With the news Friday that Washington State and James Madison have agreed to a 2025 matchup — with the Cougars making the trip to Harrisonburg, Virginia, on Nov. 22 — Utah State is in needed of a new opponent for next season.
Or at the very least, USU could schedule another game.
The Aggies were originally slated to travel to James Madison on Sep. 13 next fall, the second and final game in a two-game series that saw JMU come to Logan in 2023.
Now, Utah State has 11 games scheduled for the 2025 season, per FBS Schedules. The Aggies’ three nonconference games are as follows:
- Aug. 30 vs. UTEP.
- Sep. 6 at Texas A&M.
- Sep. 20 vs. McNeese State.
Plus eight Mountain West Conference games, all dates TBA:
- vs. Boise State.
- at Hawaii.
- at San Diego State.
- vs. Air Force.
- vs. San Jose State.
- vs. UNLV.
- at Wyoming.
- at Fresno State.
It is the road trip to Hawaii that makes things interesting.
Per NCAA rules, teams that play at Hawaii during the season can schedule a 13th game in an attempt to offset the cost of travel to the islands.
Schools don’t have to schedule 13 games when they play at Hawaii — it isn’t a requirement — but it is an option, and one that Utah State has elected to use in the past. When JMU was scheduled, USU was at 12 games for the 2025 season and now the Aggies could add up to two new non conference games on their schedule after losing the Dukes, in addition to its scheduled games against UTEP, Texas A&M and McNeese State.
Who could Utah State agree to play as a replacement for James Madison? And more?
There aren’t a whole lot of options. Currently, 17 FBS teams not including USU have an opening on their schedule for next season, per FBS Schedules.
That includes eight power conference schools, plus Notre Dame.
That doesn’t mean all that much, though, as schools have to have openings the same weeks as Utah State or be able to schedule around their bye weeks if the two sides are to play.
Of the teams with openings on their schedules, Baylor, Kennesaw State, Kent State, New Mexico State, Northwestern, Rutgers, Southern Miss, Louisiana Monroe (ULM) and Vanderbilt all have an opening on Sep. 13 like USU.
To recoup the money spent to travel to Hawaii, the easiest way would be for Utah State to make a trip to a power conference opponent — in this case, Baylor, Northwestern, Rutgers or Vanderbilt.
Those are the games that usually add the most to the coffers — think the trip to USC this season.
Of course, USU already has a game scheduled against a power conference opponent in 2025 in Texas A&M, and after the struggles with a schedule that included two P4 opponents this year, that may not be the ideal or wanted scenario for the Aggies next season.
Playing at Hawaii does mean Utah State can potentially get an NCAA waiver to play a Week 0 game if it needs to, which would mean USU could play a game on Aug. 23 next season. That opens up the options to every team with an opening on their schedule currently.
Based on traditionally scheduling methods for most programs, the most likely adds for the Aggies in 2025 are Vanderbilt, UConn and/or ULM. Most of the other schools with opening don’t have FCS opponents scheduled yet.
Ultimately, USU doesn’t have to add another opponent (or opponents) it is 2025 schedule. USU can play only 11 games if needed. There is precedence for that, although it is highly unusual to play only 11 games.
There is also precedence for Utah State not scheduling 13 games in seasons it travels to Hawaii, despite being allowed to do so.
In 2022, USU played only 12 games despite making the trip to the islands.
Before that, though, in both 2014 and 2018, the Aggies played 13 games with two games against power opponents, which suggests that Utah State is suddenly looking for a new opponent for next season. Maybe even two.
Correction: FBS Schedules initially said Utah State was scheduled to play nine MW conference games next season, but the Aggies and the New Mexico Lobos will not play in 2025 (outside of a potential meeting in the conference title game). As such, USU has only eight conference games next year.