2024 CBS Sports Network broadcast schedule: Utah vs. Utah State, SMU vs. Nevada lead college football slate

The 2024 CBS Sports Network college football schedule is officially set with notable games in the Group of Five and Power Four. It’s a slate packed with several big games throughout the week, as well as packed Saturdays throughout the year.

With less than 100 days until the start of the season, let’s take a look at some of the best matchups on the CBS Sports Network schedule for the 2024 campaign.

All times Eastern

Week 0 – SMU at Nevada

Saturday, August 24th | 8pm

This marks SMU’s official debut as an ACC member and our first look at whether the Mustangs can sustain the momentum they built last year after an AAC championship. They return starting QB Preston Stone, whose 2023 season ended prematurely with a fractured left fibula, and eight other offensive starters. Still, there are several new additions to monitor, such as Oklahoma offensive line transfer Savion Byrd, Miami edge Jahfari Harvey and Texas A&M cornerback transfer Deuce Harmon. The Mustangs find a way to reset the portal almost every year, utilizing it as well as anyone nationally. This will be our first look at whether they have created a Power Five tier list.

As for Nevada, it’s a new era! Ken Wilson was never able to get things going at his alma mater, going a combined 4-20 in two seasons. The Wolfpack hired Texas co-defensive coordinator Jeff Choate to replace him. Choate has prior head coaching experience after leading Montana State from 2016 to 2019 on a successful run and Nevada fans are optimistic he is the right guy to lead the program into the future. There are also some familiar names on the Wolf Pack roster. There’s a good chance that former Nebraska QB Chubba Purdy — yes, Brock Purdy’s brother — will be Nevada’s QB1 this year.

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Week 1 – Coastal Carolina at Jacksonville State

Thursday, August 29 | 8pm

This is a fun matchup to open the regular season. Jacksonville State couldn’t have hoped for a more successful transition to the FBS last year, achieving a 9-4 record in Conference USA. Rich Rodriguez did Rich Rodriguez things with an offense that led the nation at 2.86 plays per minute. The Gamecocks struggled to throw the ball, but boasted a dynamic, fast-paced offense. How they will replace running back Malik Jackson is a looming question, even with the return of QB Zion Webb. But the biggest unknown is on the defensive side of the ball. Oklahoma hired former 30Under30 member Zac Alley to be its defensive coordinator, meaning a top-12 defense from a year ago will have a new player in the form of former Tulsa DC Luke Olson.

Coastal Carolina is going through a major transition. This will be the first time in four years that the program has opened a season without Grayson McCall under center. Former Kansas quarterback Ethan Vasko and former Michigan State signal-caller Noah Kim appear most likely to replace McCall as QB1. The Chanticleers could be primed for a bit of regression after an 8-5 campaign, as they return just the 114th-highest production in the FBS, according to ESPN. But they were aggressive in the portal in trying to address needs, adding notable pieces like former Mississippi State running back Simeon Price and highly sought-after Youngstown State tight end Deamontae Diggs.

Week 8 – Boise State at UNLV

Friday, October 25th | 22:30

This rematch of the 2023 Mountain West Championship is a West Coast game worth staying up to watch. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty ran for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns on 6.1 yards per carry last year. Jeanty is on the smaller side at 5-foot-10 and 206 pounds, but he’s nearly impossible to tackle, averaging 4.52 yards after contact, which was third-most in the FBS among backs with at least 100 carries. It was a coup for the Broncos to keep Jeanty. Power Four teams were lining up to catch him if he entered the portal.

And Jeanty isn’t even the most nationally recognized name on the Broncos. That title likely belongs to Boise State transfer quarterback Malachi Nelson, a former five-star prospect who arrived this offseason from USC. He’s not a lock to start, but Nelson’s returns have been strong this spring.

The Rebels were one of the big surprises of the 2023 season, going 9-5 in Barry Odom’s debut. UNLV also doesn’t lack for star power. Wide receiver Ricky White is coming off a 1,483-yard, 8-touchdown season that established him as one of the best pass catchers in the country. Their quarterback will also be fun to watch. The Rebels lost Jayden Maiava to USC but replaced him with Santa Cruz transfer Matthew Sluka. For those who haven’t seen Sluka play, here’s a quick example of his production from last year: He threw for 320 yards against Harvard on September 30th. Two weeks later, he rushed for 330 yards against Lafayette.

Week 14 – Freedom on Sam Houston

Friday, November 29th | 3:30 p.m.

The Flames were a juggernaut last season, going 13-0 in the regular season and winning conference games by an average of 16 points. Many of the key pieces from that team are back, including superstar quarterback Kaidon Salter. A former top-100 recruit and Tennessee signee, Salter looked fantastic in Jamey Chadwell’s system. He finished with 2,876 yards and 32 touchdowns against just six interceptions, ranking ninth nationally with an 83.7 quarterback rating.

With Salter leading the way, the Flames are once again the heavy favorites in C-USA, especially considering how much last season’s conference runner-up (New Mexico State) lost to the transfer portal.

On the surface, Sam Houston is probably an odd team to highlight, coming off a 3-9 FBS debut. But in reality, no Group of Five team played closer to Liberty than Sam Houston did in the 21-16 loss. The Bearcats had four chances in a goal-for-goal situation to score the game-winning touchdown, but were unable to do so. After losing five conference games by six points or less, Sam Houston should be much improved in 2024. The Bearcats made some strong transfer additions and their roster will be better acclimated to the FBS. This could be a big C-US showdown when November rolls around.

Week 14 – UTSA at Army

Saturday, November 30th | Midday

This is Army’s debut season as a member of the American, and the Black Knights are a dangerous late-season foe for AAC hopeful UTSA. The Roadrunners have been in the thick of the conference championship race the past three seasons — UTSA moved from C-USA to the AAC in 2023 — and there’s no reason to expect Jeff Traylor’s team to fold in 2024. Well, OK . There are a few, including the fact that the program’s all-time leading passer, Frank Harris, changed this offseason. However, there is a lot of optimism surrounding UTSA that the program can maintain momentum. There are some notable names to know in San Antonio, including former Auburn QB Dematrius Davis and five-star recruit Denver Harris.

This is an Army team that has given UTSA a lot of problems in their games the last two seasons. The Roadrunners escaped with an overtime victory in 2022 and the Black Knights defeated them 37-29 last year. The Black Knights’ attacking option is a nightmare for opposing defenses to prepare for.

CBS Sports Network 2024 Schedule

All times Eastern