CBS Sports Network will open its coverage of the 2024 college football season with four games in Week 1, three of which are military academy games, and it all starts with a premiere Thursday night matchup between two of the Group of Five’s top teams, Coastal Carolina and Jacksonville State.
Army opens its season Friday night against Lehigh University. The Black Knights are heavy favorites as they look to end their recent postseason drought. This will also be Army’s first game as a member of the American Athletic Conference, which after years of being independent has found its proper league home amid a recent wave of conference realignment.
Saturday will feature a Navy-Air Force doubleheader. The Midshipmen will host Bucknell University at home, while Air Force will take on Merrimack College in a friendly atmosphere at Falcon Stadium. Both teams will be looking to get into a fast tune-up before conference play begins in Week 2.
CBS Sports Network will be with you every step of the way once action begins in Week 1. In the meantime, check out viewing info, storylines, betting odds and more for each matchup.
All times are Eastern | Odds based on SportsLine consensus
Coastal Carolina vs. Jacksonville State
Date: Thursday, August 29 | Time: 8pm
Location: AmFirst Stadium – Jacksonville, Alabama
Television: CBS Sports Network [Channel finder]
LIVE STREAM: CBSSports.com | MOBILE: CBS Sports app (free)
Spread: Jacksonville State -2.5 | Can the Gamecocks cover? Check out SportsLine’s Week 1 predictions here
One of the most intriguing Group of Five matchups of the entire season will see Coastal Carolina take on Conference USA’s Jacksonville State. The Chanticleers and Gamecocks are both relatively recent transplants to the FCS, with the 2023 season marking Jacksonville State’s first season at the FBS level. Coach Rich Rodriguez’s squad has adapted well, earning third place in the Conference USA standings with a 9-4 record that included a win in the New Mexico Bowl. Coastal Carolina, which was promoted from the FCS in 2017, recorded its fourth consecutive winning season in 2023, although their eight wins were their fewest wins in a single season since 2019.
Lehigh University Army
Date: Friday, August 30 | Time: 6pm
Location: Michie Stadium – West Point, NY
Television: CBS Sports Network [Channel finder]
LIVE STREAM: CBSSports.com | MOBILE: CBS Sports app (free)
Spread: Army -33.5 | Can the Black Knights cover? Check out SportsLine’s Week 1 predictions here
Year 11 of the Jeff Monken era is about to begin, and it will look a lot different this year. For the first time since 2004, when they were members of Conference USA, the Black Knights will ditch their independence and compete in the AAC. It will be a big adjustment for Army, who hasn’t played in a bowl game since 2021 despite winning six games in two straight years. Army also hopes to retain the Commander in Chief Trophy, which it has won in three of the past four years (including sharing the title), by beating Navy and Air Force. A convincing win over Lehigh would be a good start to an intriguing year.
Bucknell University Navy
Date: Saturday, August 31 | Time: 12pm
Location: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland
Television: CBS Sports Network [Channel finder]
LIVE STREAM: CBSSports.com | MOBILE: CBS Sports app (free)
Spread: Navy -33.5 | Will the Midshipmen cover? Check out SportsLine’s Week 1 predictions here
Navy will be hoping second-year coach Brian Newberry can build on a 5-7 record in 2023. While that record may not look impressive on the surface, it was the Midshipmen’s best season since an 11-2 jump in 2019. Navy was picked to finish 11th in the preseason AAC media poll, six spots below rival and conference newcomer Army, but Newberry’s squad returns several players who will be leaders on both offense and defense. The Midshipmen have new offensive coordinator Drew Kronick to lead an offensive line that led the AAC in rushing last year.
Merrimack Air Force Base
Date: Saturday, August 31 | Time: 3:30 PM ET
Location: Falcon Stadium – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Television: CBS Sports Network [Channel finder]
LIVE STREAM: CBSSports.com | MOBILE: CBS Sports app (free)
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun has quietly built the Falcons into a powerhouse in the Group of Five, boasting an impressive 29-10 record over the past three years and even being ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 heading into the 2023 season. But the Falcons, who debuted at No. 25 in last year’s College Football Playoff rankings, lost four straight at the end of the regular season. Air Force will begin its bounce-back trajectory against FCS Merrimack, which went 5-6 last season.