The 2012 UTSA at South Alabama football game has been moved to Thursday, August 30, USA announced today. The game, which was originally planned for Saturday, Sept. 1., will be played at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, AL.
Not only will this be the first game of the season for both schools, it will also be their first game at the FBS level. South Alabama beat the Roadrunners 30-27 in double-overtime last season in the first game of their home-and-home series.
South Alabama joins the Sun Belt Conference for the 2012 season, but will not be eligible for the conference title or a post-season bowl game until the 2013 season. The Jaguars will play all Division I teams in 2012, including eight games against Sun Belt foes which will count in the conference standings.
For UTSA, 2012 and 2013 will be considered reclassification years as they transition to the WAC. The Roadrunners will play a 12-game schedule in 2012 and six foes will be WAC teams. UTSA will be a full FBS member for the 2014 season and will then be eligible for bowls.
The two schools could possibly meet in the future as conference foes. Brett McMurphy of CBSSports.com reported yesterday that UTSA is a leading candidate, along with Charlotte, to join the Sun Belt.