Rice football triumphed in their final game of the regular season, taking down Old Dominion at home. What’s next for Conference USA football in Week 14?
| Team | Last Week | Result | This Week |
| Charlotte | at FAU | W, 27-24 | — OFF — |
| FAU | vs Charlotte | L, 27-24 | — OFF — |
| FIU | vs Marshall | W, 28-25 | — OFF — |
| LaTech | vs WKU | L, 15-30 | — OFF — |
| Marshall | at FIU | W, 28-25 | — OFF — |
| MTSU | vs UAB | W, 27-3 | vs UAB |
| North Texas | at UTSA | W, 24-21 | — OFF — |
| ODU | at Rice | L, 27-13 | — OFF — |
| Rice | vs ODU | W, 27-13 | — OFF — |
| Southern Miss | at UTEP | W, 39-7 | — OFF — |
| UAB | at MTSU | L, 27-3 | at MTSU |
| UTEP | vs Southern Miss | L, 39-7 | — OFF — |
| UTSA | vs North Texas | L, 24-21 | — OFF — |
| WKU | at LaTech | W, 30-15 | — OFF — |
Notable Week 13 results
Sweet victory
Rice broke an 11-game losing streak with an upset victory over Old Dominion on Saturday. After losing their starting quarterback (again) midway through the third quarter the Owls road the running game, featuring the seldom-used fullback to head coach Mike Bloomgren’s first-ever CUSA win.
Can we get a mulligan, or two?
FIU lost a close one to Marshall in Week 13, their second loss in CUSA play. An 8-4 overall record with losses to Indiana and Miami is nothing to be upset about, but the near-misses in conference play kept a surprisingly stout FIU team out of the conference title game. It was a good season for the Panthers, but it could have been better.
The gauntlet has been throw
The conference title game will be a rematch of a Week 13 game between UAB and MTSU. The Blue Raiders blasted the Blazers in Murfreesboro on Saturday and host the same squad next Saturday with the conference title on the line. UAB had looked unbeatable in recent weeks, can MTSU do it twice in a row?
Week 14 storylines
Recruiting season
For everyone other than UAB and MTSU the calendar has turned into recruiting season. The early signing period starts December 19 and runs through December 21. Most CUSA program will sign a significant amount of recruits, but space will be left open for a final push on National Signing Day in February.
Championship Week
8-4 MTSU hosts 9-3 UAB for the CUSA crown in Week 14. Neither team has ever appeared in the conference championship game, let alone win it. A win by the Blazers would secure their first double-digit win season in program history. MTSU could tie their school-best 10-win season with a win over UAB followed by a bowl victory.
Gone bowling
FAU and Southern Miss were the last teams on the bubble entering the final week of the regular season. Lane Kiffin’s team stumbled at home against Charlotte, keeping them at five wins and out of bowl eligibility. Southern Miss dispatched UTEP with ease, joining the ranks of seven bowl-eligible teams in CUSA.
