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West Division

1. Houston: The Cougars looked like a BCS buster early in the season with victories over Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. But a surprising early-season loss at Texas-El Paso burst that bubble. Houston will again have the league’s most explosive offense, headlined by quarterback Case Keenum and a trio of receivers who will contend for all-league honors. The running game is also prolific, while the defense should be better. This could be C-USA’s best chance to bust open the BCS door.

2. Southern Methodist: The turnaround in Dallas has been nothing short of amazing, as the Mustangs again are a program with hope. June Jones has resurrected SMU with his run-and-shoot attack and an overall belief that the Mustangs can be a winning program. That was never more evident than in the Hawaii Bowl last December when SMU steamrolled a good Nevada team. Quarterback Kyle Padron emerged late last year as a superstar in the making and he should keep the Mustangs in the end zone with regularity. An improving defense should keep opponents out if it enough to widen the gap between wins and losses.

Best stadium: Gerald J. Ford Stadium, SMU. Though it’s small and rarely filled, you won’t find a nicer facility in C-USA. It opened in 2000, but its architecture has a historic look. A perfect horseshoe on the edge of a picturesque campus, Ford Stadium is without question the gem of C-USA.