2023 College Football Review: Conference USA

Photo from CBS Sports

C-USA was one conference this year that went through a complete overhaul, including some new FCS schools who made the jump.

Was it a good conference? Not really.

Was it fun? Hell yeah!

1. Liberty Flames [Conference Champion] (My Prediction: 1 & Conference Champion)

The Jamey Chadwell era at Liberty went exactly as I expected it would.

He took the already talented G5 team, and led them to a 13-0 undefeated season and a New Years 6 bowl game.

Another year like that, and Chadwell will be a P5 coach in no time.

2. New Mexico State Aggies (My Prediction: 5)

I said Jerry Kill was doing an excellent job turning around this program, which he has!

But I did not think the Aggies would be headed for a 10 win season, conference championship game appearance and demolition of Auburn on the road.

Kill should be coach of the year, or at least a finalist.

But alas, apparently he just didn’t do enough to get it.

Strange.

3. Jacksonville State Gamecocks (My Prediction: 7)

Rich Rodriguez’s return to the FBS went a lot better than I expected, as Jacksonville State went 8-4 and found immediate success as they head towards a bowl game (the two year waiting period for bowl games was waived due to not having enough bowl eligible teams).

If that’s what the future holds, Jacksonville State is in great shape.

4. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (My Prediction: 2)

Western Kentucky was about what I expected they would be.

I just didn’t expect NMSU and Jacksonville State to have the seasons they had.

Granted, I’m not sure many people did.

5. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (My Prediction: 3)

Rick Stockstill has had down years at MTSU.

But this down year, in a year with brand new conference members, was one down year too many as Rick Stockstill lost the job he had been at since 2006.

Sometimes, you just have to make a change.

6. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (My Prediction: 8)

LA Tech was not very good,

But when it came to tiebreakers, they were good enough to wind up 6th.

Hey, it’s something.

7. Sam Houston State Bearkats (My Prediction: 6)

Sam Houston State lost 5 one score games this year.

Sometimes, the bounces just don’t go your way.

Though that’s especially cruel when it’s your first year in the FBS.

8. UTEP Miners (My Prediction: 4)

UTEP’s offense with quarterback Gavin Haradison was supposed to be fun and exciting.

It wasn’t!

And it sunk them!

9. Florida International Panthers (My Prediction: 9)

I picked FIU to finish last in the conference, so imagine my surprise when FIU started the year 3-1!

And they beat some decent teams! North Texas and UConn aren’t scrubs! They looked good!

And then they came crashing back down to earth, losing 7 of their last 8 and finishing at the bottom of the conference.

The FIU situation doesn’t seem to be improving.