Group Of Five – CUSA College Football Preview 2024

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CUSA Football Storylines

– The conference is hanging in there. The CUSA may not be the league it used to be a year removed from losing a slew of key programs to the AAC. But it didn’t lose any members this season. and it’s adding Kennesaw State this year, and it’s got Delaware waiting in 2025. With Liberty and Western Kentucky and the continued emergence of Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State, the conference is okay.

– Yeah, Liberty got smoked against Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl, whatever. It got there as a Conference USA representative of the Group of Five leagues in the New Year’s Six Bowls. Money shares are huge in the college athletics landscape these days. This year the prize is even bigger with the expanded College Football Playoff.

Once again, Liberty has a favorable schedule with no games against Power 4 teams and manageable road dates, however, there is some rebuilding to do. Western Kentucky will be stronger, and others should rise up and be interesting, but the spotlight will be on the Flames if they can get by Appalachian State in late September.

CUSA Announces Sideline Design as Presenting Sponsor of 2024 CUSA Football Kickoff & Media Day#NoLimitsOnUs

🗞 | https://t.co/9TCCT7hEya pic.twitter.com/5x83ri0dVi
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) June 20, 2024

Predictions

– Liberty won’t go 12-0 again, but it’ll be in for another big season. There is a lot of turnover from last season, but it’s still talented and the schedule is easy enough. They could easily push for at least 10-2, if not 11-1 and be in the mix for the Group of Five’s spot in the College Football Playoff.

– Look for Jacksonville State to continue to challenge. Rich Rodriguez’s team was supposed to struggle in its first season in the FBS world, but instead it came up with a fantastic 9-4 season capped off with a bowl win. With the help of a few good transfers, the Gamecocks will still be strong, and they could split the road games with Liberty and Western Kentucky to be in the mix for the CUSA title chase until the end.

– Sam Houston will be better. The Bearkats were supposed to be the new team last year that stepped up, and instead it was Jacksonville State. They went 3-9, but they left at least three wins on the table thanks to a painful inability to close out games. They return enough talent and the coaching is good, to not be in a bowl game this season. The schedule isn’t easy, but UCF is the only Power 4 game, and getting Liberty and Western Kentucky at home helps.

FBS off-season program of the day.

WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS

– Coming off of a solid 8-5 season
– MASSIVE 28 point comeback to win bowl game
– Massive QB portal pickup of TJ Finley
– Dalvin Smith & Upton Stout are HUGE returners
– August 31st.
WKU is looking good 👀 pic.twitter.com/AgC0Mg0Ytf
— College Football Daily (@FBSCFBnews) February 5, 2024

10 Best Conference USA Players

1. TJ Finley, QB WKU, Jr.
2. Quinton Cooley, RB Liberty, Sr.
3. Maurice Westmoreland, DE UTEP, Sr.
4. Holden Willis, TE Middle Tennessee, Sr.
5. Reggie Peterson, LB FIU, Sr.
6. Shiyazh Pete, OT New Mexico State, Jr.
7. Hosea Wheeler, DT WKU, Jr.
8. Zion Turner, QB Jacksonville State, Soph.
9. Jay Hardy, DT Liberty, Jr.
10. Derek Carter, CB Jacksonville State, Jr.

10 Biggest Conference USA Games

1. WKU at Liberty, Nov. 23
2. Jacksonville State at Liberty, Oct. 30
3. Jacksonville State at WKU, Nov. 30
4. Liberty at Middle Tennessee, Nov. 9
5. Louisiana Tech at WKU, Nov. 16
6. Middle Tennessee at Jacksonville State, Oct. 23
7. WKU at New Mexico State,Nov 9th

it’s here and it’s beautiful 😍 pic.twitter.com/2naqPKH6vj
— WKU Football (@WKUFootball) June 11, 2024

8. WKU at Middle Tennessee, Sept. 14
9. Sam Houston at Jacksonville State, Nov. 23
10. New Mexico State at Liberty, Sept. 7

10 Top Conference USA Transfers

1. Kisean Johnson, WR WKU (Alabama State)
2. Ashanti Cole, OT Louisiana Tech (Grambling)
3. Ta’Ron Keith, RB WKU (Bowling Green)
4. Omari Kelly, WR Middle Tennessee (Auburn)

Former UConn 3⭐️ QB Zion Turner has committed to Jacksonville State, per his social media. 🐓🔥

He recorded 1,415 passing yards, 262 rushing yards, and 11 total touchdowns during his time with the Huskies. As a true freshman, he led UConn to a bowl game in 2022.

The St. Thomas… pic.twitter.com/vHZTmnlb3D
— LIGHT ON COLLEGE SPORTS (@LightOnSports) January 18, 2024

5. Donerio Davenport, RB Louisiana Tech (Texas State)
6. Josiah Cox, S New Mexico State (Arizona State)
7. Calvin Hill, RB UTEP (Texas State)
8. Alex Oliver, CB Liberty (VMI)
9. Jevon Jackson, RB UTEP (Austin Peay)
10. Dominick Hill, CB Liberty (Temple)

Top Conference USA Quarterback Transfers
– TJ Finley, WKU (Texas State)
– Zion Turner, Jacksonville State (UConn)
– Deuce Hogan, New Mexico State (Kentucky)
– Jase Bauer, Sam Houston (Central Michigan)

New Conference USA Head Coaches

FBS off-season program of the day

MTSU BLUE RAIDERS

– The Derek Mason era is here
– Vattiato is projecting upwards coming of 3k yard passing season
– Handful of very good portal acquisitions
– Very good schedule including Duke, Ole Miss & Memphis

Fun fall in Murfreesboro pic.twitter.com/2o7dPClhOi
— College Football Daily (@FBSCFBnews) March 5, 2024

Derek Mason, Middle Tennessee
Taking over for mainstay head man Rick Stockstill, he should bring the Blue Raiders back up to bowl game prominence right away. Remember, Mason is the guy who took Vanderbilt to its last two bowl appearances.

Tony Sanchez, New Mexico State
It didn’t work as the head man at UNLV, but he goes from top assistant under Jerry Kill to the head coaching job to keep the continuity going from last year’s quality team.

Scotty Walden, UTEP
This was one of the more interesting under-the-radar hirings this offseason. He’s a young head coach with a big-time offensive style that should bring a whole lot of fun to El Paso.

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UAB 🏈 players join Players Assc#NCAA trying to settle antitrust case#SEC #B1G developing player revenue sharing

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UK-Garrison commit

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