IRVING — Conference USA unveiled on Thursday its 2016 schedule and UTSA will play eight league games, all on Saturdays, this fall.
Following non-conference home games against Alabama State (Sept. 3) and Arizona State (Sept. 17) sandwiched around a road date with Colorado State (Sept. 10), the Roadrunners will open their fourth season of C-USA play on Sept. 24 at Old Dominion.
After its only bye week of the campaign, UTSA will host the first of three home games during the month of October against Southern Miss on Oct. 8. The Roadrunners then will make the short trip to Houston to face Rice (Oct. 15) before welcoming UTEP (Oct. 22) and North Texas (Oct. 29) to the Alamodome.
UTSA will hit the road for the first three weekends in November with league games at Middle Tennessee (Nov. 5) and Louisiana Tech (Nov. 12) and a non-conference contest at Texas A&M (Nov. 19).
The Roadrunners will conclude the regular season slate when they host Charlotte on Nov. 26.
The 2016 C-USA alignment will feature six teams in the West Division and seven teams in the East. Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Rice, Southern Miss, UTEP and UTSA make up the West, while Charlotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, Old Dominion and Western Kentucky comprise the East Division.
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. Three schools in the East Division 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 Division will play five opponents in its division once for five games, while playing three cross-over opponents from the opposite division. The cross-division opponents, as well as the East Division non-plays are the same as last season, with the sites of the games being reversed.
The 2016 schedule has 13 playing weeks, which provides for one open date for each team. The schedule also complies with C-USA scheduling policies as approved by the Board of Directors. In addition, the schedule provides the following:
· All teams start their conference schedule with two games of one at-home and one away; and all teams finish their conference schedule with two games of one at-home and one away;
· Nearly all teams’ have two home games and two away games in the first half of the conference schedule as well as the second half of the conference schedule; and
· All primary and most secondary special date requests were accommodated.
A schedule of televised games will be released at a later date. C-USA’s 12th annual Championship Game, pitting the champions of the East and West Divisions, is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 3.
Please note that all games are subject to date changes after television selections are made.
The Roadrunners will kick off spring drills on Monday, March 21, and the sixth annual UTSA Football Fiesta Spring Game is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, at the Alamodome.