Young Sully (YS) & Old Sully (OS) met at KFC, while the Jeep Liberty Sport’s drive shaft was being repaired @ Johnnie’s Servise Inc., to consider the fate of the teams in the newly aligned C-USA’s, East Division.
Several teams from the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) have joined C-USA to fill the vacated spots of teams (Houston, Southern Methodist, Central Florida & Memphis) that jumped to the American Athletic Conference (AAC or the old Big East). Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), Florida Atlantic University (FAU), Florida International University (FIU), University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA), & North Texas (NT) are all former members of the SBC that made the move for the 2013 season!
Also, Louisiana Tech, a former member of the recently disolved Western Athletic Conference (WAC) have joined C-USA’s West Division, along with NT & UTSA. MTSU, FAU & FIU have been placed in C-USA’s East Division and will be discussed in this preview!
Marshall
Non-Conference Games: The Thundering Herd takes on Miami of Ohio & Gardner-Webb @ home and travels to Ohio University & Virginia Tech to complete their NC schedule. YS thinks the Thundering Herd, limp through thier Non-Conference (NC) schedule @ 2-2, beating Miami of Ohio & Gardner-Webb, while falling to Va Tech & Ohio University! OS says, ‘hold the Herd’ .. I do not think so, 3-1 is the result of NC encounters, losing to only Virginia Tech.
Divisional Games: The ‘Herd’ plays @ FAU (Florida Atlantic University), MTSU (Middle Tennessee State University), & FIU (Florida International University) all on the road and welcomes Southern Miss, UAB (University of Alabama Birmingham) & East Carolina to Joan C. Edwards Stadium. YS believes, 6-0, this is where the Herd Thunders as they go unbeaten in divisional play. OS babbles, ‘Not so fast my friend’ it is 5-1 for the Herd, the East Championship Game will come down to the last game of the season, when East Carolina comes a calling on the ‘Herd’ in Huntington, WV. ECU with its 18 returning starters, finds a way in Joan C. Edward Stadiun to beat Marshall!
Conference Cross-Over Games: Marshall take on two teams from the West Division UTSA (University of Texas San Antonio) @ home and then, hit the dusty trail all the way to Tulsa to battle the the Golden Hurricanes! YS & OS Agree Marshall goes 1-1 in Conference Cross-Over Games, beating UTSA while falling to Tulsa!
Over-All Record: YS has Marshall @ 9-3 & OS agrees, the Herd goes 9-3 in the 2013 season!
East Carolina:
Non-Conference Games: The Pirates battle Old Dominion (an FBS Indepenent) & Va Tech (ACC) at home and travels to North Carolina (wait… they are already in North Carolina) to challenge UNC (North Carolina) & NC State (both Carolina schools are members of the ACC). YS & OS say it’s 1-3, the Pirates get thrown into the galley (Pirate ship’s, or any ship kitchen… you dope) vs the ACC and left to feed on only the Monarchs of Old Dominion
Divisional Games: EC plays FAU, Southern Miss, & UAB @ home and hits the road to take on MTSU, FIU, & Marshall. YS thinks 5-1, falling in their last divisional game to Marshall, OS disagrees, the Pirates go 6-0 in the East Division, thier difficult NC schedule paves the way for a victory in Huntington, WV, over Marshall.
Conference Cross-Over Games: The pirates set sail for the Port of New Orleans & Tulane and invite Tulsa to Dowdy-Ficken Stadium for a battle royale! YS says it will be one & one for the Pirates, beating Tulane while losing to Tulsa. OS thinks 2-0, as the Pirate ship survives the Hurricane from Tulsa!
Over-All Record: YS believes the Pirates go 7-5 in 013, OS thinks, no way Jose and has ECU @ 9-3!
Southern Miss
Non-Conference Games: The Golden Eagles went 0-12 last year, fired Ellis Johnson after one year… you got it, I said … one year, when really, someone should show the AD where the exit Door is located. This Dope scheduled Nebraska, Arkansas, & Boise State all on the road, after a 0-12 season… I know schedules are made in advance … but adjustments can & should have been made! They do get a reprieve on opening day, when they take on Texas State from the Sun Belt! YS & OS concur, 1-3 for the Golden Eagles given the challenges this NC schedule presents!
Divisional Games: The Eagles welcome FIU, FAU, & MTSU to Roberts Stadium while playing East Carolina, Marshall, & UAB all away from home! YS thinks 4-2, winning all three home games against former Sun Belt teams and beating UAB on the road! OS says, ‘Right On’, it’s 4-2 for the ‘Eagles’ in 2013 and agrees with how they arrive @ four wins & the two losses!
Conference Cross-Over Games: In Divisional Cross-over games Southern Miss hosts North Texas and visits Louisiana Tech. YS & OS are on the same page here as well, 2-0, La Tech is new to C-USA and while welcoming the Golden Eagles to Rustin, LA, they have only a total of 7 starters back. That said, while North Texas does have 17 returning starters, they are also new to the League and the Golden Eagles play them at home!
Over-All Record: YS & OS agree, it will be 7-5 for Southern Miss this coming season and back bowling in the second season!
UAB
Non-Conference Games: The Blazers play @ Troy (Sun Belt Conference), LSU ( SEC) & Vanberbilt (SEC) and welcome Northwestern State (Southland Conference) to Legion Field. YS thinks 1-3, Troy has beaten UAB 3 of the last four times they have played, nothing new in 013, LSU & Vandy are losses and a not very good, FCS opponent, Northwestern State, means one win in NC Games for the Blazers. OS concurs, if UAB were playing Troy @ Legion Field, a different projection would be made here, but they are not, 1-3, in NC contests, is right on!
Divisional Games: UAB is home against Florida Atlantic University (FAU), Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), & Southern Miss while traveling to Florida International University (FIU), Marshall, & East Carolina University (ECU) YS & OS agree, 3-3, playing FAU & MTSU at home are important elements in forecasting the Blazers as the winner in these games. Where UAB play’s Marshall, ECU, & Southern Miss, will not matter, it would / will be projected as a loss, further, the venue where playing FIU (in Miami this year @ FIU home arena), is also not relevant in picking UAB (simply better than FIU) as the winner!
Conference Cross-Over Games: In their divisional cross-over games, the Blazers take on the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) in San Antonio & host Rice University in Birmingham. YS & OS are all over this, 1-1, Rice has 19 starters back from the 2012 team and will compete for the West Division Crown, they will have little to few (or few to little … pick one) problems in beating UAB in Birmingham! The Blazers will hammer UTSA, in their first meeting ever in football, in San Antonio.
Over-All Record: YS & OS agree. UAB finishes the 2013 campaign at 5-7. Troy is the swing game for UAB to play their way into the Bowl Season!
Middle Tennesee
Non-Conference Games: MTSU takes on Western Carolina (Southern Conference) & Memphis (AAC) both at home and hits the road to battle the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill & BYU in Provo, Utah! YS & OS Agree, the numbers are 2-2, beating Western Carolina & Memphis but falling to the ‘Big Boy’ Carolina schools.
Divisional Games: The Blue Raiders play FAU, UAB, & Southern Miss all on the road and open the home gates for ECU, Marshall, & FIU in divisional tilts. YS thinks 2-4, beating the Florida schools, FAU & FIU! OS concurs, 2 & 4 are the correct numbers, as MTSU falls to at UAB & Southern Miss and @ home to ECU & Marshall!
Conference Cross-Over Games: MTSU battles North Texas in Denton, Texas @ Apogee Stadium while welcoming the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) to Johnny (Red) Floyd Stadium! YS has the Blue Raiders @ 2-0 beating North Texas in Denton and UTEP in their home arena, Johnny ‘Red’ Floyd Stadium, in Murfreesbore, TN. OS thinks, ‘open the Texas barn door’, it’s 1-1, falling to North Texas on the road, while finding a way against the other Texas team, UTEP, in their first meeting ever!
Over-All Record: YS has MTSU @ 6-6 and playing in the in the second season, OS sees the Blue Raiders @ 5-7 and home for the holidays. The North Texas is the game that will keep MTSU out of the ‘second season’ according to OS, if Blue Raiders find a way, as YS predicts they will …. then they get to ‘go Bowling’ in 2013!
Florida Atlantic
Non-Conference Games: The Owls travel to Miami to take on the Hurricanes, then to Tampa to battle the University of South Florida, & and conclude their away NC games, in Alabama, with Auburn. UAB has only one NC game at home, vs New Mexico State, late in the 2013 season, November 23, @ FAU Stadium. YS & OS are on the same page on this one, Miami, South Florida, & Auburn are to talented for the Owls, but New Mexico State is not and FAU plays them @ home, 1-3 in 013!
Divisional Games: Like their counterparts in the C-USA, the Owls play six divisional games, three @ home & three on the road! The FAU pack their bags and head for ECU, UAB, & Southern Miss, while inviting MTSU, Marshall & FIU to Boca Raton and FAU Stadium. YS believes FAU’s lone chance for a divisional win is at home against FIU and they get it, 1-5. OS agrees & then does not agree, FAU is 0-5 heading into the FIU game, but fall at home to the Panthers, 0-6!
Conference Cross-Over Games: FAU battles Rice University in Houston @ Rice Stadium and welcomes Tulane to Boca Raton for the Owls Homecoming game! YS & OS agree, 0-2 Rice & Tulane are two of the better teams in the West Division.
Over-All Record: YS says it is 2-10 for the Owls in 2013, OS thinks it is one less win & one more loss, 1-11! Both agree, the NC schedule is more about money than wins!
Florida International
Non-Conference Games: The Panthers will try to get their claws into Marland & Louisville while hunting away from home and invite the University of Central Florida (UCF /AAC affiliate) & Bethune-Cookman (FCS/MEAC) to their home hunting grounds in Miami! YS & OS believe that the AD’s from these Florida schools (FAU & FIU) are related, both scheduled 3 BCS opponents, all away from home, against teams they have little to less (never say ‘no chance’ of winning) chance of winning! The numbers are 1-3 as the Panthers do handle Bethune-Cookman.
Divisional Games: FIU travels to Southern Miss, MTSU, & FAU and welcomes UAB, ECU, & Marshall to Miami & FIU Stadium! YS 0-6, as stated above and OS thinks the Panthers beat the Owls, 1-5 in divisional play!
Conference Cross-Over Games: The Panthers welcome Louisiana Tech (New to the League … from the now dissolved WAC) to Miami & FIU Stadium and travel to to El Paso, TX, to take on UTEP! YS & OS agree, 0-2, playing UTEP in El Paso is the key to the loss, if they had the Miners at home, different story!
Over-All Record: YS Has the Panthers @ 1-11 in 013, OS says ‘not so fast my friend’, one more win and one less loss, 2-10 for FIU in the coming season!
Conference-USA, East Division vs Non Conference Opponents:
YS thinks 9-19 vs NC opponents: vs BCS 1-15, vs FBS 4-4, & vs FCS 4-0!
OS says 10-18 vs NC opponents: vs BCS 1-15, vs FBS 5-3, & vs FCS 4-0!
YS: Marshall 2-2, MTSU 2-2, East Carolina 1-3, Southern Miss 1-3, UAB 1-3, FAU 1-3, & FIU 1-3
OS: Marshall 3-1, MTSU 2-2, East Carolina 1-3, Southern Miss 1-3, UAB 1-3, FAU 1-3, & FIU 1-3
Conference-USA; Divisional Standings:
YS: Marshall 6-0, ECU 5-1, Southern Miss 4-2, UAB 3-3, MTSU 2-4, FAU 1-5, & FIU 0-6
OS: ECU 6-0, Marshall 5-1, Southern Miss 4-2, UAB 3-3, MTSU 2-4, FIU 1-5, & FAU 0-6
Conference-USA Standings(Includes, Divisional & Divisional Cross-Over Games):
YS: Marshall 7-1, ECU 6-2, Southern Miss 6-2, UAB 4-4, MTSU 4-4, FAU 1-7 & FIU 0-8
OS: ECU 8-0, Marshall 6-2, Southern Miss 6-2, UAB 4-4, MTSU 4-4, FIU 1-7 & FAU 0-8
Over-all Record for 2013 Season:
YS: Marshall 9-3, ECU 7-5, Southern Miss 7-5, MTSU 6-6, UAB 5-7, FAU 2-10, & FIU 1-11
OS: ECU 9-3, Marshall 9-3, Southern Miss 7-5, UAB 5-7, MTSU 5-7, FIU 2-10, & FAU 1-11
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