The source for Rice sports news



Not affiliated with
Rice University

What happened to the December Conference USA Football schedule? All-American Q&A

By

All-American Level subscribers on Patreon get access to a monthly Q&A with me. The November focuses on the upcoming month of Conference USA football.

Q. How badly did Conference USA bocth the end of season scheduling? Shouldn’t Rice be playing UTSA this weekend instead of Marshall?

A. You could see the writing on the wall when Rice had the Marshall game added back to their schedule the same week the UTSA game was postponed. I understand the impetus from the league office to get as many games back on the schedule as possible, but using hindsight (not a luxury they had at the time) it seems pretty clear that most if not all of those impacting programs were going to have multiple games unplayed by the time the calendar got to December. So, what’s the right answer?

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($25) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more. React to this story on our forum.

Recent Posts
Follow and like us:
fb-share-icon
Tweet

Conference USA Football 2020: Week 13 C-USA Roundup

By

Conference USA Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron in Week 13.

Team Week 13 Result Week 14
Charlotte vs WKU Tues. vs FIU
FAU at MTSU PPD at Georgia Southern
FIU vs LA Tech PPD at Charlotte
LA Tech at FIU PPD — OFF —
Marshall — OFF —  — vs Rice
MTSU vs FAU PPD — OFF —
North Texas at UTSA L, 49-17 — OFF —
Rice vs UTEP PPD at Marshall
Southern Miss at UAB PPD at UTEP
UAB vs Southern Miss PPD — OFF —
UTEP at Rice PPD vs Southern Miss
UTSA vs North Texas W, 49-17 — OFF —
WKU at Charlotte Tues. — OFF —

Notable Week 13 results – Standings

Tuesday morning football

We’ve seen a lot in 2020, but Tuesday morning football would be a first. That’s the route being taken by Conference USA to ensure a safe playing environment for Western Kentucky and Charlotte, the latter of which required extra time to “clear COVID-19 protocols that would have prevented Charlotte from competing this Saturday.”

Unwanted game day drama

There have been dozens of postponed games in Conference USA so far, but none had been tabled on game day, yet. That changed this week when the game between Rice and UTEP was delayed and soon postponed following testing results at UTEP. View the entire list of C-USA postponements here.

North Texas v UTSA

The only C-USA game played on Saturday as not an exciting contest. UTSA ran all over North Texas, literally. The Roadrunners amassed 443 rushing yards, including 251 from running back Sincere McCormick who continues to impress.

Week 14 storylines

Bonus football

Regular season football in December is a silver lining from this up-and-down season. As of right now, five games involving Conference USA teams are scheduled to take place whereas there would have only been a conference championship game next weekend during a typical year. Bonus football, it’s a good thing.

Will there be more?

There are plenty of scheduling dominos that have yet to be played at the time of this post. UAB hasn’t played since Halloween and isn’t slated to play next weekend. Their most recent postponement (Nov. 27 vs Southern Miss) would have been their last game at Legion Field. Could UAB add a game in Birmingham prior to their season finale at Rice on Dec. 12? It sure would be nice.

Finished?

If Western Kentucky is able to play against Charlotte on Tuesday, they’ll join UTSA as the only teams in Conference USA to play 11 games (so far) during this uneven season. Marshall, who leads the East, has played seven games. UAB, expected to be the frontrunner in the West with a victory over UTSA, has played seven. Rice which hasn’t been the initiating party for a postponement since they started their season on Oct. 24, has played just three.

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.

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more. React to this story on our forum.

Recent Posts
Follow and like us:
fb-share-icon
Tweet

Conference USA Football 2020: Week 12 C-USA Roundup

By

Conference USA Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron in Week 12.

Team Week 12 Result Week 13
Charlotte at Marshall PPD vs WKU
FAU vs UMass W, 24-2 at MTSU
FIU at WKU L, 38-21 vs LA Tech
LA Tech vs UL Monroe PPD at FIU
Marshall vs Charlotte PPD — OFF —
MTSU at Troy W, 20-17 vs FAU
North Texas vs Rice W, 27-17 at UTSA
Rice at North Texas L, 27-17 vs UTEP
Southern Miss vs UTSA L, 23-20 at UAB
UAB UTEP PPD vs Southern Miss
UTEP UAB PPD at Rice
UTSA at Southern Miss W, 23-20 vs North Texas
WKU vs FIU W, 38-21 at Charlotte

Notable Week 12 results – Standings

UTSA on top

After 12 weeks of the season, UTSA sits atop Conference USA West with a 4-2 record and six total wins. They’re tied with UAB with a .667 winning percentage with the Blazers holding the tiebreaker. Even if the Roadrunners lose their top spot when UAB gets back on the field or someone else catches up with them, it’s worth recognizing the strong start to Jeff Traylor’s tenure in San Antonio.

Late-season surge?

Middle Tennessee lost their first four games, two of which came early on in the season with more eyeballs on them than usual. Any expectations quickly dissipated. Since then, MTSU has won three of their last five with losses to North Texas and presumptive C-USA East front-runner Marshall. Their Week 12 win over Troy was proof of their turnaround. This same MTSU team lost to that Troy team 47-14 at home in Week 2 before turning around and beating them on the road this weekend.

Threepeat

Postponements are becoming the norm for this season and Conference USA isn’t immune.  Three more games involving C-USA teams were postponed this week, with the non-conference matchup between Louisiana Tech and Louisiana Monroe being canceled outright with the calendar running short of open weekends. The full list of C-USA postponements is available here.

Week 13 storylines

They’re back?

Louisiana Tech and UAB played a contentious overtime thriller on Halloween night. Neither program has taken the field since in today’s postponement-plagued reality. Both are scheduled to take the field after Thanksgiving … assuming there aren’t any hiccups before then. UAB is to host Southern Miss. Louisiana Tech will travel to FIU.

Searching for seven

Following a win over Southern Miss this weekend, the Roadrunners have a chance to do something they haven’t done since 2013, their inaugural C-USA season — win at least seven games. Frank Willson reached the six-win plateau twice but never climbed above it. Given the circumstances, what first-time head coach Jeff Traylor has done in San Antonio is rather remarkable.

Not done yet

A string of postponements and an early loss to Marshall has pulled the spotlight away from FAU, but the Owls have responded well. They’ve won four in a row and will likely be favored in their three remaining games against Middle Tennessee, Georgia Southern and Southern Miss. Marshall remains in the driver’s seat in the East by virtue of the head-to-head win, but FAU isn’t out of the picture just yet.

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.

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more. React to this story on our forum.

Recent Posts
Follow and like us:
fb-share-icon
Tweet

Conference USA Football 2020: Week 11 C-USA Roundup

By

Conference USA Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron in Week 11.

Team Week 11 Result Week 12
Charlotte vs Gardner-Webb PPD at Marshall
FAU vs FIU W, 38-19 — OFF —
FIU vs FAU L, 38-19 at WKU
LA Tech vs Rice PPD vs UL Monroe
Marshall vs MTSU W, 42-14 vs Charlotte
MTSU at Marshall L, 42-14 at Troy
North Texas at UAB PPD vs Rice
Rice at LA Tech PPD at North Texas
Southern Miss at WKU L, 10-7 vs UTSA
UAB vs North Texas PPD UTEP (PPD)
UTEP at UTSA L, 52-21 UAB (PPD)
UTSA vs UTEP W, 52-21 at Southern Miss
WKU vs Southern Miss W, 10-7 vs FIU

Notable Week 11 results – Standings

Never had the chance

Postponements were a problem again for Conference USA in Week 11, although the rest of college football was equally fatigued. Rice at Louisiana Tech, North Texas at UAB and Charlotte vs Garnder-Webb were all lost to postponements.

Shula Bowl blowout

Rivalries run hot and cold, but this one has gone tepid, fast. FIU won three of four from 2011 to 2014, but the last four of five games have gone handily to Florida Atlantic. The Owls have scored 52, 49 and now 38 in the past three meetings while FIU has averaged just 15 points.

50 for 75

This weekend marked the 50th anniversary of the plane crash that took the lives of 75 people, including members of the Marshall football team. The Thundering Herd made easy work of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, running 38 times and attempting 37 passes, a fitting combination of 75 total plays.

Week 12 storylines

Advanced notice

The first postponement for Week 12 was in before the Week 11 slate kicked off. COVID-19 concerns at UAB preemptively forced the postponement of their game at UTEP, which had already been moved to Friday morning in Midland because of the COVID-19 climate in El Paso.

Time to play ball, at last?

Rice last played football on Halloween. North Texas hasn’t played in more than a month. Both hope to return to the field following long delays next weekend. The two teams have combined to play seven games so far this season. More than half of their conference peers have played at least that many contests on their own.

For the East

Marshall has been on the warpath toward the Conference USA Championship Game. The Thundering Herd already have a win over FAU under their belts. Beating Charlotte would all-but clinch the division while a Charlotte upset would open the door for others to sneak in.

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.

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more. React to this story on our forum.

Recent Posts
Follow and like us:
fb-share-icon
Tweet

Conference USA Football 2020: Week 10 C-USA Roundup

By

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 at MTSU PPD — OFF —
FAU vs WKU W, 10-6 vs FIU
FIU at UTEP PPD vs FAU
LA Tech at North Texas PPD vs Rice
Marshall vs UMass W, 51-10 vs MTSU
MTSU vs Charlotte PPD at Marshall
North Texas vs LA Tech PPD at UAB
Rice vs UTSA PPD at LA Tech
Southern Miss vs N Alabama W, 24-13 at WKU
UAB — OFF —  — vs North Texas
UTEP vs FIU PPD at UTSA
UTSA at Rice PPD vs UTEP
WKU at FAU L, 10-6 vs Southern Miss

Notable Week 10 results – Standings

Last men standing

Conference USA had more teams idle in Week 10 than teams playing, and that was by no means what the league had intended for Saturday. COVID-19 incidents at UTSA, Charlotte, FIU and North Texas forced the postponement of four games, leaving just four C-USA schools in action across three games. You can find the full list of COVID-19 related postponements here.

It’s nice to win again

Southern Miss might have entered halftime wishing its game against North Alabama would have been canceled. The Eagles trailed the winless FCA squad 10-7 at halftime and entered the fourth quarter trailing 13-7 before ripping off 17 unanswered points to steal away a much-needed win after losing five of their first six.

Hold the fireworks

The only game featuring two C-USA squads this week was a bit of a dud. FAU and Western Kentucky traded zeroes in the first half, then field goals in the third quarter. It took until the final three minutes of regulation for someone to find the endzone for the first time. FAU’s Javion Posey took carried it in from 11 yards out and won the game.

Week 11 storylines

Let’s try this again

Rice and Louisiana Tech are the only two programs that had their games canceled by their opponents in Week 10 slated to play in Week 11, and it could be a rather consequential meeting. The winner would pick up a crucial win and climb a peg up the West Division standings, where UAB currently leads 3-1. Rice could tie that mark next week with a win while LA Tech would pull up a half-game behind at 3-2 with a victory.

Fingers crossed for an All-Florida affair

FAU and FIU have both struggled with COVID-19 postponements this season. The two schools have lost a combined seven games from complications with the virus and only played seven total games between them.

Get-right game

North Texas hasn’t played a football game since Oct. 17 when they beat Middle Tennessee on the road. UAB was on bye in Week 10, but is coming off two consecutive losses for the first time since November of last year. Both teams could use the win to get back on track. A loss makes a C-USA championship appearance that more hard to achieve.

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.

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more. React to this story on our forum.

Recent Posts
Follow and like us:
fb-share-icon
Tweet
error

Enjoying The Roost? Please spread the word.

Not affiliated with Rice University