Ranking the Easiest 2024 Conference USA Non-Conference Schedules

One of the most volatile conferences with the recent wave of conference realignment, Conference USA has seen plenty of changes. Before the 2022 season, Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss left to join the Sun Belt. Then, UTSA, Rice, North Texas, Charlotte, FAU, and UAB left to the American before the 2023 season. The conference added Liberty, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State, and Jacksonville State last year. This year, they’ll add Kennesaw State. Then, next year, Delaware and Montana State will make the jump from the FCS ranks.

Let’s kick off CUSA by looking at the five “easiest” non-conference slates. Oddly enough, two of the 15 FBS teams who won’t face an FCS foe reside in Conference USA.

Disclaimer: “Easiest” or “Hardest” is not to mean “these teams will beat those on their schedule.” It could be a fact that the worst team in a conference could have the easiest non-conference schedule and also not be able to win any. These rankings will be based on the average preseason ranking between five major outlets: Phil Steele, Athlon Sports, ESPN FPI, College Football News, and Kelley Ford. There will at least be a little factual standing behind these rather than ranking based on bias and vibes.

Ranking the 5 Easiest 2024 Conference USA Non-Conference Schedules

5. Sam Houston State: at Rice, at UCF, vs. Hawai’i, vs. Texas State (neutral)

The Bearkats’ ascension to the FBS level was not quite as smooth as others. They went 3-9 and only managed one win out of conference (new CUSA rival, Kennesaw State). Eight of those losses were right out of the gate. Just as is the case with Jacksonville State, Sam Houston State does not face off against any FCS foes this year. They return a fair bit of talent on offense including four offensive linemen. Realistically, they’ll have to scrap for a bowl this year but they should be a bit better.

To kick off the year, the ‘Kats travel to Rice. The Owls will be a bit different this year with Luke McCaffrey and J.T. Daniels gone. However, E.J. Warner, son of Kurt Warner, should be enough to lead the way. At running back, senior Dean Connors takes over and is expected to top 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. They managed a 6-6 record before falling to Texas State in the First Responder Bowl last year. In the AAC, it’ll be interesting to see how they fare with a little easier schedule.

Then, Sam Houston takes a trip to the Big 12’s UCF. The Knights haven’t quite gotten back to the 2017 National Championship* level of play but Gus Malzahn will always have an exciting offense. Arkansas transfer K.J. Jefferson comes in to take over at quarterback after starting for the Razorbacks for three seasons. They have big shoes to fill at wide receiver but it should be easier with returning starters Kobe Hudson and Xavier Townsend. In the new-look Big 12, UCF might be a dark horse to make some serious noise.

The Bearkats then get to play host to Hawai’i. The Rainbow Warriors are going to be fun to watch this year. It’s easily the most difficult job for any coach in the nation and the team went 5-8 last year. The reason for optimism this year? Experience. They return 14 starters with seven on each side of the ball. The entire back seven returns for new defensive coordinator and NFL veteran, Dennis Thurman. On offense, two-year starter Brayden Schager mans the helm once more. Will Hawai’i contend for the Mountain West? Probably not because it’s deeper than one would think. However, this could be a litmus test for Sam Houston State.

UCF isn’t the only solid-to-good team on the Bearkats’ schedule. Texas State is good. Last year, the Bobcats went 8-5 capped off by a bowl win. While they lost T.J. Finley to the portal, they got reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year, Jordan McCloud. McCloud was sensational for James Madison a year ago, passing for 3,657 yards and 35 touchdowns. In addition to the eight returning starters on offense, eight return on defense. Not included in that is Texas A&M and Michigan State transfer and former top defensive end recruit, Tunmise Adeleye. If Texas State can manage to get through its non-conference schedule unscathed and win the Sun Belt, they have a real shot at crashing the CFP.

4. Jacksonville State: vs. Coastal Carolina, at Louisville, at Eastern Michigan, vs. Southern Miss

One of the 15 FBS teams to not schedule an FCS opponent in 2024, Jacksonville State has the “second-hardest” of the “easiest” non-conference schedules. At 9-4 in their first season at the FBS level, the Gamecocks were surprising. Led by All-American Clay Webb, who is generating NFL Draft hype, the offensive line returns a trio of starters. Rich Rodriguez’s team is coming off an impressive 34-31 win over Louisiana in the New Orleans Bowl and looks to be one of the better CUSA squads this year.

Last year, the Gamecocks lost to Coastal Carolina, 30-16 in one of the few losses on the year. That was on the teal turf. Now, the Chants come to Jacksonville, Alabama. Replacing Grayson McCall is going to be a challenge and Ethan Vasko and Noah Kim will battle it out to fill those massive shoes. Defensively, the Chants were pretty good, overall. This year will be a good challenge for Tim Beck after going 8-5 a year ago.

Louisville has gone through quite a bit of change over the offseason. They brought in 30 transfers (via 247Sports) and lost 29. However, Jeff Brohm is known to have impressive offenses; he managed to put plenty of Purdue players into the NFL if that says anything. Texas Tech transfer Tyler Shough is poised to lead the Cardinals’ offense with just three returning starters. Meanwhile, it’ll be interesting to see if Louisville can back up that top-10 rushing defense from a year ago.

Jacksonville State on the gray turf at Eastern Michigan will be a sight to behold. The Eagles have struggled recently and ended their 2023 season with an abysmal showing in the 68 Ventures Bowl with a deplorable ending. Hoping to put that behind them, EMU is set to turn out Buffalo transfer Cole Snyder at quarterback with just one returning offensive lineman. Losing Samson Evans will be tough but Dontae McMillan is finally going to get his opportunity.

Finally, an old CUSA vs Sun Belt matchup. Southern Miss comes to town for the third-ever meeting between the two and the first since JSU’s promotion to the FBS level. The Eagles own a 2-0 all-time lead and this one will be an interesting measuring stick for the Gamecocks. The battle at quarterback between Florida State transfer Tate Rodemaker and sophomore Ethan Crawford will be one to keep an eye on. Defensively, they return six pieces on a bottom-third defense. Despite being an inexplicable CFP favorite according to a (hopeful) oversight at Fox Sports, the Golden Eagles present a golden opportunity for a Gamecocks win.

3. Kennesaw State: at UTSA, vs. Louisiana, at San Jose State, vs. UT-Martin (FCS)

Welcome to the FBS level, Kennesaw State! According to the five outlets we’ve compiled, the Owls are considered to be the worst team in all of college football. They went 3-6 last year at the FCS level. Perhaps one day, KSU will work its way into the contenders. As for 2024, it’s unlikely we see a James Madison-esque jump. Luckily, they have an easier non-conference route, even if they end up winless or 1-3.

UTSA has been a top-tier G5 program over the last few years. They’ll be fun to watch in 2024. Head coach Jeff Traylor seemed like he had his pick of the litter when the P4 coaching carousel opened but he stayed home. The Roadrunners won nine games last year but they have to replace Frank Harris and Joshua Cephus on offense and Trey Moore on defense. however, if there’s a coach and program that can do it, it’s Traylor and UTSA.

Then, the Owls play host to the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana. Last year, the Cajuns couldn’t get it done on a number of occasions. Five of their seven losses were by one score. Louisiana hasn’t quite gotten back to the Billy Napier era with back-to-back losing seasons. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, of course. The Louisiana offense managed 32.1 points per game. In total, according to Athlon Sports’ write-up, Louisiana is set to return 13 starters from a year ago.

Then, a trip to San Jose State awaits. The Spartans have a new head coach with the former Navy leader Ken Niumatalolo taking over. However, the triple option will not be coming to San Jose State. Last year, the Spartans started off rough, losing five of their first six games. Then, they earned bowl eligibility with six straight wins. There’s been all kinds of turnover on this roster, of course. But the key contributors will be back on defense. Finally, Kennesaw State closes out the non-conference slate with Tennessee-Martin (FCS).

2. Liberty: vs. Cambell (FCS), vs. ECU, at Appalachian State, at UMass

It was close but the reigning CUSA Champion and G5 representative in the New Year’s Six bowls comes in with the second-easiest slate. Liberty took the world by storm last year with 13 wins, ultimately falling to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. The Flames bring back the conference’s best quarterback in Kaidon Salter and the top running back in Quinton Cooley. All year, Liberty only had two wins by one score. They were about as dominant as any and are likely going to do the same this year. With a favorable schedule, look for Liberty to have a legitimate chance at the G5 bid in the expanded CFP.

After kicking it off against Campbell (FCS), ECU comes to town. Last year, the Pirates managed just two wins and one was against an FCS team. The quarterback position could be interesting. ECU brought in a pair of P4 transfers in Jake Garcia (Mizzou) and Kadin Houser (Michigan State). In addition to the three returning starters on the offensive line, Chase Sowell and Rahjai Harris are back at the skilled positions.

Now, we’re talking. Liberty vs. Appalachian State. This’ll be the 11th time these two programs meet up but now, the two are among the best in the Group of 5. Last year, the Mountaineers derailed the James Madison hype train and were incredibly close to an undefeated season. In five losses for Appalachian State, four were one-score. Joey Aguilar is back and will get to play behind a brand-new offensive line that will still be a strength. App State vs Liberty is going to be an awesome matchup.

Finally, a trip to UMass awaits. The Minutemen have historically struggled and are projected to be among the worst teams in the nation. They were beaten to death in their short stint in the MAC. UMass is set to rejoin the MAC in 2025. This year, it’ll be impressive if they win a handful of games.

1. FIU: at Indiana, vs Central Michigan, at FAU, vs Monmouth (FCS)

The easiest non-conference slate in Conference USA narrowly belongs to the Florida International Panthers. Last year, FIU went 4-7. However, three of those wins came out of conference. Despite a less-than-stellar season, true freshman Keyone Jenkins showed some flashes. He led the team to those three wins toward the beginning of the year and if he can get his turnovers a bit more under control, he can have a much stronger season. Defensively, the Panthers struggled and have six starters returning. Coach Mike MacIntyre is bullish, however. He is quoted as saying, “We’ve got some guys that can rush the passer.”

The season kicks off with a trip to Indiana. The Hoosiers have historically been the doormat of the Big Ten but they’ve taken a few steps to improve their standing. For starters, they poached James Madison’s coach, Curt Cignetti, and he’s already firing fans up. Plus, they earned the transfer of Kurtis Rourke, the 2022 MAC MVP who has a career passing mark of 7,651 yards and 50 touchdowns. Cignetti is confident. He tells recruits, “It’s pretty simple, I win. Google me.” Success at the FCS level and a one-off last year is impressive but can he back it up in Power 4 conference that would not blink to cut them loose?

Then, Central Michigan comes to town and will test one of the worst rushing defenses from a year ago. The Chips averaged nearly 160 yards per game last year as they were breaking in a new quarterback. Bert Emanuel, Jr. is a legitimate threat to take off from the pocket and CMU has had a history of top-notch running backs in the MAC. Junior running back Marion Lukes is primed for a 1,000-yard season. Even then, CMU is not expected to be one of the better teams in the MAC.  Even if the Panthers falter against Indiana, this could be a good litmus test to see where FIU is on the year.

The 22nd edition of the Shula Bowl is next up and FIU has struggled against its Floridian brothers. In those 21 previous meetings, FAU owns a commanding 16-5 lead and is riding a six-game win streak. Offensive mastermind Tom Herman is set to improve on the Owls’ 4-8 mark from a year ago and will do so with one returning starter on offense. Former Marshall quarterback Cam Fancher is at the helm and brought with him Marshall’s leading receiver, Caleb Coombs. The defense is also expected to be senior-laden. The Panthers will need to play their best ball if they want to get to their showdown with Monmouth (FCS) with a win.

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