Conference USA Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron in Week 8.
| Team | Week 8 | Result | Week 9 |
| Charlotte | vs UTEP | W, 38-28 | at Duke |
| FAU | at Marshall | L, 20-9 | vs UTSA |
| FIU | Jacksonville St | L, 19-10 | vs Marshall |
| LA Tech | at UTSA | L, 27-26 | vs UAB |
| Marshall | vs FAU | W, 20-9 | at FIU |
| MTSU | at Rice | W, 40-34 OT | — OFF — |
| North Texas | — OFF — | — | at UTEP |
| Rice | vs MTSU | L, 40-34 OT | at Southern Miss |
| Southern Miss | at Liberty | L, 56-35 | vs Rice |
| UAB | vs Louisianna | L, 24-20 | at Louisiana Tech |
| UTEP | at Charlotte | L, 38-38 | vs North Texas |
| UTSA | vs LA Tech | W, 27-26 | at FAU |
| WKU | vs Chattanooga | W, 13-10 | at BYU |
Notable Week 8 results – Standings
This
I hate this.pic.twitter.com/gKukv2GwiZ
— The Roost (@AtTheRoost) October 24, 2020
Rice, the final Conference USA team that had yet to play a game, began their season on Saturday. The game was close throughout but will always be remembered for this excruciating finish.
And then there was one
Marshall proved too much for a shorthanded FAU team to handle as the Thundering Herd stayed undefeated, the only remaining C-USA team to hold such a distinction. Brendan Knox was dominant. Grant Wells was strong. The defense was suffocating. All in all, Marshall has deservedly entered the driver’s seat in the race for the conference crown.
Non-conference woes
Jacksonville State is a solid FCS program, but the ease with which they took care of FIU on Friday night was concerning. UAB blew a fourth-quarter lead against Louisiana. Liberty crushed a Jack Abraham-less Southern Miss squad. Western Kentucky escaped with a three-point win over Chattanooga. Yikes. At least WKU found a way to win. Not so much luck for the other squads in non-conference matchups.
Week 9 storylines
Doubling down on Louisiana State
UAB started off strong, but could find themselves playing from behind if they run into trouble on the road at Louisiana Tech next week. The Bulldogs have been up and down this season, but they’re going to score.
Not the best in the West
North Texas, UTEP and Rice sit at the bottom of the West division standings through Week 8. It’s hard to know exactly where to place the Owls after their bizarre opener, but a larger sample size of the Mean Green and Miners could make next week’s game a battle between squads seeking to avoid the bottom spot.
Third time’s the charm
BYU will look for the C-USA trifecta next week when they host Western Kentucky at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The Cougars defeated each of their first two Conference USA foes this year, downing Louisiana Tech 45-14 and UTSA 27-20. The Hilltoppers will have their work cut out for them. BYU is 6-0 on the season.
Rice Football Opponent Scouting Report
A weekly update on who the Owls will be playing this season including updates on key storylines, injuries and more.
