Conference USA football fans will be in for a treat on Halloween night when Rice visits North Texas in a key West Division showdown. The Owls have reeled off four wins in a row to become bowl-eligible in back-to-back years for the first time since 1996-97. North Texas needs just one more victory to be bowl-eligible for the first time since 2004, when it played in its fourth straight bowl game.
 
Five Conference USA games and one non-conference tilt are on the docket for Saturday, with a pair of early East Division battles leading off the day.
 
Southern Miss will visit Marshall in an East Division showdown. All four games that have been played in Huntington between the teams have been decided by nine points or fewer.
 
Middle Tennessee will face UAB for the first time since 2000 with a Noon CDT kickoff at Legion Field. The Blue Raiders have been one of the nation’s top teams in forcing turnovers (22), while the Blazers have committed the fewest miscues in C-USA (8).
 
In a West Division showdown, Tulsa hosts UTSA. The Golden Hurricane need to get an inconsistent offense going as it welcomes a Roadrunners squad that is coming off the best offensive performance in school history in last week’s win over UAB.
 
Tulane will visit Florida Atlantic. The Green Wave remain unbeaten in Conference USA play and they are bowl-eligible for the first time since 2002.
 
East Carolina has a division matchup at FIU. The Pirates, who were idle last week, will bring the conference’s top-ranked scoring offense (37.1) and passing offense (340.3 yards per game) to south Florida. The Panthers have proven to be stingy against the pass, placing in the top five in C-USA in pass defense.
 
UTEP will face in-state foe Texas A&M for just the third time to close the day’s action. Miners RB Aaron Jones is averaging 106.1 yards per game, the highest average of all FBS freshmen players.


THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

Rice 16  UNT 28


SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2

Southern Miss 13 Marshall 61

Middle Tennessee 24  UAB 21

USTA 34  Tulsa 15

Tulane 17  FAU 34

East Carolina 34  FIU 13

UTEP 7  Texas A&M 57

FINAL:

Rice 16  UNT 28

Safe to say that it is a good thing UNT (6-3, 4-1) was not on the slate this year for FAU, as they hand the other Owls their first loss in league play, while adding another Bowl eligible Team to the mix for C-USA.

Rice was hopeful to enter comeback mode with 2:09 to play in the red zone and the possibility of an onside kick going their way again, but a Mean Green INT squelched that possibility.

UNT also cashed in for a 55 yard TD via a fumble recovery in the 1st quarter.

Rice posted a 355 to 253 yard overall advantage on the night, but defense wins games.

FINAL:

Southern Miss 13 Marshall 61

Rakeem Cato was 21 of 28 passes for 262 yards and five TD as the Herd stomps the Golden Eagles.

Markeese Tripplet posted a gme high 123 yards on four catches for Southern Miss, who got as close at 28-10 just before half time.

From there it was all Marshall, who closed on a 33-3 run and averaged 11.4 pyc in the ground game.

Middle Tennessee 24  UAB 21

The Blue Raiders notch their second straight win in late effort fashion. This time behind an 18 yard FG with just three seconds to go.

The Blazers held the lead until the 9:41 mark of the 4th quarter.

Logan Kilgore struggled with accuracy at times for MTSU while going 11-of-22 with 2TD, and Reggie Whatley pounded out a contest best 155 yards by foot.

FINAL:

USTA 34  Tulsa 15

The Golden Hurricasne waited until the second half to get things going and paid the price.

Roadrunner WR Kam Jonesw got a carry attempt, and took advanatge of it with a 84 yard scamper to the house.

Defensively Trenston Wade had two picks, one of which went 82 yards for a defensive score.

FINAL:

Tulane 17  FAU 34

Green Wave turnovers (four) and a solid half time adjustment propel the Owls to their first win in three tries.

QB Quez Johnson leads the ground attack with 114 yards, and William Dukes paces the WR's with 68 yards off four catches with a TD to boot.

Owls DB D'Joun Smith is likely to receive the nod for defensive player of the week after a three pick performance.

FINAL:

East Carolina 34  FIU 13

QB Shane Carden continues to make a case for C-USA player of the year, and completed 65% of his passes with 3TD's as the Pirates become Bowl eligible for the 7th time in the last eight years with a relatively easy win over the Panthers.

Neither team got much from the rushing attack while sporting a combined 147 yards, but FIU got as close as 21-13 at the 8:54 mark of the third quarter when RB Austin Taylor trodded out a 31 yard score.

ECU then closed out the night's offense with a pair of TD's later in the fourth.

The Panthers held a noticeable advantage in time of possession at 40:37 to 19:23.

FINAL:

UTEP 7  Texas A&M 57

Johnny Football exploited an over matched Miner squad for six scores within 37:21 minutes of game action. Four came via the air, and a pair were by foot.

UTEP was without injured starting signal caller Jameill Showers, who is an A&M transfer, and have now lost six straight contests.

Texas A&M posted their eighth straight game with 500+ yards of offense.

Rick said

FINAL:

Tulane 17  FAU 34

Green Wave turnovers (four) and a solid half time adjustment propel the Owls to their first win in three tries.

QB Quez Johnson leads the ground attack with 114 yards, and William Dukes paces the WR's with 68 yards off four catches with a TD to boot.

Owls DB D'Joun Smith is likely to receive the nod for defensive player of the week after a three pick performance.

Posted On: Nov 2nd 2013, 8:44 PM #320782

After becoming the ninth player in Conference USA history to record three interceptions in one game, leading Florida Atlantic to an emotional 34-17 win over Tulane, Owls junior CB D'Joun Smith has been named C-USA Defensive Player of the Week.

The Offensive award went to Marshall junior QB Rakeem Cato, who matched his career high with five touchdown passes in the Thundering Herd's win over Southern Miss. The Special Teams Player of the Week award went to North Texas senior KR/PR Brelan Chancellor, who became the first Mean Green player in 10 seasons to score on a punt return. C-USA Football Players of the Week are voted on by a panel of the league's media.

Video highlights for Players of the Week…