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College Pick’em
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The 2024 CBS Sports Network college football schedule is officially set with notable games on deck across the Group of Five and the Power Four. It’s a loaded slate with multiple big weekday games in addition to packed Saturdays all year long.
With less than 100 days to go until the start of the season, let’s take a look at some of the best matchups on the CBS Sports Network schedule for the 2024 campaign.
All times Eastern
Saturday, Aug. 24 | 8 p.m.
This marks SMU’s official debut as a member of the ACC and our first look at whether the Mustangs can sustain the momentum they created last year after an AAC championship. They return starting QB Preston Stone, whose 2023 season ended prematurely with a broken left fibula, and eight other offensive starters. Still, there are several new additions to monitor like Oklahoma offensive line transfer Savion Byrd, Miami edge Jahfari Harvey and Texas A&M cornerback transfer Deuce Harmon. The Mustangs have found a way to reset in the portal almost every year, using it as well as anyone nationally. This will be our first peek into whether they’ve crafted a Power Five-level roster.
As for Nevada, it’s a new era! Ken Wilson never could get things going at his former school, going a combined 4-20 overall across two seasons. The Wolfpack hired Texas co-defensive coordinator Jeff Choate to replace him. Choate has previous head coaching experience after leading Montana State from 2016-19 in a successful run and Nevada fans are optimistic he’s the right guy to lead the program moving forward. There are also some familiar names on the Wolf Pack’s roster. There’s a decent chance former Nebraska QB Chubba Purdy — yes, Brock Purdy’s brother — is Nevada’s QB1 this year.
All times Es
Thursday, Aug. 29 | 8 p.m.
This is a fun matchup to open the regular season. Jacksonville State could not have hoped for a more successful transition to the FBS last year, rolling to a 9-4 record in Conference USA. Rich Rodriguez did Rich Rodriguez things with an offense that led the country with 2.86 plays per minute. The Gamecocks struggled to throw the ball but boasted a dynamic rushing attack. How they replace running back Malik Jackson is a looming question even as QB Zion Webb returns. But the bigger unknown is on the defensive side of the ball. Oklahoma poached former 30Under30 member Zac Alley to be its defensive coordinator, meaning a top 12 defense from a year ago will have a new playcaller in the form of former Tulsa DC Luke Olson.
Coastal Carolina is going through a major transition. This will be the first time in four years the program opens a season without Grayson McCall under center. Former Kansas quarterback Ethan Vasko and ex-Michigan State signal caller Noah Kim seem most likely to replace McCall as QB1. The Chanticleers could be primed for a bit of regression following an 8-5 campaign given they return just the 114th-most production in the FBS, per ESPN. But they were aggressive in the portal in an attempt to address needs, adding notable pieces like former Mississippi State running back Simeon Price and highly sought-after Youngstown State edge Deamontae Diggs.
Friday, Oct. 25 | 10:30 p.m.
This rematch of the 2023 Mountain West Championship is a West Coast game worth staying up to watch. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty ran for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns on 6.1 yards per carry last year. Jeanty is on the smaller side at 5-foot-8, 206 pounds, but he’s nearly impossible to bring down, averaging 4.52 yards after contact, which was the third-most in the FBS among backs with at least 100 carries. It was a coup for the Broncos to hold onto Jeanty. Power Four teams were lining up to get him if he entered the portal.
And Jeanty isn’t even the most nationally recognizable name on the Broncos. That title likely belongs to Boise State quarterback transfer Malachi Nelson, a former five-star prospect who arrived this offseason from USC. He’s not a lock to start, but returns on Nelson were strong this spring.
The Rebels were one of the big surprises of the 2023 season going 9-5 in Barry Odom’s debut. UNLV doesn’t lack starpower, either. Wide receiver Ricky White is coming off a 1,483-yard, 8-touchdown season that established him as one of the top pass catchers in the country. His quarterback will be fun to watch, too. The Rebels lost Jayden Maiava to USC but replaced him with Holy Cross transfer Matthew Sluka. For those who haven’t seen Sluka play, here’s a quick example of his production from last year: He threw for 320 yards against Harvard on Sept. 30. Two weeks later, he ran for 330 yards against Lafayette.
Friday, Nov. 29 | 3:30 p.m.
The Flames were a juggernaut last season, rolling to a 13-0 regular season record and winning conference games by an average of 16 points. Many of the key pieces from that team are back, including superstar quarterback Kaidon Salter. A former top-100 recruit and Tennessee signee, Salter looked fantastic in Jamey Chadwell’s system. He finished with 2,876 yards and 32 touchdowns against just six interceptions, ranking ninth nationally with an 83.7 quarterback rating.
With Salter leading the way, the Flames are again a heavy favorite in C-USA, especially considering how much the conference’s runner-up from last season (New Mexico State) lost to the transfer portal.
On the surface, Sam Houston is probably a weird team to highlight coming off a 3-9 FBS debut. But in reality, no Group of Five team played Liberty closer than Sam Houston in a 21-16 loss. The Bearcats had four chances in a goal-to-go situation to punch in the game-winning touchdown but failed to do so. After losing five conference games by six points or less, Sam Houston should be much improved in 2024. The Bearcats made some strong transfer additions and their roster will be better acclimated to the FBS. This could be a big C-USA matchup by the time November rolls around.
Saturday, Nov. 30 | Noon
This is Army’s debut season as a member of the American, and the Black Knights are a dangerous season-ending opponent for AAC-hopeful UTSA. The Roadrunners have been squarely in the thick of the conference championship race the last three seasons — UTSA moved to the AAC from C-USA in 2023 — and there’s no reason to expect Jeff Traylor’s team to drop off going into 2024. Well, OK. There are a few, including the fact the program’s all-time leading passer Frank Harris moved on this offseason. However, there’s a lot of optimism around UTSA that the program can keep the momentum going. There are some notable names to know in San Antonio, including former Auburn QB Dematrius Davis and five-star recruit Denver Harris.
This is an Army team that’s given UTSA a lot of trouble in their games the last two seasons. The Roadrunners escaped with an overtime win in 2022 and the Black Knights clipped them 37-29 last year. The Black Knights’ option attack is a nightmare for opposing defenses to prepare for.
All times Eastern
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