C-USA football comparison

[pay4dirt]

This may be an odd observation, but one reason UTEP did so poorly this past season is that Conference USA is actually a little better over all than in past seasons. The top couple teams are always good, but this year, more teams were better than in the past. Six teams had winning records. Only three of the nine bowl teams had 6-6 records. UTEP had good athletes. It was only the poor to
mediocre coaching that did us in. Coach Dimel should improve things, but we'll see if he can find a winning season out of all this. Hope so. Go Miners.

 

[Roy_Bigwood_05]

This may be an odd observation, but one reason UTEP did so poorly this past season is that Conference USA is actually a little better over all than in past seasons. The top couple teams are always good, but this year, more teams were better than in the past. Six teams had winning records. Only three of the nine bowl teams had 6-6 records. UTEP had good athletes. It was only the poor to
mediocre coaching that did us in. Coach Dimel should improve things, but we'll see if he can find a winning season out of all this. Hope so. Go Miners.

I agree with everything you pointed out. Well said sir. +1,000

 

[unihom]

FAU lost to Navy, Wisconsin, and Buffalo. They're the CUSA champions. What teams did CUSA beat out of conference?

 

[pay4dirt]

C-USA went 4-5 in nine bowl games. I was hoping it would be better but the predictions had the Conference at 2-7. If the Conference starts winning the majority of bowl games, I'll say we're on to something. The top teams weren't world beaters this year but the conference as a whole was better. Six winning teams and three stinkers, (including UTEP), instead of three winning teams and six stinkers. That's the difference.

 

[EP Maximus]

FAU lost to Navy, Wisconsin, and Buffalo. They're the CUSA champions. What teams did CUSA beat out of conference?

Great question!

 

[unihom]

 

[UTEPfan1966]

This may be an odd observation, but one reason UTEP did so poorly this past season is that Conference USA is actually a little better over all than in past seasons. The top couple teams are always good, but this year, more teams were better than in the past. Six teams had winning records. Only three of the nine bowl teams had 6-6 records. UTEP had good athletes. It was only the poor to
mediocre coaching that did us in. Coach Dimel should improve things, but we'll see if he can find a winning season out of all this. Hope so. Go Miners.

You lost my attention here...

 

[El Paso 777]

This may be an odd observation, but one reason UTEP did so poorly this past season is that Conference USA is actually a little better over all than in past seasons.

No, that wasn't the reason.

 

[LaserCoog]

... but one reason UTEP did so poorly this past season is that Conference USA is actually a little better over all than in past seasons.

UTEP had good athletes. It was only the poor to mediocre coaching that did us in.

Uh, just curious, exactly what C-USA iteration are you talking about? Last five years? Maybe. Before that? No way. Western Ky and La. Tech have been good recently, but they would have been middle of the pack football programs at best prior to 2013/2014. Central Florida, Memphis, Houston, Tulsa, SMU, and East Carolina were consistently dominant during that period. And that's why they are no longer IN C-USA.

By any standard, the assertion that C-USA is "actually a little better over all than in past seasons" is demonstrably incorrect.

 

[JCorona]

Uh, just curious, exactly what C-USA iteration are you talking about? Last five years? Maybe. Before that? No way. Western Ky and La. Tech have been good recently, but they would have been middle of the pack football programs at best prior to 2013/2014. Central Florida, Memphis, Houston, Tulsa, SMU, and East Carolina were consistently dominant during that period. And that's why they are no longer IN C-USA.

By any standard, the assertion that C-USA is "actually a little better over all than in past seasons" is demonstrably incorrect.

I agree with Houston and UCF. And also with Tulsa and ECU even though they were the last two teams added despite arguably having better resumes of other AAC invites. SMU has three winning seasons during CUSA 2.0 from 05-13. Memphis had two winning seasons in the same time period. Markets played a huge role in why those two schools are no longer in CUSA.

Comparing CUSA 2.0 to CUSA 3.0 using RPI rankings doesn’t show much of a difference between the two versions. In 2005 CUSA finished ranked 9 out of all conferences with three top 50 teams.
06: 9. 3 top 50
07: 10. 3
08: 10. 3
09: 9. 4
10: 10. 2
11: 10. 3
12: 9. 4
13: 12. 2 top 50

3.0
14: 11. 4 top 50
15: 9. 2
16: 11. 3
17: 11. 2
18: 10. 2 top 50

While there was a slight difference in drop off from 2.0 to 3.0 I don’t think it’s enough to automatically assume La Tech and WKU would only be middle of the pack teams. CUSA 2.0 wasn’t as good as people remember it. Yes it was a little better but not by much. Had they expanded in a different direction by adding established football programs instead of start ups I firmly believe the numbers above would be more even.

 

[utep2step]

Not that it's not relevant, but can we stop comparing to Houston, SMU, Tulsa etc..

The damn ODU "we belong over there" virus is contagious. ODU thinks they belong in the ACC. Only problem, they haven't won anything!

Ruston, Boise, Hattiesburg, Norfolk, Tulsa, and all the others are all fighting for the same carrot. Only problem is these programs getting into a pissing match. Win the conference and when afforded the opportunity, seal club that giant opponent when you get the chance. Like what UTAH did to Alabama years ago (UTAH is also a top notch research university which also helped get them into the PAC 12).

 

[pay4dirt]

Central Florida is vastly better this year compared to UTEP. Complete opposites. But remember, there was a time that UTEP spanked them like red headed step children. That was when Jose Martinez kicked his 64 yard field goal to end the first half. We totally mugged them that game. But of course the teams are a world apart now in conference affiliation, money infusion, coaching, etcetera. Wish we could be there. But there was a time when every one thought Conference USA would dry up and blow away. But we did just send nine teams to bowl games. Six of those had winning records. How often has that happened, past or present?

 

[JCorona]

Central Florida is vastly better this year compared to UTEP. Complete opposites. But remember, there was a time that UTEP spanked them like red headed step children. That was when Jose Martinez kicked his 64 yard field goal to end the first half. We totally mugged them that game. But of course the teams are a world apart now in conference affiliation, money infusion, coaching, etcetera. Wish we could be there. But there was a time when every one thought Conference USA would dry up and blow away. But we did just send nine teams to bowl games. Six of those had winning records. How often has that happened, past or present?

Never before. Let’s not forget we actually had 10 bowl eligible teams. UTSA at 6-5 was left behind this bowl season. In all of its existence the most bowl eligible teams CUSA has ever produced is 6 out of 12.

 

[unihom]

Never before. Let’s not forget we actually had 10 bowl eligible teams. UTSA at 6-5 was left behind this bowl season. In all of its existence the most bowl eligible teams CUSA has ever produced is 6 out of 12.

UAB and Southern Miss were the only 2 teams that got to play UTEP, Rice, and Charlotte, who combined for 2 wins all year. UAB did lose to Charlotte though.

Both of those teams were taken to the woodshed in their bowl games. CUSA teams have inflated win totals because of the crap at the bottom. The league was not very good, though better than recent years.

 

[LaserCoog]

Central Florida is vastly better this year compared to UTEP. Complete opposites. But remember, there was a time that UTEP spanked them like red headed step children. That was when Jose Martinez kicked his 64 yard field goal to end the first half. We totally mugged them that game. But of course the teams are a world apart now in conference affiliation, money infusion, coaching, etcetera. Wish we could be there. But there was a time when every one thought Conference USA would dry up and blow away. But we did just send nine teams to bowl games. Six of those had winning records. How often has that happened, past or present?

Stop it, man. Just stop it...