all-time mark against the conference. Georgia Southern also holds a 129-17 all-time record against non-conference foes inside Paulson Stadium—including winning 32 of their past 33 home games against non-conference opposition since the start of the 2007 season.
AGAINST AUTONOMY
The Sun Belt, which owns four victories over autonomy five foes in each of the past two campaigns, will have three opportunities against autonomy five opposition in Week 1. Old Dominion visits South Carolina at 3:15 p.m. on SEC Network for the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Southern Miss travels to Kentucky at 6:45 p.m. on SEC Network for the fifth all-time matchup between the teams. The Golden Eagles won the last matchup in Lexington, 44-35, in 2016 and have outscored the Wildcats 61-59 across the past two showdowns (2016 & 2017). Georgia State visits cross-town rival Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. on ACC Network for the first-ever meeting between the two FBS programs that call Atlanta home. The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 24-21 Week 0 victory over preseason No. 10/10 Florida State in Dublin, Ireland.
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
South Alabama—coming off back-to-back Bowl Season appearances for the first time in program history—and Troy—1-of-2 FBS programs coming off back-to-back conference titles alongside 2024 College Football Playoff (CFP) national champion Michigan—are under new management as they prepare for the 2024 season. Head coach Major Applewhite will lead the Jaguars into Hancock Whitney Stadium for the first time on Saturday, August 31, for a 4 p.m. kickoff against North Texas on ESPN+. The Mean Green won the lone prior meeting, 24-14, in 2012. Head coach Gerad Parker will lead the Trojans into Veterans Memorial Stadium for the first time on Saturday, August 31, for a 6 p.m. kickoff against Nevada on ESPN+. The teams have yet to meet on the gridiron.
