All Sun Belt teams need a 5th non-conference game. Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
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
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.
Kro said....
NMSU needs to help the Sun Belt Conference out by cancelling one of the Idaho games and it replacing it with a SB game. And I’m sure any of the SB programs would be fine with traveling to Las Cruces.
January 22, 2013 at 1:40 pm
Kevin Kelley said....
That’s a good idea. Both Idaho and NMSU could then schedule a Sun Belt team. Heck, they both might end up in the Sun Belt in 2014.
January 22, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Kro said....
That’s what I’m saying, it’s a way to get their foot in the door in joining the league.
January 22, 2013 at 1:49 pm
Panthersville said....
May want to bring ODU into this picture. They are FBS transitional, but will not have a conference schedule with either the CAA (their old FCS conference) or CUSA (their future FBS conference) in 2013. Essentially, they have to fill an entire schedule with OOC games.
January 22, 2013 at 2:14 pm
Shawn D said....
ODU has 10 games scheduled already. 5 home/5 away. Doubt any SB teams will want to travel to ODU.
January 22, 2013 at 2:18 pm
Panthersville said....
ODU’s AD has said that he would be happy to come to Atlanta for the third year in a row. GSU and ODU have faced each other earvey year of their short existences.
Also, Troy has announced that they are playing Duke – so scratch those two off the list.
January 22, 2013 at 2:30 pm
Panthersville said....
Article on ODU wanting to schedule Sun Belt teams:
http://hamptonroads.com/2013/01/odu-eyes-georgia-state-other-sun-belt-schools-it-tries-complete-its-2013-football-schedule
January 22, 2013 at 2:33 pm
Kevin Kelley said....
Aware of this article, thanks.
January 22, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Kevin Kelley said....
ODU will be an FCS Independent in 2013, thus they are not included in this article.
January 22, 2013 at 2:58 pm
Kro said....
On that note…
http://hamptonroads.com/2013/01/odu-may-join-conference-usas-title-race-year-early
January 22, 2013 at 4:07 pm
Mike B said....
I’d like to see Missouri and BYU play a game… It says Missouri has an open date on September 28… So do the Cougars. Might be tough adding an SEC team between two in-state rivals though.
January 22, 2013 at 3:13 pm
Anonymous said....
Your wish may become a reality. Stay tuned. BYU soon to make their 2013 completed Schedule Public, as soon as some small twist, and date adjustments are finalized. You will be happy with the schedule, that (as a long time Ticket Holder to Cougar Football), I Promise you. See you their.
January 23, 2013 at 5:21 pm
Tito said....
Any word on who will go to Hawaii in mw play? And why not let 1 sun belt team find a game with wf, syracuse, or Missouri and the other 2 of the 3 schedule each other and hav 6 sun belt teams schedule each other for an extra game
January 22, 2013 at 4:19 pm
Tito said....
Any word on conference USA opponents ever since they added middle and fau
January 22, 2013 at 4:24 pm
Kevin Kelley said....
C-USA released the division alignment and opponents today:
http://www.fbschedules.com/2013/01/conference-usa-division-alignment-2013-opponents/
January 23, 2013 at 12:19 pm
Kevin Kelley said....
Colorado State is the only known team so far. On your second point, a situation like that could happen, but it’s up to each school and who they want to play.
January 22, 2013 at 4:36 pm
Bill said....
In 2011 Colorado, who was in their 1st season in the pac-12 played a non-conference game against Cal that was scheduled before Colorado changed leagues.
I suppose that the Sun Belt teams could match up with each other if necessary too. I do like Kro’s idea of Idaho and NMSU filling two of the vacancies.
January 22, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Tito said....
But isn’t it a given that n texas, Utsa, and la tech go in the west while MTSU, FAU, and fiu? Or is there any more speculation
January 22, 2013 at 4:44 pm
Tito said....
So Idaho and nm state are canceling their game on 11/2 .
Idaho will host tx state
Nm state will visit ull
January 23, 2013 at 9:35 pm
Kevin Kelley said....
Appears so. Nothing finalized yet.
January 24, 2013 at 11:24 am
Tito said....
If Idaho is doing this with their nov 2 game, why not do this with their game vs odu and their game at nm state in order to schedule 5 sun belt teams and maybe an acc team?
11/9 ulm at Idaho ; odu at Gsu
11/30 Sun belt at nmsu ; Idaho at acc/sun belt
What are the chances for this?
January 23, 2013 at 9:52 pm
Bill said....
Tito—-Why on earth with ODU and NMSU agree to that?
You do realize that unless both teams agree to the cancellation, the one who breaks the date will pay the other a hefty fee, right?
January 24, 2013 at 9:45 am
Anonymous said....
Yeah i know. Maybe ODU doesn’t want to go to Idaho. And maybe they can agree to help out some sun belt teams and idaho can hav a home game 4 later
January 24, 2013 at 11:03 am
Brash Pilot said....
By my count there are 10 teams that could still appear on BYU’s ’13 schedule.
1. Missouri
2. Wake Forest
3. Duke
4. Syracuse
5. UNLV
6. SUU
7. Air Force
8. Nev Reno
9. Penn State
10. Fresno State
Each of these teams has been rumored on various boards/sites (primarily fbschedules.com). Which of the above (or some other) will TH announce tomorrow? Please substantiate if you can.
NOTE: AFA, Mizzou, & Syracuse were supposedly refuted per TH Twitter acct. Duke already scheduled Troy and the PSU deal apparently didn’t work out this year. It’s supposed to be a team that will appeal to BYU fans (which I read to mean a MWC opponent) but not as high profile as Penn State.
January 27, 2013 at 3:37 pm