Friday night lights in the Lone Star state leads off week three of C-USA Football, with a pair of challenging non-conference games in league stadiums.   Old Southwest Conference rivals Baylor and Rice renew their rivalry in the Owls home opener, along with Arizona State and UTSA meeting for the first time in San Antonio.    

Four showdowns with Mid-American Conference schools are on Saturday’s slate.  Marshall hosts Akron and Middle Tennessee goes to Bowling Green, WKU will play at Miami (Ohio), and Charlotte will host Eastern Michigan.

C-USA has a pair of games at Big 12 schools that will be shown by FOX Sports Net. Florida Atlantic plays at Kansas State while Louisiana Tech is at Texas Tech.

The league has two games against independents. Army plays a C-USA school for the second straight week, visiting UTEP, while FIU will play at Massachusetts for the second straight season.

Southern Miss hosts Troy, Old Dominion is at NC State and North Texas visits No. 25 Florida.


FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

(19) Baylor at Rice (ESPN) 8 p.m.

Arizona State at UTSA (ESPN2) 9:30 p.m.

 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

Akron at Marshall (ASN) 12 p.m.

Middle Tenn. at Bowling Green (ASN) 12 p.m.

Florida Atlantic at Kansas St. (FSN) 2:30 p.m.

FIU at Massachusetts (ASN) 3:30 p.m.

WKU at Miami (Ohio) (ESPN3) 3:30 p.m.

Eastern Michigan at Charlotte (CUSA TV) 6 p.m.

Old Dominion at NC State (ESPN3) 6 p.m.

Louisiana Tech at Texas Tech (FSN) 7 p.m.

Troy at Southern Miss (beIN) 7 p.m.

Army at UTEP (ASN) 7 p.m.

North Texas at (23) Florida (ESPNU) 7:30 p.m.

ODU lost their placekicker for the year. Head Coach Bobby Wilder said Monday they will be using their punter (a true freshman) to handle both duties.

FIU Coach Ron Turner had this to offer on Alex McGough:

"I think he is going to be okay. He's got a back contusion. So it’s a muscle spasm in his back. He wasn't able to do much yesterday, but he is doing better today. I expect he will be able to go [against UMass]".

Rick said

FIU Coach Ron Turner had this to offer on Alex McGough:

"I think he is going to be okay. He's got a back contusion. So it’s a muscle spasm in his back. He wasn't able to do much yesterday, but he is doing better today. I expect he will be able to go [against UMass]".

Posted On: Sep 13th 2016, 4:54 PM #359117

After his first two games I think some FIU fans are actually hoping his backup gets some more play time. May be a blessing in disguise for them if he can't go.

No 2 QB not near as good a passer but he can scramble and cause problems. D needs to NOT lunge at him, make HIM make the move first!

Rice is going to get an arse whoopin' tonight.

Rick said

Rice is going to get an arse whoopin' tonight.

Posted On: Sep 16th 2016, 7:56 PM #359201

They hung in for awhile but the whopping has commenced.

They're coming back…Pesky bastards. Looked like garbage the first two weeks and are now showing the mosquito like qualities they always seem to come up with down the line. 

On a side note, how about UTSA up 14-3 on Arizona State late in the 1st?

 

22 point underdogs tonight.

Rick said

On a side note, how about UTSA up 14-3 on Arizona State late in the 1st?

 22 point underdogs tonight.

Posted On: Sep 16th 2016, 10:11 PM #359206

UTSA pl;ayed good for 3 qtrsn=but then got whooped in the 4th. Depth issues? Toi conservative? Az. St. just turned it up? All of the above I guess. But great effort (SOUND FAMILIAR!!!!!!!!!!).

And Rice lost by that magical 10-38 score (FAU, WKU and now Rice) to Power 5 ranked teams the past 2 weeks. But that Rice passing game (31 YARDS!!!) looks AWFUL which probably means we give up 300 yards to them. When a team plays to the level of the opposition (meaning DOWN) that is the COACHES fault as THEY control the attitude and pace of the team! Why do you think Bama (after the ULM games years ago) under Saban DOES NOT PLAY DOWN!