Rice football took Southern Miss to the brink, but couldn’t finish while a few other Conference USA Football teams had thrilling finishes of their own.
| Team | Week 9 | Result | Week 10 |
| Charlotte | vs North Texas | W, 39-38 | vs MTSU |
| FAU | at Old Dominion | W, 41-3 | at WKU |
| FIU | at MTSU | L,50-17 | vs Old Dominion |
| LA Tech | at UTEP | W, 42-21 | — OFF — |
| Marshall | vs WKU | W, 26-23 | at Rice |
| MTSU | vs FIU | W, 50-17 | at Charlotte |
| North Texas | at Charlotte | L, 39-38 | vs UTEP |
| Old Dominion | vs FAU | L, 41-3 | at FIU |
| Rice | vs Southern Miss | L, 20-6 | vs Marshall |
| Southern Miss | at Rice | W, 20-6 | — OFF — |
| UAB | — OFF — | — | at Tennessee |
| UTEP | vs LA Tech | L, 42-21 | at North Texas |
| UTSA | — OFF — | — | at Texas A&M |
| WKU | at Marshall | L, 26-23 | vs FAU |
Notable Week 9 results – Standings
Houston, we need a quarterback
An up and down day from Rice football quarterback Wiley Green ended in disaster. An endzone interception doomed the Owls to their eighth consecutive loss despite a rousing defensive performance which kept C-USA’s leading passer Jack Abraham at bay for what was a close football game until the final seconds.
And the high score goes to… MTSU
The Blue Raiders had moved the ball fairly well through the first eight weeks of the season, but their Week 9 showing against FIU was a 50-point thing of beauty. Asher Ohara, Javy McDonald and Terelle West combined for more than 427 yards rushing and six touchdowns against an FIU defense that entered the week in the middle of the pack in terms of rushing defense.
Doing their part
FAU’s C-USA title hopes hit a snag in a heartbreaking loss in Marshall. The Owls rebounded with a resounding win over Old Dominion on the road to keep pace in what has become a tight race in the East. If there were any doubts as to the legitimacy of this team’s prowess on both sides of the ball, a 41-3 beatdown provided plenty of answers.
Week 10 storylines
Speaking of the East
WKU’s loss, which came despite a rally from a 23-7 third quarter deficit, sets up a pivotal Week 10 game between the Hilltoppers and FAU. With one loss apiece, the upcoming matchup could settle the pecking order in the East. The winner will still have some work to do to secure their spot while the loser will more than likely be out of the running.
North Texas’ postseason fate hanging in the balance
Despite being picked to win the conference in the preseason, North Texas is in dire straights. A brutal non-conference schedule and Charlotte’s upset over the Mean Green in Week 9 have to have heightened the nerves in Denton. North Texas has to win three of four their next four to reach postseason eligibility — they can’t afford to lose to UTEP, one of C-USA’s remaining winless teams.
Can Charlotte make the most of their momentum?
On the heels of four consecutive losses, Charlotte’s upset win over North Texas put a bowl game back on the 49ers’ radar. A win over MTSU next weekend would put them two wins away with games remaining against UTEP and Old Dominion. After a rocky start, Will Healy’s bunch could be in for a fascinating finish.
