Upsets already playing a role in C-USA

[The PonyGrad]

DO YOU remember last football season, when several upsets about this time of the year kicked the Conference USA standings into disarray?

You had Houston, which opened the season with a couple of tremendous out-of-conference victories, suddenly losing in C-USA. The Cougars, who had looked so good the first month of the season, didn’t even win the West Division of Conference USA.
And there were other stunners, too, especially in the West, that made for an eventful Conference USA season.


In the East Division, the winner was not decided until the final game of the regular season was completed.


Well, we could get a repeat this year. And last week proved it.


- Rice was 1-5 going into its game against Houston. But in that game, Rice quarterback Nick Funuzzi looked like an All-American and the Owls upset the Cougars 34-31.


Yes, Houston is down to its third- or fourth-string quarterback, but that was still a surprise.


A 1-5 Rice team was not supposed to win that game, or many, if any, others. But it did. And that’s what is so good about college football, or sports on any level. You just never know what is going to happen.


- Alabama-Birmingham, which was 1-4, took on Texas-El Paso, which was 5-1. Final score: UAB 21, UTEP 6.


UTEP had been averaging scoring more than 30 points per game. UAB had played hard, but didn’t have much to show for it. In the end, though, UAB had the last laugh.


By the way, UAB plays at Southern Miss Oct. 30. Anybody thinking the Golden Eagles just have to show up to win better think again. Because in the this conference, anything can happen.
Cream rising to top?
It’s way too early for any team to clinch a berth in the C-USA championship game, but pretty soon, two teams could make it really tough for everybody else.


East Carolina plays at Central Florida on Oct. 30. Both are undefeated in league play.
If East Carolina wins that game (and this week’s game against Marshall), it would definitely be in the driver’s seat in the East Division. If UCF wins, then the title is up for grabs, with Southern Miss also in the running.


This Saturday, Houston plays at SMU. If SMU wins, it would be at least two games ahead of everybody else in the West Division. Nothing is guaranteed, but that would make it really tough for any other team to overtake the Mustangs.
Hurricane season
Still talking about Conference USA, there is an important game coming along on Oct. 30. C-USA doesn’t get a whole lot of attention nationally, but Tulsa’s game in two weeks could be felt all over.


Tulsa plays at Notre Dame that day. Sure, Notre Dame is not what is used to be, not ranked in the top 25, but Notre Dame is Notre Dame.


If the Golden Hurricane defeat Notre Dame, every football fan in the nation will know about it. It would be a huge plus for Conference USA.


Hmmm, if Tulsa can schedule the Fighting Irish, why can’t Southern Miss? Hey, there’s something to talk about.

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/arti ... /101018022

[Harry0569]

This Saturday, Houston plays at SMU. If SMU wins, it would be at least two games ahead of everybody else in the West Division. Nothing is guaranteed, but that would make it really tough for any other team to overtake the Mustangs.

YEAH BABY. Gotta win it.

[that's great raplh]

no pressure

[perunapower]

You had Houston, which opened the season with a couple of tremendous out-of-conference victories, suddenly losing in C-USA. The Cougars, who had looked so good the first month of the season, didn’t even win the West Division of Conference USA.

Umm... yes they did.

[The PonyGrad]

You had Houston, which opened the season with a couple of tremendous out-of-conference victories, suddenly losing in C-USA. The Cougars, who had looked so good the first month of the season, didn’t even win the West Division of Conference USA.

Umm... yes they did.

Yeah, I thought that was funny.