The 2008 Southern Conference football schedule was announced by Commissioner John Iamarino. Samford joins the league for the 2008 season, bringing league membership to nine for football. Each team will play eight conference contests over a 13-week span.
“We’re looking to build on last year’s unprecedented success and continue to stake our claim as the best conference in the FCS. We’re coming off a season in which Appalachian State beat Michigan and earned its third consecutive national championship, said Iamarino. “Wofford was the SoCon’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA playoffs and became the first team from the south to win a playoff game at Montana. And both Elon and Georgia Southern were in playoff contention in the last two weeks of the season. We think 2008 will be an equally exciting season.”
Three-time defending Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) champion Appalachian State defeated No. 5-ranked Michigan, 34-32, in the season-opener a year ago. The Mountaineers face an even bigger challenge this season when coach Jerry Moore’s team faces defending national champion LSU on Aug. 30 in Baton Rouge, La.
In all, Southern Conference teams will face 10 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams including games against LSU, Virginia Tech, Florida, Georgia, Clemson, Oklahoma, Mississippi, South Carolina and Florida State (twice).
Southern Conference teams posted a 24-14 (.632) record in non-conference games a year ago.
The season opens on Thursday, Aug. 28 when West Georgia plays at Samford and Western Carolina hosts Shorter. The first conference tilt is slated for Sept. 20 when Elon plays at Georgia Southern.
The NCAA FCS Playoffs begin on Nov. 29 with the championship game scheduled for Friday, Dec. 19 in Chattanooga, Tenn. at Finley Stadium/Davenport Field.
2008 Southern Conference Football Schedule
August 28
West Georgia at Samford
Shorter at Western Carolina
August 30
Appalachian State at LSU
Webber International at The Citadel
Richmond at Elon
Mars Hill at Furman
Georgia Southern at Georgia
Chattanooga at Oklahoma
Presbyterian at Wofford
September 6
Jacksonville at Appalachian State
The Citadel at Clemson
Elon at Stony Brook
Furman at Virginia Tech
Austin Peay at Georgia Southern
Faulkner at Samford
Cumberland at Chattanooga
Western Carolina at Florida State
Wofford at Charleston Southern
September 13
Presbyterian at Elon
Furman at Colgate
Northeastern at Georgia Southern
Samford at Mississippi
Chattanooga at Florida State
Liberty at Western Carolina
September 20
Appalachian State at James Madison
Princeton at The Citadel
Elon at Georgia Southern
Delaware at Furman
Jacksonville State at Chattanooga
Western Carolina at Presbyterian
Wofford at South Carolina
September 27
Presbyterian at Appalachian State
Western Carolina at The Citadel
Samford at Elon
Chattanooga at Furman
Wofford at Georgia Southern
October 4
The Citadel at Appalachian State
Furman at Elon
Georgia Southern at Chattanooga
Samford at Western Carolina
October 11
Appalachian State at Samford
Elon at The Citadel
Western Carolina at Furman
Chattanooga at Wofford
October 18
Appalachian State at Georgia Southern
The Citadel at Furman
Elon at Chattanooga
Western Carolina at Wofford
October 25
Furman at Appalachian State
The Citadel at Samford
Wofford at Elon
Georgia Southern at Western Carolina
November 1
Wofford at Appalachian State
Georgia Southern at The Citadel
Furman at Samford
Chattanooga at Western Carolina
November 8
Appalachian State at Chattanooga
The Citadel at Wofford
Western Carolina at Elon
Samford at Georgia Southern
November 15
Elon at Appalachian State
Chattanooga at The Citadel
Georgia Southern at Furman
Wofford at Samford
November 22
Appalachian State at Western Carolina
The Citadel at Florida
Elon at Liberty
Furman at Wofford
Samford at Chattanooga
November 29
NCAA FCS Playoffs-First Round
Campus sites
December 6
NCAA FCS Playoffs-Quarterfinals
Campus sites
December 12 and 13
NCAA FCS Playoffs-Semifinals
Campus sites
December 19
NCAA FCS Playoffs-Championship
Finley Stadium/Davenport Field
Chattanooga, Tenn.