2013 Conference USA Football Predictions – Odds to Win CUSA Championship 2013

2013 Conference USA Football Predictions – Odds to Win CUSA Championship 2013: While just about every conference has been impacted by the recent rash of realignments, Conference USA may have been hit the hardest of all. Four schools left for the newly-formed American Athletic Conference, including defending East Division champion UCF, and three other teams are entering their final year in C-USA before heading to the ACC, including defending conference champion Tulsa. As a result of the heavy losses, the conference added six teams for the 2013 season and has three more set to join next year. The end result is a 14-team league with two seven-team divisions for the 2013 college football season. With that in mind, here is a look at how the top contenders for the conference title stack up in the reshuffled Conference USA.

The Favorites

After going 7-1 in conference play in 2012, the East Carolina Pirates have enough talent returning to make the next step this season. The Pirates return their starting quarterback, starting running back, top receiver and four offensive linemen from an offense that scored more than 31 points per game last year. Meanwhile, the defense welcomes back eight starters, including five in the front seven. The schedule doesn’t do the Pirates any favors, but with the only team that beat them in conference play last year no longer around, East Carolina has a golden opportunity to go out as champs in their final season in C-USA.

Armed with a two-headed monster at running back, the Tulsa Golden Hurrciane aren’t going to be easy to dethrone as C-USA champions. Trey Watts and Ja’Terian Douglas combined for more than 2,000 rushing yards in a no-huddle spread system that helped  Tulsa rank third in C-USA in scoring. Starting QB Cody Green is also back so the offense should be rock solid once again. The defense may take a bit of a step back with only a handful of returning starters, but considering Tulsa had the stingiest defense in the conference in 2012, the decline will likely be minimal at worst.

The Dark Horses

With nine returning starters on offense, the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders have their best chance in several years to make a run at a conference title. Senior quarterback Logan Kilgore gives the team consistent play under center, and running back Jordan Parker looks like a star in the making after setting a freshman rushing record in 2012. Both players should benefit greatly from an offensive line that returns four starters, and the Blue Raiders’ scoring attack as a whole should be potent. Assuming the defense can at least resemble the unit that allowed the third-fewest points in the conference last year, Middle Tennessee has a shot.

After recovering from an awful start to win six of their final seven games, the Rice Owls appear to be a team on the rise heading into 2013. An incredible 20 starters return from last year’s group, including 10 on the defensive side of the ball. With so much experience returning for a team that only got better the more it played together, a breakout season is definitely possible.

The Sleeper

The good news for the Marshall Thundering Herd is that star quarterback Rakeem Cato is back, along with his favorite target Tommy Shuler and four starting offensive linemen, to lead an offense that scored more than 40 points per game last year. On the flip side, it may or may not be bad news that the defense only returns five starters for a group that was the worst in the conference in 2012, allowing more than 43 points per game. Obviously, Marshall’s defense must improve a bit for the team to make a push for the C-USA title, but if it does, Cato and the offense will put up enough points for the Thundering Herd to win games.

2013 NCAA Conference Odds – CUSA

Odds to win Conference USA – 2013 College Football
Tulsa +215
East Carolina +370
Marshall +370
Rice +475
Middle Tennessee +1100
UAB +1500
Louisiana Tech +1600
North Texas +1900
Southern Miss +2000
UTEP +2700
Florida Atlantic +3000
Tulane +3400
Florida International +3800
UTSA +7500

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