Upcoming Schedule
(all times Eastern)
Aug. 29 (Thursday)
Series TV/Digital Time
Presbyterian at Mercer
Mercer leads 10-5
ESPN+ 7 p.m.
VMI at William & Mary
William & Mary leads 53-33-2
FloSports 7 p.m.
Western Carolina at N.C. State
N.C. State leads 7-0
ACC Network 7 p.m.
Wofford at Gardner-Webb
Wofford leads 17-7
ESPN+ 7 p.m.
Aug. 31 (Saturday)
Series TV/Digital Time
Chattanooga at Tennessee
Tennessee leads 37-2-2
SEC Network 12:45 p.m.
ETSU at App State
App State leads 5-0
ESPN+ 3:30 p.m.
Samford at West Georgia
Samford leads 1-0
ESPN+ 6 p.m.
The Citadel at Charleston Southern
The Citadel leads 7-6
ESPN+ 6 p.m.
Furman at Ole Miss
Furman leads 1-0
ESPN+ 7 p.m.
NOTES
• The Southern Conference football season opens Thursday with four games. The remaining eight SoCon teams open their seasons next week.
• The 2024 campaign is the 103rd season of SoCon football. Founded in 1921, the SoCon is the fifth-oldest Division I conference.
• Three SoCon squads – Furman, Chattanooga and Western Carolina – are ranked in both the AFCA and Stats Perform polls to begin the season. Each team will face off against a ranked FBS opponent to begin the season.
• Mercer and Samford each received votes in the AFCA and Stats Perform polls.
• VMI looks to build on its strong close to the 2023 season beginning its season with ranked CAA opponent William & Mary.
• Chattanooga was picked to win the SoCon in the preseason poll after going 8-5 overall and 6-2 in the league last season. The Mocs top returners are defensive lineman Marlon Taylor, the preseason SoCon Defensive Player of the Year, quarterback Chase Artopoeus and wide receiver Javin Whatley.
• Three SoCon players are on the preseason watch list for the Walter Payton Award and two are on the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award. Artopoeus, Whatley and Western Carolina quarterback Cole Gonzales are Payton initial list. Samford linebacker Noah Martin and Mercer linebacker Ken Standley are on the Buchanan watch list. Gonzales was a finalist for the Payton a season ago, finishing 17th in the final vote.
• Mercer and ETSU both have new head coaches to begin the 2024 season. Mike Jacobs begins his career in Macon when the Bears host Presbyterian on Thursday, while Tre Lamb begins his tenure with the Bucs at former SoCon member App State on Saturday.
