Conference USA heads into the season in transition.
In some respects, it got smaller, with six teams defecting to the American Athletic Conference. In others, it got bigger, adding large markets to show off its product.
Gone are Charlotte, UAB, North Texas, Florida Atlantic, Rice and UTSA. That left only five programs until the league welcomed Sam Houston, Liberty, New Mexico State and Jacksonville State for this year. It will add Kennesaw State next year.
Sam Houston exposes C-USA to Houston, and Kennesaw State is less than 30 miles from Atlanta. Both are among the country's top media markets. Liberty has dabbled in the AP Top 25 in recent seasons. Jacksonville State is coached by Rich Rodriguez, whose 172–121–2 career record was built at stops that include West Virginia and Michigan.
A 10-team league, which it will be next year barring other changes in the often frenetic realignment climate, is not ideal, commissioner Judy MacLeod said, but “there are plenty of people with their hands up saying, `Well, we’ll come tomorrow.' And I think our membership has been thoughtful about how we build it.”
Additional exposure will come from television. The league has partnered with CBS and ESPN to televise late September and October games during the week when most college programs are getting prepared for weekend contests.
Further exposure will come Saturday — frequently referred to as Week Zero since most teams start a week later — when Jacksonville State hosts UTEP, Louisiana Tech hosts Florida International and New Mexico State hosts Massachusetts.
On paper, Western Kentucky appears to be the team to beat. The Hilltoppers will be led by quarterback Austin Reed, the preseason offensive player of the year, and linebacker Jaques Evans, the league's preseason defensive player of the year.
“I think you’re going to see a really, really good brand of football within the conference,” Western Kentucy coach Tyson Helton said. “I think the new ones right out of the gate are going to give everybody a run for their money. I bet you one of those new teams are probably right in the running for the championship.”
TOP PLAYERS
Offense: Reed threw for 40 touchdowns and 339 yards per game and ran for eight more TDs last season when the Hilltoppers averaged better than 36 points. He led the nation with 4, 746 yards passing. Teammate WR Malachi Corley caught 101 passes for 1,295 yards and 11 touchdowns and led college football in yards after catch with 975 and missed tackles forced with 40. UTEP WR Tyrin Smith caught 71 passes for 1,039 yards and seven touchdowns. Louisiana Tech RB Marquis Crosby ran for 918 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 5 yards per carry. Middle Tennessee State's Frank Peasant Peasant ran for 774 yards and nine rushing scores and caught 28 passes for 286 yards and another two touchdowns.
Defense: Evans' team-best 106 tackles incuded 13.5 for a loss, 8.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. Western Kentucky teammate LB Tyrice Knight had 95 total tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss, a sack, an interception, five pass break-ups, four quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Middle Tennessee State DL Marley Cook had 22 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and blocked a kick. Louisiana Tech DB Willie Roberts and Western Kentucky DB Upton Stout each returned one of their four interceptions for a tuchdown.
NEW FACES
The four new teams are all led by accomplished coaches. Besides Rodriguez, Liberty is now guided by Jamey Chadwell, the former Coastal Carolina coach who had the Chanticleers into the Top 25 for 22 consecutive weeks through Nov. 7, 2021. Sam Houston's K.C. Keeler led the Bearkats to the 2020 FCS national championship and boasts a career mark of 259-100-1. And New Mexico State's Jerry Kill has a long history as an assistant and head coach. His 154-101 mark includes a 49-14 victory at Liberty when the Aggies were 24-point underdogs.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
League teams will have ample opportunities to show their mettle against Power Five programs, led by Middle Tennessee State, which faces No. 4 Alabama (Sept. 2) and follows with Missouri (Sept. 9). Sam Houston plays BYU (Sept. 2), Western Kentucky faces No. 3 Ohio State (Sept. 16), UTEP faces Arizona (Sept. 16), Louisiana Tech plays Nebraska (Sept. 23), Jacksonville State faces South Carolina (Nov. 4), FIU faces Arkansas (Nov. 18) and New Mexico State is at Auburn (Nov. 18).
AP PICKS
Regular season: Western Kentucky, Liberty, Middle Tennessee State, Sam Houston, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, UTEP, Jacksonville State, FIU.
Champion: Western Kentucky.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
