College Football 2024 Preview: Conference USA
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C-USA was a jumbled mess last year, it’ll be a jumbled mess this year, and will likely be a jumbled mess for future years.
But hey, that doesn’t mean it can’t be some fun!
And at least the conference is still alive!
Let’s dive into Conference USA.
Tier 1: Championship Contenders
Liberty Flames
There are no two ways about it.
Anything other than a conference championship for Liberty this year is an absolute failure.
Period.
Jamey Chadwell and Kaidon Salter went 13-1 a year ago, and should have around the same levels of success this year.
If they don’t something has gone seriously, seriously wrong.
Tier 2: Dark Horses
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
WKU’s offense has, consistently, been one of the best in the conference.
I see no reason to expect anything less this year, even with a lot of roster turnover.
And if the defense can shut down Liberty just twice, a conference title is extremely possible.
Tier 3: Bowl Game Bound
Jacksonville State Gamecocks
Rich Rodriguez has had excellent success with Jacksonville State so far, and even though the offense has a lot of turnover, Rich Rod knows how to coach that up.
Add in a generally easy conference, and the Gamecocks should find 6 wins.
Tier 4: Bowl Game Possible
New Mexico State Aggies
New Mexico State was a tire fire of a program in years past, but Jerry Kill came in and turned the Aggies around to being a decent FBS football team.
They even went into Auburn and won last year.
But Jerry Kill has resigned, and quarterback Diego Pavia is now at Vanderbilt.
It’s not BARE in the cupboard, but this is a hard job that’s only had success with one coach.
Will new coach Tony Sanchez find immediate success?
We’ll see.
Sam Houston State Bearkats
Sam Houston State had some brutal last second losses last year which tanked their season, but ended red hot.
Another year with FBS ball under their belt, and maybe some of those games going differently, means Sam Houston State could very well be heading to their first bowl game.
Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders
MTSU is fine.
And they’ve been fine for all 18 years Rick Stockstill was there.
Rick Stockstill is now gone, and MTSU hired former Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason, who has been fine in the past!
You can kind of see where I’m going here.
This team will hover around 6 wins.
Tier 5: I’d Be Baffled
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
LA Tech is a mess, and Sonny Cumbie has shown no signs of getting them out of it.
I just don’t see anything good here.
Florida International Panthers
FIU, much like LA Tech, has been a mess.
The difference is, Mike McIntyre took over a team who had won one game in two years and immediately won 4 games in both years.
Does that mean I expect a bowl game this year? No, because I clearly don’t.
But do I see a path out of it unlike with LA Tech? Absolutely.
UTEP Miners
In College Football 25, head coach Brian Tenerowicz took over UTEP with new transfers Skyler Locklear and Jevon Jackson and won 9 games and the New Orleans Bowl.
But this is real life, and while Locklear and Jackson have experience with new head coach Scotty Walden since they played under him at Austin Peay, it will not be such an easy transition compared to video games.
I’d love to be wrong, though!
Picks up!
Kennesaw State Owls
This is Kennesaw State’s first year at the FBS level, so they can’t make a bowl anyway.
But even if they could, this team is not ready for the FBS level.
Still, considering they only started the program in 2015, being able to kick off and play FBS games so quickly is pretty cool.
It will take a while for them to get there.
Conference Championship Prediction
Like I said, it would be a failure if Liberty didn’t win it.
I don’t have any doubts in the Flames this year.
Liberty Wins the Conference USA Championship.
