NEW ORLEANS – Nine opponents that finished the 2018 campaign with a .500 or better record. Seven that participated in a postseason bowl game, including four winners of those contests. Two conference champions along with two other league title game qualifiers. And a match-up with a Big Ten program that won four of its last six outings a year ago.
Those are the challenges in front of University of South Alabama football team after the announcement Friday of the program's 2019 schedule by the Sun Belt Conference office.
"It's a very challenging schedule with a lot of good football teams on there, but that's life in the Sun Belt. That's why you come to South Alabama, to play people like this," said Jaguar head coach Steve Campbell. "I like the way the schedule sets up, we've got some time before the Troy and Appalachian State games. It's a tough schedule, but there are a lot of good teams in the Sun Belt and for us to get to where we want to go you have to beat those people."
Among the challenges facing the Jags is the team's three-game schedule in October, during which time they will play host to Georgia Southern on Thursday, Oct. 3, visit Troy on Wednesday, Oct. 16 then return home to take on Appalachian State Saturday, Oct. 26. Those three schools all won 10 or more contests while combining to go 20-4 in Sun Belt play last fall — with just one loss outside of head-to-head matchups between the teams — with each winning their postseason bowl game and App State claiming the inaugural conference championship contest.
Two of those games will be broadcast nationally, with the Georgia Southern matchup airing on ESPNU and the annual "Battle For The Belt" set to appear on ESPN2.
"That is definitely a difficult part of the schedule," Campbell said. "Our approach is going to be to take it one game at a time and make sure that we take care of business each week. One thing that I do like is there is some prep time before the Troy game, then we don't play for a week-and-a-half until we face App State. The schedule sets up really well going into three 10-win teams, two of them you get semi-open dates before which will definitely help in the preparation."
South will play all of its non-conference games in the first four weeks of the season. The campaign will get underway with an Aug. 31 trip to Nebraska, which after dropping its first six contests rebounded to win four games the second half of the year. The Jaguars will return home to face Jackson State (Sept. 7) and Memphis (Sept. 14), with the latter coming off a season that saw the Tigers appear in both the American Athletic Conference championship game and a postseason bowl. The final match-up prior to Sun Belt play will come on Sept. 21 when the Jags visit Alabama-Birmingham, which former USA defensive coordinator Bill Clark led to the Conference USA title and a win in the Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl en route to an 11-2 finish a season ago.
"I like the way that the schedule is set up, it will allow us to play some guys early in non-conference games to see who is ready," said Campbell. "We'll be able to find out which guys have come along and will be ready to make major contributions when we get to conference play."
The Jags first league game will be at ULM on Sept. 28, and they will conclude the regular season with four conference contests in November. South is set to visit Texas State on Nov. 9 and Georgia State Nov. 23 while taking on Louisiana Nov. 16 and Arkansas State on Nov. 30 in Mobile.
The Jaguars will once again compete in the Sun Belt West Division with Arkansas State, Louisiana, ULM and Texas State, with the winner facing the top team from the East Division in the conference championship game on Dec. 7; that match-up will take place on the campus of one of the participants. USA's final two home opponents shared the division crown in 2018 with a 5-3 league record.
"We are extremely excited about the 2019 schedule. It is well balanced with two home games in September, October and November against strong programs," Dr. Joel Erdmann, USA Director of Athletics, said. "In addition, we have two nationally broadcast games during the week — one at home, one on the road — and four away games that are in reasonable driving distance for our fans.
"Now is the time to get season tickets, or make a gift to Hancock Whitney Stadium or South Circle; not only will you be able to enjoy Jaguar Football this fall, but those people who do so will receive priority in selecting available seats in the new Hancock Whitney Stadium for the 2020 season."
Additional television information and all kickoff times will be released at a later date.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Join the South Circle, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics. Contributions to South Circle directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/give
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