Conference USA

Blue Raiders aim to build on WKU performance

Middle Tennessee travels to Missouri for its first matchup with that SEC member since 2003.  The Blue Raiders offense continues to be potent, with individuals ranked among the FBS leaders in passing, receiving and rushing.  For the first time in school history last week vs. WKU, Middle Tennessee had a 400-yard passer, a 200-yard receiver and a 100-yard rusher in the same game.  Sophomore QB Brent Stockstill threw for 434 yards, sophomore WR Richie James had 223 yards receiving and I’Tavius Mathers added 143 rushing yards.  Stockstill is currently sixth in the FBS in passing, James is fifth in receiving and Mathers is 10th in rushing.  Missouri’s defense allows an average of 438.0 yards per game, placing them at No. 100 in the FBS.

The Mean Green draw swords with the Black Knights

North Texas becomes the third C-USA school to face Army, making the trip to West Point, New York.  The Mean Green had a week off following a 38-21 win over Marshall that evened their record at 3-3.  In its first year under head coach Seth Littrell, North Texas has raised its scoring average from 15.2 points per game in 2015 to 25.8 points, while reducing its scoring defense from 41.2 points per game last year to 28.7 in 2016.  The Black Knights, who already own a pair of wins vs. C-USA schools, rank second in the nation in total defense, allowing just 245.2 total yards per game.

Owls vs. Panthers

Rice plays Prairie View A&M for the first time in its homecoming matchup.  Owls junior LB Emmanuel Ellerbee has registered four straight games with double-digit tackles after posting 12 stops in last week’s one-point loss to UTSA.  He also recorded a sack in the first quarter, giving him three and a half on the year.

The 49ers look for redemption in Huntington 

Charlotte makes its first visit to Marshall.  The 49ers nearly had a second straight conference victory last week, missing a potential game-winning field goal on the final play.  The Thundering Herd earned its first C-USA victory of 2016 by holding off Florida Atlantic.  The Charlotte run defense continues to shine, ranking fourth in Conference USA allowing 153.0 yards per game on the ground.  

The 49ers allowed a season-low 39 yards rushing last week against FIU, the fewest the 49ers have allowed to an FBS foe.  It was the third game this season in which the 49ers have allowed fewer than 100 yards rushing.  Additionally, Charlotte has a league-best eight interceptions.  Marshall sophomore RB Keion Davis has emerged as an all-around playmaker this season, ranking No. 17 in the FBS in all-purpose yardage at 148.0 per game.  He is averaging 25.4 yards per kickoff return with one touchdown and has run for team-bests of 327 yards and four scores. 

Bulldogs face reinvigorated FUI

A matchup between two of the hottest teams takes place in Miami when Louisiana Tech travels to face FIU.  Both teams are a perfect 3-0 in the month of October and the Panthers have opened league play 3-0 for the first time.  The Panthers’ passing game has improved a good deal during the winning streak and is coming off its best showing of the season.  Junior QB Alex McGough threw for a season-high 315 yards and spread the ball to eight different receivers against the 49ers, including a second straight 125+-yard game from sophomore WR Thomas Owens (11 catches, 148 yards).  FIU will look to continue that against a Bulldogs defense that is allowing 330 passing yards per conference game.  Louisiana Tech has the most productive receiving tandem in the FBS in junior WR Carlos Henderson and senior WR Trent Taylor.  Henderson leads the nation with an average of 147.3 yards per game, while Taylor is second at 141.0.  Taylor is second in receptions with 75, while Henderson (who missed one game due to injury) is 20th with 42.  Henderson’s 10 receiving touchdowns are tied for the national lead, while Taylor is tied for sixth with eight.

The Monarchs march up the Kentucky hill

Old Dominion comes off its bye week to make a trip to WKU in a key East Division clash. The Monarchs are winners of three in a row as they meet a Hilltopper team that has won nine straight home contests against C-USA foes.  In just two games between the schools, WKU and ODU have made a habit of high-scoring affairs. The two teams have combined to score 202 points in two games, 66-51 (2014) and 55-30 (2015).  Old Dominion is the only C-USA team with two players ranked in the top 10 in the league in rushing.  Sophomore RB Jeremy Cox averages 84.0 yards per game, while junior RB Ray Lawry runs at a 74.6 yard clip pre outing.  Cox has three straight multiple-touchdown outings, while Lawry now has 30 career TDs, tying him for the school record with Thomas DeMarco.  Senior RB Anthony Wales has rushed for 83+ yards and one or more touchdowns in four straight games, totaling 480 yards with seven scores over that span.  He had 158 yards and three TDs in last week’s win at Middle Tennessee, while moving into the top 10 in career rushing at WKU. 

The Miners clash heads with the Roadrunners

UTEP is also coming off a bye as it meets a UTSA team that has won two straight conference games.  The visiting team has won all three meetings in this young rivalry. Junior LB Alvin Jones returned healthy in the Miners last game vs. FIU and tallied a career-high 16 tackles, surpassing his high of 12 stops in the season-opener.  It was Jones’s seventh-career multiple-tackle game. Junior WR Josh Stewart leads UTSA with 335 receiving yards on just 12 receptions through the season’s opening six contests and he ranks second nationally in yards per catch (27.9). Stewart finished with a career-high 103 yards on the strength of touchdown catches of 75 and 28 yards in last Saturday’s 14-13 victory at Rice.  They were the first two TDs of his career and the 75-yarder stands as the third-longest passing play in program history.