C-USA Football: Games for Week of November 6, 2021


Byes are all complete, as all 14 Conference USA teams are in action in Week 10, all of which are conference matchups, and all of which are on Saturday.

UAB (5-3, 3-1 C-USA), fresh off its bye week, is set to host Louisiana Tech (2-6, 1-3 C-USA) at Protective Stadium to kick off Conference USA play on Saturday. UAB fell at home its last time out, 30-24 to Rice, while the Bulldogs suffered a defeat at the end of regulation in Norfolk last week, at Old Dominion, 23-20. UAB QB Dylan Hopkins threw for 318 yards last time out, with TE Gerrit Prince serving as his primary target. Prince caught four passes for 114 yards and a score. Louisiana Tech will need a strong performance from the duo of QB Austin Kendall and WR Smoke Harris on Saturday if the Bulldogs have designs on rallying for bowl eligibility over the next four weeks.

North Texas (2-6, 1-3 C-USA) is set for its second road trip in as many weeks, traveling this time to Hattiesburg to take on Southern Miss (1-7, 0-4 C-USA). The Mean Green snapped a six-game skid last week at Rice, knocking off the Owls 30-24 in overtime in Houston, and will be looking to make it two straight on their trip to Hattiesburg. RB Ayo Adeyi found the end zone in overtime, his second rushing score of the day, to lift the Mean Green. Southern Miss fell on the road last week, 35-10, at Middle Tennessee.

Middle Tennessee (4-4, 2-2 C-USA) hits the road to take on one of Conference USA’s hottest teams, WKU (4-4, 3-1 C-USA), who have won three straight. The Blue Raiders and Hilltoppers kick off from Bowling Green. Middle Tennessee QB Mike DiLiello filled in for an injured Chase Cunningham, who left in the first half of the 35-10 win over Southern Miss. DiLiello finished with 78 yards passing on 8-12 passing, and added 11 carries for 77 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in the win. WKU boasts the nation’s top passing offense (435.8 yards per game), and the Hilltoppers aerial assault was on full display in the 45-13 win last week over Charlotte.

Rice (3-5, 2-2 C-USA) makes the trip east to battle Charlotte (4-4, 2-2 C-USA) at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+. Both teams enter play coming off losses, as Rice fell at home to North Texas in overtime, and Charlotte was beaten 45-13 at WKU. The Owls will likely be without QB Wiley Green, who left the game early due to injury against North Texas last week. QB Jake Constantine will likely be under center this week in Charlotte. The 49ers are dealing with some QB injury issues of their own, as Chris Reynolds missed last week’s loss at WKU due to a hand injury, which paved the way for James Foster, who earned his first career start.

In one of the premier C-USA matchups of the week, Marshall (5-3, 3-1 C-USA) travels South to Boca Raton to battle Florida Atlantic (-3, 3-1 C-USA) in a key fixture between two of the three teams tied atop the East Division. The game winner will be taking a step closer to a potential divsion title. Marshall blanked FIU 38-0 in Huntington behind RB Rasheen Ali’s big day with 26 carries for 133 yards and two scores in the win. Florida Atlantic held on to knock off UTEP last week, 28-25 in Boca. The Owls held a 28-10 lead late in the fourth quarter and withstood a furious rally by the visiting Miners to get to  -1 in league play, and within one win of bowl eligibility.

Old Dominion (2-6, 1-3 C-USA) makes the trip down to Miami to take on FIU (1-7, 0-4 C-USA. The Monarchs picked up their first conference win since 2018 with a 23-20 win over Louisiana Tech at home, courtesy of a Nick Rice 46-yard game-winning field goal as time expired last week. FIU was shut out on the road at Marshall, 38-0, as the Panthers dropped their seventh straight.

The night wraps up with a bang, as No. 16 UTSA (8-0, 4-0 C-USA) travels to El Paso to take on UTEP (6-2,3-1 C-USA). The Roadrunners were idle last week, and enter play Saturday as one of just six undefeated teams remaining in the FBS, and one of two in the Group of Five (No. 2 Cincinnati). The Miners dropped a close one in Boca Raton last week, falling 28-25 on the road. They have the opportunity to pick up a big win in their quest for a potential West Division title, and will do so late on Saturday night in front of a national audience.


SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6

LA Tech at UAB (CBSSN)                              12 pm
North Texas at Southern Miss (ESPN+)          3 pm
Middle Tennessee at WKU (Stadium)             3:30 pm
Rice at Charlotte (ESPN+)                            3:30 pm
Marshall at Florida Atlantic (CBSSN/FB)         6 pm
Old Dominion at FIU (ESPN3)                       7 pm
No. 16 UTSA at UTEP (ESPN2)                     10:15 pm

FINAL:

La Tech 38  UAB 52

Fast paced finish for the day's first contest, as the score was 31-24 Blazers with 10:29 to play.

UAB nets the most points they have all season, as do the Bulldogs vs FBS competition.

FINAL:

North Texas 38  Southern Miss 14

Believe it or not the Golden Eagles (1-8 , 0-5) actually led this one 14-0 out of the gate.

Unfortunately, as has been the story for the entire year, the offense couldn't do anything afterwards.

The Mean Green move to 3-6, 2-3 overall.

FINAL:

Middle Tennessee 21  WKU  48

The Blue Raiders (4-5 , 2-3) do FAU no favors, and turn the ball over a whopping seven times.

That aside, they just might have pulled off the upset (+17) over the Hilltoppers (5-4 , 4-1) as both teams evened out in nearly every other category other than penalties (56-15).

FINAL:

Rice 24  Charlotte 31 OT

The 49ers (5-4, 3-2) need the extra period to fend off a pesky Owl (3-6, 2-3) squad.

FINAL:

Marshall 28  FAU 13

Owls outperform overall, but three would-be TD drops, an untimely fumble ahead of a red zone possession, and two Marshall scores off specials teams play seal a Herd win and end the 12 game home win streak.

Team Box Score

Photo Gallery - FAU vs Marshall

FINAL:

Old Dominion 47  FIU 24

The Panthers (1-8, 0-5) surrender 24 first-quarter points and allow 565 offensive yards to the Monarchs (3-6 , 2-3).

FINAL:

No. 16 UTSA 44  UTEP 23

Despite an even second, a 30 point first half is too much for the Miners to overcome.

Frank Harris passed for 286 yards and two touchdowns, and Sincere McCormick rushed for 169 yards as 16th-ranked UTSA gained the upper hand in the C-USA Western Division race.

Zakhari Franklin added 114 yards receiving and two TD's for the Roadrunners, who remained unbeaten at 9-0 overall and 5-0 in league play.

UTEP Media Relations

Following a career day where he carried 14 times for 210 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Louisiana Tech, UAB RB DeWayne McBride was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week.

WKU DB Beanie Bishop took home Defensive Player of the Week honors following an impressive performance in a win over Middle Tennessee, after he recorded two interceptions, including a 43-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Marshall KR Jayden Harrison was named C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week after bringing the opening kickoff back 99 yards for a touchdown in a key road win at Florida Atlantic.