| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|
| August 31 | 9:00 p.m. | at No. 20 Montana* | No. 12 | | ESPN3 | L 6–30 | 26,293 |
| September 7 | 6:00 p.m. | North Carolina A&T* | No. 21 | | ASTV | L 21–24 | 25,723 |
| September 21 | 6:00 p.m. | at Elon | | | | W 31–21 | 9,782 |
| September 28 | 3:30 p.m. | Charleston Southern* | | - Kidd Brewer Stadium
- Boone, NC
| ASTV | L 24–27 | 29,145 |
| October 5 | 2:00 p.m. | at The Citadel | | | | L 28–31 OT | 13,601 |
| October 12 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 23 Samford | | - Kidd Brewer Stadium
- Boone, NC
| ASTV | L 10–34 | 24,491 |
| October 19 | 1:30 p.m. | at Furman | | | | L 10–27 | 7,322 |
| October 26 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 24 Georgia Southern | | - Kidd Brewer Stadium
- Boone, NC (rivalry)
| ESPN3 | W 38–14 | 23,901 |
| November 2 | 3:30 p.m. | Chattanooga | | - Kidd Brewer Stadium
- Boone, NC
| ASTV | L 28–35 | 18,991 |
| November 9 | 12:30 p.m. | at Georgia* | | | ESPN3 | L 6–45 | 92,746 |
| November 16 | 1:30 p.m. | at No. 24 Wofford | | | | W 33–21 | 8,315 |
| November 23 | 3:30 p.m. | Western Carolina | | | ASTV | W 48–27 | 27,115 |
|
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes | Week |
|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Final |
|---|
| Sports Network | 12 | 21 | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
|---|
| Coaches | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
|---|
*Ineligible for FCS Coaches Poll [1]