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2008 Conference USA Football

Written July 25, 2008 by Jason Lowry

We are right on the door steps of another exciting season of NCAA Football, and Jason Lowry is ready to bring you his 2008 Conference USA football predictions. Conference USA sent half of their conference to bowl games last season, as 6 teams played one extra. This year the conference looks like it should be primed for another solid season, and we wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t send at least 6 again this year. Here is a look at how we see the upcoming season playing out in one of college footballs major conferences.

West
1) Tulsa Golden Hurricane
The Golden Hurricane look like they are the top class of this conference after an impressive 10-4 season that included a rout of Bowling Green in the GMAC Bowl. With 9 starters back on offense this team is lock and loaded to run away with the East division.

2) Houston Cougars
There is some concerns with the Cougars this season, and we weren’t sure if they were the 2nd best team in the West, but we took a closer look and we think that some of the young talent coming in is going to step in and barely miss a beat. We also expect sophomore quarterback Case Keenum to take his game to the next level this season.

3) SMU Mustangs
The Mustangs are coming off another bad season, this time they were just 1-11 and you might wonder how a team that only wins 1 game is picked to finish 3rd in the West, but this team let so many close ones slip away last season, and its time that the luck switched and this team could be making a bowl trip for the first time since 1984.

4) Rice Owls
The Owls really struggled last year going just 3-9, but with 16 returning starters we think that head coach David Bailiff is ready to lead this team to his first winning season as coach at Rice. Senior quarterback Chase Clement might just be the best the conference has to offer.

5) UTEP Minors
The Minors might be a little low in our rankings this season, but we just weren’t all that impressed with this team last year. They were only 4-8 and won just 2 games in conference play. They only have 12 starters back, and we think this team is staying towards the bottom of the West.

6) Tulane Green Wave
We got the Green Wave riding a wave right to the bottom of this conference. This team just has to much to make up for with the loss of Matt Forte who pretty much carried the offense last season rushing for over 2,000 yards and scored 23 touchdowns, and not to mention he was the teams 3rd leading receiver as well.

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East
1) East Carolina Pirates
The Pirates put together a pretty solid season last year going 8-5, and finished up the season with an impressive win over Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl. With 16 returning starters this team should have no trouble staying near the top of the East division.

2) UCF Knights
We had trouble putting the Knights below the Pirates in the East, but with only 5 starters back on offense, and the team turning to a new face at quarterback, we figured it was just a little to much for this team to repeat in the East. Don’t be surprised if this team doesn’t still win 8 or 9 games this season.

3) Memphis Tigers
The Tigers finished just one game behind the Knights last season, and were able to make it to their 4th bowl game in the last 5 years, but it didn’t go so well this time as Florida Atlantic handed them a 44-27 beating in the New Orleans Bowl. We like the Tigers to be right around where they were last season, so expect another 7 win season from this team.

4) Marshall Thundering Herd
The Thundering Herd could be thundering their way back to the top of the East division this season, as they have 17 returning starters coming back this year. If this team can get it together before conference play starts, they just might finish as high as second in the East.

5) Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles
The Golden Eagles put together a pretty good year going 7-6 and continued their bowl streak alive, but lost for the first time in 3 years as Cincinnati handed them a 10 point loss in the PapaJohns.com Bowl game. They got only 10 starters coming back, and thats why we got them finishing towards the bottom this season.

6) UAB Blazers
Finishing up our look at Conference USA we got the Blazers bringing up the rear, as they were able to win just 2 games a year ago. They do have 16 starters coming back, but they need a new quarterback, and a lot of players to get a lot better in a short period of time.

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