Conference USA Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron in Week 10.
| Team | Week 10 | Result | Week 11 |
| Charlotte | vs Rice | W, 31-24 (OT) | at LA Tech |
| FAU | vs Marshall | L, 28-13 | at Old Dominion |
| FIU | vs Old Dominion | L, 47-24 | at MTSU |
| LA Tech | at UAB | L, 52-38 | vs Charlotte |
| Marshall | at FAU | W, 28-13 | vs UAB |
| MTSU | at WKU | L, 48-21 | vs FIU |
| North Texas | at Southern Miss | W, 38-14 | vs UTEP |
| Old Dominion | at FIU | W, 47-24 | vs FAU |
| Rice | at Charlotte | L, 31-24 (OT) | vs WKU |
| Southern Miss | vs North Texas | L, 38-14 | at UTSA |
| UAB | vs LA Tech | W, 52-38 | at Marshall |
| UTEP | vs UTSA | L, 44-23 | at North Texas |
| UTSA | at UTEP | W, 44-23 | vs Southern Miss |
| WKU | vs MTSU | W, 48-21 | at Rice |
Notable Week 10 results – Standings
30/31 – 24
Rice football now played three consecutive games with eerily similar scoring margins. They beat UAB 30-24, with a missed extra point keeping the winning team off the 31 point total. Then they dropped a 30-24 contest to North Texas with the final extra point not kicked because of overtime rules. On Saturday, they lost 31-24, with the extra point counting this time around because Rice wasn’t first to possess the ball. No matter how it happened, the last two close calls have stung.
And then there were two?
It’s not officially a two-horse race in the East, but there are two games remaining on the schedule that will, in all likelihood, decide the outcome of the division and both involved Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers took care of business against Middle Tennessee in Week 10 and Marshall beat FAU. That means the WKU/Marshall and WKU/FAU games are the most important games left in the race for the East.
Duel in the desert
Whether it was the release of any frustrations generated by their absence in the initial College Football Playoff rankings or simply UTEP falling back to earth, UTSA stormed into El Paso and left little doubt as to who the frontrunner in the West would be. The Roadrunners jumped out to a 30-9 lead at halftime and coasted to the win, improving to 9-0 on the season.
Looking ahead – Key storylines
Bowl watch
Western Kentucky, FAU and Charlotte can each clinch bowl eligibility with a win next week. No teams in the East can reach the six-win plateau, but Rice, North Texas and Old Dominion will be playing to keep their postseason hopes alives. One more loss by any of those three would bump them out of bowl eligibility.
Intradivisional showdown
UAB and Marshall are each in the running in their respective divisions and face off next week in Huntington. Both teams have proven mortal this season, but they’ve still managed to stand a head above everyone in the conference not-named UTSA. Neither team has much wiggle room if they want to stay in their respective races.
Looking for No. 1
FIU and Southern Miss enter Week 11 as the only teams in Conference USA without at least one conference win. The Golden Eagles will have to upend UTSA to get their first one while FIU draws a Middle Tennessee game, that while feisty, has proven fillable on several occasions this season. This might be the Panthers’ best chance to get in the win column in conference play.
