Conference USA Final Power Rankings
by asalom on Nov 28, 2011 4:17 PM MST
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Football season isn't quite over as there are still conference championship games, and bowls left to play, but this will be the Rush's final power rankings for the 2011 season. It's been an interesting season, successful for some, and disappointing for others, but all in all very entertaining. Here are the Conference USA Power Rankings.
1. #6 Houston Cougars (12-0, 8-0) Last Week: (W) @ Tulsa, This Week: vs. #24 Southern Miss
The Cougars finished off their undefeated regular season Friday with a 48-16 win at Tulsa. Houston currently sits at #6 in the latest BCS poll, and will find themselves in a BCS bowl for the first time ever if they can just beat Southern Miss in the C-USA championship.
Possible Bowl Matchup: Houston vs. Michigan - All State Sugar Bowl
2. #24 Southern Miss Golden Eagles (10-2, 6-2) Last Week: (W) vs. Memphis, This Week: vs. #6 Houston
The Golden Eagles closed out the regular season with a 44-7 win over Memphis. Southern Miss could have easily found themselves facing Houston this week for the chance to play in a BCS bowl, but two slip ups against Marshall (26-20) and UAB (34-31) have pretty much relegated the Golden Eagles to the Liberty Bowl.
Possible Bowl Matchup: Southern Miss vs. Vanderbilt - Autozone Liberty Bowl
3. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (8-4, 7-1) Last Week: (L) vs. #6 Houston, This Week: Off
The Golden Hurricane saw their season end in somewhat disappointing fashion, as their upset bid of Houston fell short by a final of 48-16. Still, this was a very successful season for the Hurricane, especially when considering they lost start WR Damaris Johnson right before the season began. Tulsa's four losses came against Oklahoma St. (#3), Houston (#6), Boise St. (#7), and Oklahoma (#10).
Possible Bowl Matchup: Tulsa vs. Purdue - Ticket City Bowl
4. Marshall Thundering Herd (6-6, 5-3) Last Week: (W) vs. ECU, This Week: Off
The Thundering Herd were up and down all year, but won their last two games to make it to bowl eligibility. After being down 22-10 with 11:00 minutes to go against Memphis two weeks ago, the Herd rallied to pick up the 23-22 win. They also won Saturday against ECU, and now wait to find out where they will be bowling.
Possible Bowl Matchup: Marshall vs. Pitt - Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl
5. SMU Mustangs (7-5, 5-3) Last Week: (W) vs. Rice, This Week: Off
The Mustangs picked up a 27-24 win over Rice on Saturday, but finished the season 2-4. Included in the four losses were games against Houston, Southern Miss, and Tulsa.
Possible Bowl Matchup: SMU vs. Nevada - Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
6. ECU Pirates (5-7, 4-4) Last Week: (L) @ Marshall, This Week: Off
The Pirates needed a win at Marshall on Saturday to finish 6-6 and reach a bowl game, but the final result was a 34-27 OT loss. This season had greater expectations than this, but a slow start and finish doomed the Pirates.
7. UCF Knights (5-7, 3-5) Last Week: (W) vs. UTEP, This Week: Off
The Knights season figuratively ended last week when they lost at ECU, but bragging right were still on the line as the Miners came to town for senior night. That's when the Knights went to town in a 31-14 victory that was 31-0 in the 4th quarter.
8. UTEP Miners (5-7, 2-6) Last Week: (L) @ UCF, This Week: Off
The Miners' season ended with a 31-14 loss at UCF on Friday. Expectations weren't exactly high in El Paso entering the season, but it was sure disappointing to watch our team end the season the way they did. Poor performances against Rice, Tulsa, and UCF in three of the last four made this season an extreme disappointment.
9. Rice Owls (4-8, 3-5) Last Week: (L) @ SMU, This Week: Off
The Owls' season ended with a 27-24 loss against SMU on Saturday. Hopes in Houston were high coming into the season, but this year turned out much like last.
10. UAB Blazers (3-9, 3-5) Last Week: (L) @ Florida Atlantic, This Week: Off
Absolutely pathetic. The Blazers knock off then #20 USM, and then turn around and lost to a then winless Florida Atlantic team. I'm not sure what happened in Birmingham this year, but there should be some changes after this campaign.
11. Memphis Tigers (2-10, 1-7) Last Week: (L) @ #24 Southern Miss, This Week: Off
No one really expected much out of the Tigers this season, and not much is exactly what they got. Memphis has double digit leads in the 4th quarter two weeks in a row against UAB and Marshall, but wound up giving both of those away. Memphis' season ended on Saturday with a 44-7 loss to Southern Miss.
12. Tulane Green Wave (2-11, 1-7) Last Week: (L) @ Hawaii, This Week: Off
At one point this season, the Green Wave was 2-1. They finished the season 2-11 after dropping 10 in a row, including Saturday's 35-23 loss at Hawaii.
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Marshall post-season conclusion
Although it’s merely 6-6, I’m satisfied with this season…..I think.
Our record at year’s end is exactly what I projected it to be, but we won one I didn’t think we would (Southern Miss) and lost one we definitely shouldn’t have (OHIO).
However, in classic Marshall fan complaint fashion, I wasn’t entirely impressed with how the season went – we had tons of opportunities to show improvement on a few fronts and never really did, particularly on secondary play and offensive play calling (excluding the 2nd half and OT of the ECU game).
All in all, though, I’m pleased with the season and look forward to a bowl game for only the second time since I’ve been a die-hard Marshall fan. GO HERD!
I could echo your disappointments
With how our season went. Oh well, it is what it is. At least you all are bowling though.
Rice vs UTEP?
Let’s see, Rice beats UTEP, has more conference wins than UTEP, beats a Big 10 team that beats Ohio State, yet gets ranked below UTEP in your final C-USA poll?
Granted, it’s only the difference between 7 and 8, but still, c’mon man…
You can make arguments for either team
But imo, everyone outside of Houston knows that UTEP is/was better than Rice. UTEP finished with a better overall record, they finished ranked higher in passing yards per game, rushing yards per game, points for per game, and points against per game.
Rice got lucky against Purdue with a blocked chip shot fg as time expired, and the Boilermakers are AT BEST a mediocre team. I know that everyone in Houston wants to make an argument about how Rice beat a Big Ten team, but come on…really?? Purdue finished 6-6, and the opponents that they beat finished 20-39. They went 4-4 in conference, yes including a win over an Ohio St team that finished 3-5 in the Big Ten, but the opponents they beat in conference finished 7-25.
You could also make an argument that you got a free win with Memphis at home, whereas we had UCF on the road.
Honestly, I’ll admit that I’m also a little biased. You’d probably find other rankings out there that will rank Rice ahead of UTEP, and those sites could make good arguments to justify that. But I truly believe, as a football fan first, that UTEP is the better team. It sickens me that we lost that game at Rice. We should’ve won that game hands down, and instead we made Rice look like a top 25 team. More than anything that cost us a trip to a bowl. Anyway, I appreciate the comment.
I think, I feel, I believe, shoulda, coulda, woulda...
Blah, blah, blah. Rice beat UTEP head up and finished with a better record in conference, and you’ve got them ranked behind UTEP?. No Rice fan here, I can assure you, but you take HOMER to another level. UTEP gave up 680 yards in total offense! To Rice!! Laid an egg! Missed bowl opportunity! Embarrassed themselves! Made Rice QB C-USA POW! C’mon, man…
I love the way you just deflect
The fact that UTEP finished with a better overall record, had arguably the tougher conference schedule, and finished ranked higher in almost all major statistical categories. But, Rice beat UTEP, that means they’re better! And you call me the homer??? If that’s the case then UTEP should be ranked ahead of ECU, I mean UTEP beat them. Actually, Marshall and UAB should both be ranked ahead of Southern Miss. Texas Tech should be ranked ahead of Oklahoma, Iowa St. ahead of Oklahoma St., and if Georgia beats LSU then they should play for the national championship.
The thing you don’t get is that rankings are not about one game. Look at the whole package, and then make a decision from there. Obviously, you’re a coog fan, and I’ll bet you were shitting your pants when UTEP was on the 20 driving to tie the game. Rice lost 73-34 to Houston!!! Why don’t you think about that?
Look, you can say whatever you want. It doesn’t change the fact that UTEP is better than Rice. And more than that, it doesn’t change Miner Rush’s power rankings. And, if the only thing that you have is me ranking UTEP ahead of Rice that “takes Homer to another level” then so be it.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down there, buddy. You seem a little sensitive for a media type. Ain’t no reason we can’t have a little fun with this, right? I mean, we are talking about ranking two teams with nine wins between them. I can understand how you’d be more than a little sore with the way your season ended, but still…
Anyway, coupla final points and you get the last word, okay?. And again, I am NOT a Rice fan.
You make much in defending your ranking of (1) final final team win/loss records and (2) season stats. Schedules? Okay, Rice played four OOC road games against BCS teams. Count ‘em – Texas, Baylor, Purdue, and Northwestern. And if you look close, you’ll see that ALL FOUR of those teams are bowl eligible. And if you look even closer, outside of your opening D-1AA opponent, you’ll see that none of your OOC opponents has a winning record. And we can probably agree that Memphis and Stoney Brook are probably a wash.
Statistics? Okay, here are a couple for you. 41 and 680. As in points and yards of total offense allowed by UTEP this year against against Rice. I mean, 680 yards allowed is two BAD games rolled up into one HORRIFIC game. Add the stakes that were on the line (bowl eligibility) and, well… And Rice closed out the season with a close 27-24 loss at SMU while UTEP was simply non-competitive in it’s last two games against Tulsa and UCF.
“Look, you can say whatever you want. It doesn’t change the fact that UTEP is better than Rice.” Really? REALLY?
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Okay, self disclosure. I’m actually a closet Miner fan. Honest. Just wanted take a contrarian position using nothing but facts and stats to see how you’d respond. We see.
Oh, and be careful about ragging on a team that will be 13-0 in a couple of days. The over/under in years it will take UTEP to win their next 13 games is about 2.5. You in?
Enjoy your site, keep up the good work…
Honestly buddy
1. I’m not media, I’m a fan who writes for a blog, who has decided to do his own weekly power rankings.
2. I’m not sensitive at all. I’ll just argue my point until I’m blue in the face. Although things can be misconstrued through text.
3. If you are truly a UTEP fan, you know who the better team is, and you know that the Rice game was an epic fail, and was not telling of the true level of this teams’ ability.
4. I never once ragged on Houston. They’re good, real good, and I would love to see them go to a BCS bowl. I was making the comparison of UTEP hanging with the no. 6 team in the nation whereas Rice got rolled. In fact, if you read my preseason power rankings, I said something to the effect of it would be a disappointment if UH won less than 10 games.
5. This was the “final” power rankings. I had UTEP ranked 5th when they were 5-5, and because of the results of the other games felt compelled to keep them there at 5-6. 5-7 dropped them to 8th, but Rice was never above 8th or 9th for a reason. They were terrible all season, and one big win over UTEP doesn’t change that. They still had virtually no shot at a bowl after October 15th, and they didn’t finish out the season any stronger than UTEP. Beating a Tulane team 19-7 at home that UTEP beat 44-7 on the road doesn’t say anything, and losing by 3 to an SMU team that was absolutely crawling to the finish doesn’t say anything either. UTEP had a chance to beat SMU, with a backup QB, when SMU was “peaking”…….Like I’ve been saying, you can make arguments for either team, but if you watched, you know UTEP was the better team.
6. As far as scheduling. My argument was for conference scheduling, not overall scheduling. Sure Rice scheduled 4 BCS opponents, but they basically had no shot in any of them except for Purdue. Think about this. The week before Rice played Purdue, the Boilermakers beat Middle Tennessee at home by 3, and needed a TD with 49 second left to do so. Middle Tennessee is 2-9. PURDUE IS TERRIBLE. Rice should’ve beat them, and I was saying that when they played them, already having my opinions of Rice.
7. Again, thanks for the comment.
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