The non-conference analysis is simply a look at who each FCS team is playing as of late May / early June. Occasionally schedules change, FBS schools buyout contracts and swap opponents, causing a domino effect. So these are tentative opponents, subject to change.
Southern
Chattanooga: vs. Jacksonville State, @ Louisiana State, vs. Tennessee-Martin
The Citadel: vs. Newberry, vs. Presbyterian, @ Clemson
East Tennessee State: vs. Limestone, @ James Madison, vs. Robert Morris
Furman: vs. Elon, @ North Carolina State, @ Colgate
Mercer: vs. Jacksonville, @ Auburn, @ Alabama
Samford: vs. Kennesaw State, vs. West Alabama, @ Georgia
Virginia Military: @ Air Force, vs. Catawba, @ Robert Morris
Western Carolina: @ Hawai’i, vs. Davidson, @ Gardner-Webb, @ North Carolina
Wofford: vs. Gardner-Webb, @ Presbyterian, @ South Carolina
Thre are ten FBS and four sub-Division I opponents for the SoCon. Mercer and Western Carolina are playing two FBS teams…one early and one late. Western Carolina actually plays a twelve game schedule this year, as one of their games is at Hawai’i. The NCAA allows teams an extra game when playing on the island, so the Catamounts are taking advantage of it. The Citadel, Mercer, Western Carolina and Wofford are all ending their seasons against teams from the Southeastern or Atlantic Coast conferences of the FBS. Teams from the SoCon are more guilty of allowing this practice to happen than anyone else and it needs to be stopped. These big boys are taking advantage of playing these FCS teams after a full season and their numbers are worn down by injury, instead of playing them early on when near full strength. There’s already a 22 scholarships advantage, why do they need more?
