What games could be the toughest in 2024 for Jacksonville State football, Rich Rodriguez
The Jacksonville State football schedule was released last week and its never too early to look at what games could be the hardest for Rich Rodriguez's Gamecocks squad.
The Gamecocks went 9-4, including a 6-2 CUSA record in their first year as FBS program and CUSA member. They were a veteran led group that won their first bowl game in a thrilling comeback over Louisiana in the New Orleans Bowl.
The 2024 schedule will once again feature midweeks, but only four this time around, with three coming on Wednesday. The Gamecocks will also get two bye weeks one going into the midweek stretch and one in the middle.
Here are the five hardest games in 2024:
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5. Oct. 4 at Kennesaw State
Reasoning: This could come as a shock but with a natural rivalry being moved up to the FBS level and getting higher interest with a possible stand-alone slot, there's no telling what could happen in this one and that's before considering going on the road for the Owls first CUSA game. The last time these two played it took a Gamecocks comeback and then overtime to seal the win.
4. Aug. 31 vs. Coastal Carolina
Reasoning: While this is at home it is also the first game of the year, so its unclear how either team could come out playing. Coastal Carolina was one of the four losses last year and it highlighted the gap that Jax State needed to make up at that point.
3. Oct. 30 at Liberty
Reasoning: On paper, this game tilts in favor of the Flames, as they will be at home and coming off a bye. The Gamecocks were a much different team on the road last year, going 3-3 with two of the wins coming against bottom-three teams in CUSA, and even then those games were closer than they could've been. The Flames will be the class of the conference, at least until someone can take them down.
2. Nov. 30 at Western Kentucky
Reasoning: Yes the Gamecocks beat the Hilltoppers last year and Liberty is probably the tougher opponent but other factors make this game slightly harder, especially on the road. The Gamecocks will have played five straight weeks, though they will get an extended break coming out of midweeks, but so will Western Kentucky.
1. Sept. 7 at Louisville
Reasoning: The Cardinals went 10-4 in 2023 and return a lot of contributors, meaning at least five months out this game looks tougher than the Gamecocks first crack at a Power 5 opponent as an FBS program. Maybe the Gamecocks can give the Cardinal a scare but at least for now this doesn't seem likely.
Maxwell Donaldson covers high school sports and Jacksonville State athletics for the Gadsden Times. Find him on Twitter/X @_Max_Donaldson and contact him at MDonaldson@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: The five toughest games for Jacksonville State in 2024
