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From the Houston Chronicle:

UCF, Houston favorites in Conference USA media poll

HOUSTON – UCF was a near-unanimous choice to win the Conference USA East division while Houston was picked to repeat in the West in the preseason football media poll released Tuesday.

The Knights, who went 5-7 last season, were the overwhelming favorite in the East with 13 of a possible 15 first-place votes for 85 points. Southern Miss, the defending league champion, received the other two first-place votes and was second with 70 points.

Marshall was picked to finish third with 58 points, just ahead of East Carolina (56). UAB and Memphis were picked to finish fifth and sixth, respectively.

Houston, which must replace NCAA career passing leader Case Keenum, was the preseason favorite in the West division with eight first-place votes and 81 points. The Cougars are coming off a school-record 13-win season that included a victory over Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl.

Tulsa was picked to finish second with four first-place votes and 73 points.

SMU received the other three first-place votes and was picked to finish third with 67 points.

UTEP was tabbed to finish fourth, followed by Rice and Tulane.

UCF and Houston last met in the C-USA championship game in 2009, with the Knights winning 38-32 in Orlando, Fla. Both schools, along with SMU and Memphis, will depart for the Big East Conference after this season.

The preseason poll, conducted by the Houston Chronicle, was made up of print reporters and radio representatives that regularly cover the league.

Conference USA does not conduct its own poll.

2012 Conference USA preseason media poll

C-USA East

1. UCF (13 first-place votes) .... 85 points
2. Southern Miss (2) .... 70
3. Marshall .... 58
4. East Carolina ... 56
5. UAB ... 29
6. Memphis ... 17

C-USA West

1. Houston (8 first-place votes) ... 81 points
2. Tulsa (4) ... 73
3. SMU (3) ... 67
4. UTEP ... 39
5. Rice ... 35
6. Tulane ... 20

Third IN THE WEST?

I can see being behind Houston ... maybe ... but Tulsa? How much talent do they have back after Kinne left?

Put it up in the locker room. Bird to you, media.

SMULaxer wrote:Put it up in the locker room. Bird to you, media.

Heck yeah! Bulletin board material for sure. Let the Tank Reeds of this team get motivated by it (if they don't, they should be!).

I'm relieved. We don't respond well to high expectations.

It’s fair at this point. Unknown Oline. Unknown QB. Our top offensive RB coming off an injury. Some gaps to fill on the Dline. And our special teams have not been special (not bad, just not special). I can understand the reluctance to vote SMU higher. If accurate that we are third, then it places additional pressure on this team to win our out of conference games to be bowl eligible. And honestly, given our OOC schedule, that is a challenge one can relish. Great schedule and mediocre expectations within the conference is often a great motivator. We shall see the character of the players and this team that Jones has built.

Got to admit I am very excited about this season’s opportunities.

No one ever wants to give Tulsa credit-yet they've accomplished more over the last 6-7 years than anyone else in CUSA West. Is it so shocking that the team that drubbed us last year and won a bunch of games is picked ahead of us? Not really.

We'll beat Tulsa this year -- on the field and in the standings.

SMU picked third............. picked. That means a lot.

SMUguy wrote:We'll beat Tulsa this year -- on the field and in the standings.

To hell with Tulsa. I say we'll beat Cougar High, too, and win the West Division.

comes down to the will to win, and last year didn't have it. I have never seen a more lifeless Mustang team than I did @Tulsa. It was absurd. Didn't even show up or care. @USM, at least they tried.

i was picked third too

Corso wrote:

SMUguy wrote:We'll beat Tulsa this year -- on the field and in the standings.

To hell with Tulsa. I say we'll beat Cougar High, too, and win the West Division.

My prediction as well. We win the West Division and then I will add to that by saying we will CUSA.

Gale Sayers was third, too.