- Copyright 2024 © CollegeFootballPoll.com
- About CFP / Contact
- Legal Statements
Between the FCS and FBS, there are seven games in week zero, all of which will be played this Saturday. The season officially begins at Noon eastern time with a FBS matchup between Florida State and Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland. The first FCS game kicks off three-and-a-half hours later when Southland Conference member McNeese visits UAC member Tarleton State with the Congrove Computer Rankings favoring the homestanding Texans by 13.21 points.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN-2.
Montana State, the computer's favorite to win the 2024 National Championship, journeys to FBS lightweight New Mexico where the Bobcats are favored by double-digits at the sportsbooks, but the computer has the projected margin at less than a point (0.71).
North Alabama and SEMO will tee it up at 7 p.m. eastern time for the FCS Kickoff at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama on ESPN. The Redhawks are the computer's pick by a scant 0.71, but a 7.5-point betting choice at FanDuel.com.
12:00 p.m. - Florida State vs. Georgia Tech (Dublin, Ireland), ESPN
3:30 p.m. - McNeese at Tarleton, ESPN2
4:00 p.m. Montana State at New Mexico, FS1
7:00 p.m. - North Alabama vs SEMO (Montgomery, AL), ESPN
7:30 p.m. - Florida A&M vs. Norfolk State (Atlanta), ABC
8:00 p.m. - SMU at Nevada, CBSSN
11:59 p.m. - Delaware State at Hawaii
As you can see in the schedule above, the FCS gets a lot of love on the major sports networks on Saturday, including a primetime matchup in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge in Atlanta where Florida A&M and Norfolk State will do battle. The computer likes the Rattlers by 2.23 in that game which will be played at Center Parc Stadium.
Last season had 117 of the 133 FBS schools facing one FCS opponent, and Army played two such games for a total of 118 FBS-FCS matchups.
Of the 16 FBS schools that did NOT play a FCS program, 7 were in the B1G (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Purdue, Wisconsin). 6 more are evenly split between the Big 12 (Houston, Oklahoma, Texas) and Pac-12 (Colorado, USC, Washington). The other three were Liberty (CUSA) , UTSA (American), and Virginia Tech (ACC).
The FBS programs were 114-4 last year against the FCS schools. Over-all, the FBS is a collective 1,800-152 (.922) since we began tracking this in 2003.
These were the FCS wins in 2023:
September 9: Idaho 33, Nevada 6
September 9: Southern Illinois 14, Northern Illinois 12
September 9: Fordham 40, Buffalo 37
September 16: Sacramento State 30, Stanford 23
In 2024, there are 121 scheduled scheduled matchups between FBS and FCS schools with 119 FBS schools playing one such game. Hawaii and UMass each play two.
This year, 15 schools do not play a FCS opponent and 5 are in the B1G (Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, USC and UCLA). Texas is the only school in the SEC that will not play a FCS program. The same is true for Virginia Tech in the ACC. In fact, Texas and Virginia Tech, along with Michigan and Houston, are repeats from last year's list of schools that played all FBS programs.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE - Won 29 straight over-all, 18 straight conference games, 8 straight road games.
Last: The #1 seed Jackrabbits posted a 23-3 win over the #2 seed Montana for the national championship in Frisco, Texas on Sunday, January 7.
Next: Visits Oklahoma State (FBS) on Thursday, August 31
MONTANA STATE - Had won 26 straight home games.
Last: The # 6 seed lost 35-34 in OT at home to North Dakota State
Next: Visits New Mexico (FBS) this Saturday
FLORIDA A&M - Won 20 straight home games
Last: 30-26 win over Howard in Celebration Bowl in Atlanta on Saturday, December 16.
Next: Faces Norfolk State in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge this Saturday in Atlanta
WESTERN ILLINOIS - Lost 24 straight over-all, 18 straight conference games, and 11 straight home games.
Last: 48-6 home loss vs. South Dakota in season finale on Saturday, November 18.
Next: Visits Northern Illinois (FBS) on Thursday, August 31
CAL POLY - Lost 16 straight true road games.
Last: 48-21 home loss to Weber State in season finale on Saturday, November 18.
Next: Visits San Diego on Thursday, August 31.