opponents, when the conference adopts a nine game league schedule in football in 2016. Now, earlier this month,
Last year, Florida State opened the 2012 schedule with back to back games vs. FCS opponents, by beating Murray State 69-3, then Savannah State 55-0. So, lets see who is already playing a pure FBS schedule in College Football in 2013.
Atlantic Athletic Conference (AAC)
- One program in the AAC is playing a non-FCS schedule in 2013
- UCF is one of example of getting on the non-FCS bandwagon already. As they did in 2012, Central Florida is playing a pure FBS schedule again in '13, with Akron, @ FIU, @ Penn State and vs. South Carolina, along with the eight conference games in the AAC.
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
- All 14 ACC teams will play a FCS team this season.
- Hats off to FCS Old Dominion, as the Monarchs will play three ACC teams in the OOC, with games @ Maryland, @ Pittsburgh and @ North Carolina this season.
Big Ten Conference (B1G)
- AD Delany wants the conference teams to drop FCS opponents, so is anyone already playing a non-FCS schedule in '13?
- Michigan will continue to play an all-FCS schedule in 2013, with Central Michigan, Notre Drame, Akron and @ UConn. Of course, the most famous FCS win over a FBS opponent came in Ann Arbor, when Appalachian State knocked off the Wolverines 34-32 in the 2007 season opener.
- Penn State will play a non-FCS schedule with Syracuse, in the Meadowlands; Eastern Michigan, UCF and Kent State, before kicking off eight games in the Big Ten in '13.
- In 2013, FCS Indiana State will play @ Indiana and @ Purdue, which will help The Valley program make budget.
- One Big Ten AD is looking for exceptions in move away from FCS scheduling.
Big 12 Conference
- The Big 12 already plays a nine game conference schedule, so how many programs avoid scheduling FCS programs?
- Oklahoma will play a non-FCS schedule with ULM, Tulsa and a trip @ Notre Dame in '13.
- Texas, like their Red River Rival, plays a non-FCS schudule with New Mexico State, @ BYU and vs. Ole Miss in '13.
- Kansas State will open the 2013 season vs. back to back FCS champion North Dakota State.
North Dakota State, reigning FCS champions!
Conference USA (C-USA)
- Tulsa opens the 2013 season with a non-FCS schedule, with @ Bowling Green, Colorado State, @ Oklahoma and Iowa State, before opening C-USA play for the season.
- Rice will follow suit in '13, with @Texas A&M, Kansas, vs. Houston at Reliant Stadium and vs. FAU.
- UTEP is next with New Mexico, @ New Mexico State and @ Colorado State, while playing a nine conference game schedule.
- Southern Miss will play a non-FCS schedule with Texas State, @ Nebraska, @ Arkansas and @ Boise State.
- Coach Dan McCarney and the North Texas Mean Green play a non-FCS schedule with Idaho, @ Ohio U, vs. Ball State and @ Georgia in '13.
- UTSA is the sixth program in the new 14 member C-USA to play a non-FCS schedule with @ New Mexico, Oklahoma State and @ Arizona, while playing a nine conference game schedule.
- FCS Independent Old Dominion will play it's fourth FBS opponent, when it opens the 2013 season @ East Carolina.
Mid-America Conference (MAC)
- Miami-OH is the lone MAC team playing a non-FCS schedule, with @ Marshall, @ Kentucky, Cincinnati and @ Illinois before kicking off eight conference games in '13.
Mountain West Confernece (MWC)
- New Mexico is playing a non-FCS schedule, with UTSA, @ UTEP, @ Pittsburgh and New Mexico State, along with eight conference games in '13.
- Hawaii is the other MWC team playing a non-FCS schedule, with USC, @ Oregon State, @ Navy and Army.
- FCS Cal Poly will play two MWC teams in the OOC with games @ Fresno State and @Colorado State in '13.
Pacific 12 Conference (Pac 12)
- The Pac 12 were the first major conference to go to a nine game conference schedule.
- Stanford will continue playing a non-FCS schedule with San Jose State, @ Army and Notre Dame this year.
- UCLA will play again a non-FCS schedule with Nevada, @ Nebraska and New Mexico State in '13.
- USC opens their non-FCS schedule @ USC, with Boston College, Utah State and @ Notre Dame in '13.
Southeast Conference (SEC)
- Each of the 14 SEC teams plays a FCS opponent in '13.
Sun Belt Conference
- Each of the eight Sun Belt teams play at least one FCS opponent in '13, with FBS newcomer Georgia State playing three FCS teams, as the continue transition to offering a college football program.
Independents
- Notre Dame plays 12 FBS programs and doesn't play FCS opponents. The Fighting Irish don't need to, in order to schedule.
- BYU is moving up to the non-FCS schedule in '13, after playing Weber State in '12.
- Navy and Army each play one FCS opponent again in '13 to lock in another home game.
- FCS Old Dominion's fifth FBS opponent is Idaho in '13.
- New Mexico State plays Abilene Christian in '13, as their FCS opponent.
The one thing nice about FBS vs. FCS match ups in 2013... is rooting for the FCS upset!
Who will be the next Appalachian State in the FCS, with a major upset against a FBS opponent?