Coastal Carolina put together another winning season in 2023, though it wasn’t always easy.
Going into the year as one of the favorites to win the Sun Belt, the Chanticleers lost quarterback Grayson McCall, a three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year, due to injury midway through the year. And with a potential chance of reaching the conference championship, CCU fell to JMU to end the regular season.
But the Chanticleers still finished the year strong with a 24-14 triumph over San Jose State in the Hawaii Bowl.
Now Coastal Carolina is hoping to contend for a conference title once again. But without McCall and other star players from last year’s squad, the path to that goal will once again prove difficult.
Coastal Carolina Football’s Sun Belt Title Odds
Coastal Carolina’s odds to win the Sun Belt are +2000, via BetMGM.
Coastal Carolina Football’s Betting Odds & Over/Under Win Total
Coastal Carolina’s win total Over/Under is 6, with Under 6 at -115 and Over 6 at -105.
Coastal Carolina Football’s 2024 Schedule
8/31 @ Jacksonville State
9/7 vs. William & Mary
9/14 @ Temple
9/21 vs. Virginia
10/5 vs. Old Dominion
10/10 @ JMU
10/19 vs. Louisiana
11/2 @ Troy
11/7 vs. App State
11/16 @ Marshall
11/23 vs. Georgia Southern
11/30 @ Georgia State
Bold indicates Sun Belt contests
Key Coastal Carolina Football Returners
2023 All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention
OL Nick Del Grande
DB Matthew McDoom
Coastal Carolina Football Dealing With Myriad Changes
McCall is going to NC State after a decorated career that included several all-conference honors. He also holds CCU’s career records with 106 touchdowns responsible for, 88 touchdown passes, and 10,005 passing yards.
Though he’s gone, Coastal Carolina does have a few answers at quarterback.
Ethan Vasko played in eight games and made four starts as a redshirt freshman with McCall out last season. He completed 62% of his passes for 779 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception. He was also second on the team with 368 rushing yards to go with two scores on the ground.
The Chanticleers also added Michigan State transfer Noah Kim and North Carolina transfer Tad Hudson. Kim started five games for MSU last year and missed the final seven contests due to injury. He threw for 1,090 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions on a 57% completion rate while rushing for 53 yards. Hudson is a former four-star recruit who didn’t appear in any games as a true freshman in 2023.
Braydon Bennett led CCU a year ago with 407 yards and five touchdowns rushing. Running backs Christian Washington, a former All-Mountain West second-team kickoff returner for New Mexico, and Simeon Price, who ran for 41 yards on five carries for Mississippi State last year, transferred to CCU this offseason.
Coastal Carolina’s receiving corps will look drastically different, with Sam Pinckney (1,027 yards and eight touchdowns on 72 catches) going to the NFL and Jared Brown (740 yards and four touchdowns on 58 catches) transferring to South Carolina.
Jameson Tucker is CCU’s leading returning receiver after totaling 423 yards and three touchdowns on 20 receptions a year ago. Malick Meiga, a Penn State transfer, and Senika McKie, a transfer from UNLV, could also boost that position group for the Chanticleers.
CCU will want to make an upgrade on offense after ranking seventh in the Sun Belt with 416.2 yards per game gained and ninth with 27.7 points per game scored. But the Chanticleers were solid on defense, ranking fourth in the conference in scoring defense (23.8 points per game allowed) and sixth in total defense (379.5 yards per game allowed).
And several Pour Four transfers decided to commit to the Chanticleers this offseason, so their defense could be a unit to watch in 2024.
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2024 Coastal Carolina Football Season Prediction
I predict Coastal Carolina will go Over 6 wins but won’t take the Sun Belt Championship this season.
Despite all of its losses, I still think this Chanticleers team has some talent. CCU also added a good group of transfers, which is always important in today’s world of college football.
I think the most important stretch for Coastal Carolina – if it is to go over six wins or even be eligible for a bowl game – will be the end of the season. I currently project the Chanticleers will beat Georgia Southern and Georgia State, which might be the two victories that put them at 7-5 for the regular season.
I think it’s fair to think they will go 2-2 during non-conference play. Except for William & Mary, which I believe will be a CCU win, I could see them winning or losing in any of those contests.
I also believe Coastal Carolina can beat Old Dominion and Marshall. That means CCU needs just one win among games vs. Louisiana and App State at home or against JMU and Troy on the road. I certainly don’t see the Chanticleers winning all of those games, but I could see them finding a way to take at least one.
That would put CCU at 5-3 in Sun Belt play and at least 7-5 for the regular season. While that won’t lead to a conference championship or a College Football Playoff spot, that’s still a good season overall.
