DALLAS – Following a Week Zero debut for the 2025 Conference USA football season, the action rolls on in week one with all 12 teams in action in non-conference play.
 
The slate begins with two games kicking off at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday with Jacksonville State at UCF and Delaware making its FBS debut against in-state foe Delaware State. Four games will be highlighted on national television, including Kennesaw State at UCF (ACC Network) UNLV at Sam Houston (CBSSN), Missouri State at USC (BTN) and UTEP at Utah State (CBSSN).
 
JAX STATE (0-0) AT UCF (0-0)
Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Orlando Fla. (FBC Mortgage Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: AJ Ricketts (PxP), Rene Ingoglia (Analyst)
All-Time Series: First meeting
 
The Charles Kelly era at Jax State begins on the road at Big 12 foe UCF. After quarterback Tyler Huff and running back Tre Stewart led the Gamecocks to a CUSA title in 2024, the team is hoping that the incoming backfield duo of Gavin Wimsatt (Kentucky) and Cam Cook (TCU) can pick up where they left off. Jax State has rushed for multiple touchdowns in 11 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the FBS.
 
DELAWARE STATE (0-0) AT DELAWARE (0-0)
Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Newark, Del. (Delaware Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Scott Klatzkin (PxP), Fritz Stueber (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Delaware leads 11-0
 
In its first FBS contest, Delaware hosts Delaware State in its first game under head coach and former Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Blue Hens’ head man Ryan Carty looks to maintain his streak of never having lost a home opener in his coaching career, dating back to 2007. Delaware leads all CUSA members in returning starters (14) with six on offense and eight on defense.
 
KENNESAW STATE (0-0) AT WAKE FOREST (0-0)
Date: Friday, Aug. 29
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Winston-Salem, N.C. (Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium)
Broadcast: ACC Network
Announcers: Chuckie Kempf (PxP), Darius Walker (Analyst), Ashley Stroehlein (Reporter)
All-Time Series: First meeting
 
Jerry Mack begins his Kennesaw State tenure on the road at ACC foe Wake Forest. The Owls are set to undergo a full reset on offense as Mack institutes a tempo offense to replace the former ground-and-pound approach. Kennesaw State returns nine starters on defense, including defensive backs JeRico Washington Jr. and Tyler Hallum, as well as linebackers Donelius Johnson and Garland Benyard.
 
BETHUNE-COOKMAN (0-0) AT FIU (0-0)
Date: Friday, Aug. 29
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Miami, Fla. (Pitbull Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Steve Goldstein (PxP), Kim Bokamper (Analyst), Hailey Sutton (Reporter)
All-Time Series: Bethune-Cookman leads 4-0
 
Friday brings another coaching debut as FIU’s Willie Simmons leads FIU against Bethune-Cookman, a familiar foe from his time as the head coach at Florida A&M. The Panthers feature CUSA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Keyone Jenkins, who enters his third season under center after recording a 22:8 touchdown to interception ratio in 2024.
 
UNLV (0-0) AT SAM HOUSTON (0-1, 0-1 CUSA)
Date: Friday, Aug. 29
Time: 8:30 p.m. CT
Location: Houston, Texas (Shell Energy Stadium)
Broadcast: CBS Sports Network
Announcers: Rich Waltz (PxP), Robert Turbin (Analyst), Tiffany Blackmon (Reporter)
All-Time Series: First meeting
 
Sam Houston looks to bounce back after a Week Zero loss to WKU with its first of six “home” games at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. The Bearkats occupy the home of the Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash while Elliott T. Bowers Stadium is under construction.  Quarterback Hunter Watson accounted for 300 yards of total offense in the season opener with 209 yards through the air and another 91 on the ground, including a 55-yard touchdown.
 
MAINE (0-0) AT LIBERTY (0-0)
Date: Saturday, Aug. 30
Time: 3 p.m. CT
Location: Orlando Fla. (FBC Mortgage Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Matt Warner (PxP), Joe Jauch (Analyst), Annie Cory (Reporter)
All-Time Series: Series tied 1-1
Liberty enters year three under the direction of Jamey Chadwell, who is 21-5 through his first two seasons as head coach. While the running back outlook is clear with a two-back set of Vaughn Blue and Julian Gray, it remains unknown who will line up between them as Ryan Burger and Ethan Vasko continue to battle it out for the QB1 slot. The Flames return six starters on defense, including linebacker Joseph Green and safety Brylan Green.
 
AUSTIN PEAY (0-0) AT MTSU (0-0)
Date: Saturday, Aug. 30
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Murfreesboro, Tenn. (Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Jake Rose (PxP), Jeremy Kellum (Analyst), Justin Beasley (Reporter)
All-Time Series: MTSU leads 38-12-2
 
MTSU has a bit more stability in year two under Derek Mason as the Blue Raiders return six starters on offense and seven starters on defense. Quarterback Nicholas Vattiato is one of just five active FBS quarterbacks with at least 7,500 passing yards and is the only one of those five to have all those yards come with his current school. On defense, MTSU returns four of its top six tacklers from last season.
 
NORTH ALABAMA (0-0) AT WKU (1-0, 1-0 CUSA)
Date: Saturday, Aug. 30
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Bowling Green, Ky. (Houchens Industries – L.T. Smith Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Jesse Ough (PxP), Terry Obee (Analyst)
All-Time Series: First meeting
 
WKU enters on a high note after opening the season on the right foot with a 41-24 win over Sam Houston. Quarterback Maverick McIvor lived up to the hype with 401 yards through the air and four total touchdowns. Backfield mate Marvis Parrish shined in his collegiate debut with 110 all-purpose yards (52 rushing, 58 passing) with a receiving touchdown, and wideout Matthew Henry was a favorite target for McIvor with seven grabs for 148 yards and a score.
 
MISSOURI STATE (0-0) AT USC (0-0)
Date: Saturday, Aug. 30
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Los Angeles, Calif. (Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum)
Broadcast: Big Ten Network
Announcers: Guy Haberman (PxP), Yogi Roth (Analyst), Rhett Lewis (Reporter)
All-Time Series: First meeting
 
Missouri State faces a tough task as it ushers in its FBS era in the stadium coined “The Greatest Stadium in the World” against one of college football’s most storied programs. The Bears begin the chapter with plenty of momentum, coming off an 8-4 campaign. Missouri State returns seven starters from an offense that racked up 306.2 yards per game through the air (5th nationally), 424.8 total yards per game (17th) and 34.8 points per outing (13th).
 
SOUTHEASTERN (0-0) AT LA TECH (0-0)
Date: Saturday, Aug. 30
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Ruston, La. (Joe Aillet Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Malcolm Butler (PxP), Luke McCown (Analyst)
All-Time Series: LA Tech leads 2-0
 
LA Tech seeks back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time since 2019-20 after last season ended in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. The Bulldogs offense is sure to get a boost with the return of Tony Franklin as offensive coordinator after he served in the same role from 2010-12. In Franklin’s last season as OC, the Bulldogs led FBS in scoring (51.5), total offense (577.92) and first downs (31.5) per game.
 
UTEP (0-0) AT UTAH STATE (0-0)
Date: Saturday, Aug. 30
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Logan, Utah (Maverik Stadium)
Broadcast: CBS Sports Network
Announcers: Fran Charles (PxP), Taylor McHargue (Analyst), Hailey Sutton (Reporter)
All-Time Series: Utah State leads 1-0
 
Year two under fiery head coach Scotty Walden brings more continuity as UTEP returns at least five starters on each side of the ball, while also bringing in the most newcomers in the league (68). Former five-star recruit Malachi Nelson will take the field under center for UTEP in a key battle against Mountain West foe Utah State, led by first-year head coach Bronco Mendenhall.
 
BRYANT (0-0) AT NM STATE (0-0)
Date: Saturday, Aug. 30
Time: 8 p.m. CT
Location: Las Cruces, N.M. (Aggie Memorial Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Adam Young (PxP), Danny Knee (Analyst), Kelly Horyczun (Reporter)
All-Time Series: First meeting
 
Second-year head coach Tony Sanchez looks to provide a jolt to his offense with the hiring of offensive coordinator David Yost and bringing in Montana transfer quarterback Logan Fife, who earned the starting job early on. Yost owns more than 35 years of collegiate coaching experience and has a history of mentoring quarterbacks including Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, Blaine Gabbert and Chase Daniel.