IRVING — Conference USA announced its 2015 football schedule on Monday and UTSA will play eight league contests, all on Saturdays, this fall.
Following non-conference games at Arizona (Thursday, Sept. 3), against Kansas State (Saturday, Sept. 12), at Oklahoma State (Saturday, Sept. 19) and against Colorado State (Saturday, Sept. 26), the Roadrunners will open their third C-USA campaign on Oct. 3 at UTEP. UTSA then will play Louisiana Tech a week later on Oct. 10 at the Alamodome.
The Roadrunners' other home contests during conference play will come against Old Dominion (Nov. 7), Rice (Nov. 21) and Middle Tennessee (Nov. 28).
Meanwhile, UTSA will make its other road trips to Southern Miss (Oct. 17), North Texas (Oct. 31) and Charlotte (Nov. 14).
This year's C-USA divisional alignment will feature seven teams in the East and six teams in the West. Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Rice, Southern Miss and UTEP will join the Roadrunners in the West, while Charlotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, Old Dominion and Western Kentucky will comprise the East.
Each school in the West Division will play every team in its division once for five games, while playing three cross-over opponents from the opposite division. Meanwhile, three schools in the East will play every team in its division once for six games, while playing two cross-over opponents from the opposite division. Four schools in the East will play five opponents in its division once for five games, while playing three cross-over opponents from the opposite division. East Division schools playing five division games were randomly selected by a computer scheduling application and two intra-division matchups in the East will not take place this season (Charlotte/Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee/Old Dominion).
This season's schedule has 13 playing weeks, which provides for one open date for each team. The last two seasons were 14-week schedules, providing two bye weeks per school. It is again a one-year model, with Charlotte replacing UAB in the East Division.
The schedule complies with C-USA scheduling policies as approved by the Board of Directors in October 2007. In addition, the schedule provides the following:
· Nearly all teams start their conference schedule with two games of one at home and one away;
· The majority of teams finish their conference schedule with two games of one at home and one away;
· The majority of schools alternate between home and away conference games throughout the schedule; and
· Each of the schools primary and secondary special date(s) requests were fulfilled.
A schedule of televised games will be released at a later date. C-USA’s national television partners are CBS Sports Network, FOX Sports Media Group and American Sports Network for regular season games. The league’s 11th annual Championship Game, pitting the champions of the East and West Divisions, is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5, and will be televised by ESPN or ESPN2.
Please note that all dates are subject to change after television selections are made.
The Roadrunners will start spring drills on Wednesday, March 18, and the Fifth Annual UTSA Football Fiesta Spring Game is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, at the Alamodome.