With the recent news that FAU and MTSU are headed to C-USA a year early, all eight Sun Belt teams need an extra non-conference game in 2013. They join Duke, Syracuse, Wake Forest, and Missouri. Teams that appear to have completed their schedules include BYU, Marshall, and Tulane.
Four teams from the Mountain West Conference will be able to play a 13-game schedule (5 non-conference games) based on the Hawaii Exemption. Colorado State, a MWC team, has been notified that they play at Hawaii, so the Rams have already scheduled five non-conference games in 2013.
Overall, twelve teams are currently in need of one non-conference game: Duke, Syracuse, Wake Forest, Missouri, Arkansas State, Georgia State, South Alabama, Texas State, Troy, UL Lafayette, ULM, and Western Kentucky.
For the Sun Belt teams that need an extra game, playing each other in a non-conference contest is a possibility, although it is a rare occurrence. It’s also possible, although a long shot, that some schools could stick with an 11-game schedule.
at Memphis, Navy, NC Central
Duke already has one FCS game scheduled (NC Central). The Blue Devils likely don’t want to schedule a 2nd FCS team because only one win counts towards bowl eligibility.
Penn State (at E. Rutherford, NJ), at Northwestern, Tulane
Syracuse needs one non-conference game and has the option of adding an FCS team.
at Army, at Vanderbilt, vs. Presbyterian
Wake Forest needs one game but already has an FCS team (Presbyterian) slated for 2013. Yesterday, it was reported that Wake could play Old Dominion. The Monarchs will be classified as an FCS Independent in 2013, which would give the Demon Deacons two FCS opponents in 2013.
Murray State, Toledo, at Indiana
Missouri is the only SEC team with an unfinished 2013 football schedule. The Tigers already have an FCS opponent (Murray State), so they hope to schedule an FBS team for either Sept. 14, Sept. 28 or Nov. 16.
Sun Belt Teams in need of 5th Non-Conference Game
- Arkansas State – Arkansas-Pine Bluff, at Auburn, at Memphis, Idaho
- Georgia State – Chattanooga, at West Virginia, Jacksonville State, at Alabama
- South Alabama – Tulane, at Tennessee, Kent State, at Navy
- Texas State – at Southern Miss, at Texas Tech, Wyoming, Prairie View A&M
- Troy – UAB, at Mississippi State, at Ole Miss, Alcorn State
- UL Lafayette – at Arkansas, at Kansas State, Nicholls State, at Akron
- ULM – at Oklahoma, Grambling State, Tulane, at Baylor
- Western Kentucky – Kentucky, at Tennessee, Navy, at Army
Teams Removed From List
Home: Texas, Utah, Georgia Tech, Boise State, Idaho State, Middle Tennessee
Road: Virginia, Utah State, Houston, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Hawaii
The Cougars, an FBS Independent, recently added Idaho State to complete their 2013 schedule. They can also add a 13th game since they play at Hawaii, although director of athletics Tom Holmoe hinted on Twitter that they didn’t need any games. That means a 13th game is already scheduled, or the Cougars aren’t going to play one.
Miami (OH), at Ohio, at Virginia Tech, Gardner-Webb
According to Herd Insider, Marshall has added Gardner-Webb to their 2013 schedule.
South Alabama, ULM, at Syracuse, Jackson State
Tulane director of athletics announced via a live chat that the Green Wave will open the season vs. Jackson State, which completes their non-conference schedule.
Update (1/22/13)
Duke and Troy have announced a home-and-home series for 2013-14, so both schools have now completed their 2013 non-conference schedule.