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2006 C-USA Preview
Uncertainty Reigns at the Top of Conference USA
No frontrunner has stepped up to the plate as of yet, but four teams separate
from the rest of the pack to settle the 2006 C-USA title. UCF and Southern Miss
reside in the East division while Tulsa and UTEP are in the West. Talent
turnover for UAB and Memphis leave this race among the previous four, but not
much separates them from each other.
Tulsa, fresh off its first bowl game since 1991, returns 17 starters and will be
in place for another good season under Steve Kragthorpe. Junior Paul Smith leads
the offense under center and was a big reason for all of last year’s success. He
threw for 2,847 yards and 20 touchdowns, and an improvement on those numbers
should be forthcoming. Tarrion Adams takes over as the number one back,
replacing top rusher Uril Parrish. Also missing is All-American tight end
Garrett Mills, so a lot will fall on wide out Idris Moss. Four offensive linemen
return to the starting lineup, giving ample time for Smith to work.
UTEP will begin its third year under head coach Mike Price. His teaching
abilities have rubbed off immensely on the team and the success has come quicker
than expected. Jordan Palmer is back for his senior year and will be a top
candidate for conference player of the year. Returning starters Marcus Thomas at
tailback and Johnnie Lee Higgins Jr. will be Palmer’s main weapons in the
offense. The defensive unit returns all but one starter and will likely improve
upon its fifth ranked C-USA total defense. The biggest concern for Price will be
his team’s turnover issues. Palmer threw 19 interceptions in ’05, and on top of
that, the team had -10 turnover differential.
Central Florida loses just two starters from last year’s offense and should
again be a factor in the division and conference title race. Senior quarterback
Steven Moffett has an absolute cannon and he will be the leader to bring further
success to the program. Starting the season on a positive note will be
important. UCF lost both its first two and last two games of the year, but
sandwiched between that was an 8-1 run that built momentum for a bowl run.
Southern Miss has the veteran players to get back to another bowl, but will have
to replace its long time starter Dustin Almond at quarterback. With a young
signal caller now taking the snaps, head coach Jeff Bower will need to rely on a
running game that finished 11th in the conference and 95th in the nation last
year.
The Houston Cougars should fly under the radar and not get much attention out
front. Quarterback Kevin Kolb has started since day one and will be the reason
for the team’s success or mediocrity. Kolb owns basically every school passing
record and has all three receiving threats back with him in this spread
run-n-gun offense. The defense will again lack consistency, so success in ’06
will basically come in the form of the offense outscoring opponents in every
game.
2006 CONFERENCE USA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Thurs., August 31
Stephen F. Austin at Tulsa
Sat., September 2
East Carolina at Navy
Houston at Rice
Marshall at West Virginia
Memphis at Mississippi
SMU at Texas Tech
Southern Miss at Florida
UAB at Oklahoma
Villanova at UCF
UTEP at San Diego State
Sat., September 9
East Carolina at UAB
Tulane at Houston
Hofstra at Marshall
Chattanooga at Memphis
Rice at UCLA
SMU at North Texas
Southeastern La. at Southern Miss
Tulsa at BYU
UCF at Florida
Texas Tech at UTEP
Sat., September 16
Memphis at East Carolina
Houston at New Mexico State
Marshall at Kansas State
Texas at Rice
Sam Houston State at SMU
North Carolina State at Southern Miss
Tulane at Mississippi State
North Texas at Tulsa
UAB at Georgia
South Florida at UCF
Sat., September 23
West Virginia at East Carolina
Oklahoma State at Houston
Marshall at Tennessee
Rice at Florida State
Arkansas State at SMU
Tulane at LSU
Tulsa at Navy
Mississippi State at UAB
UTEP at New Mexico
Wed., September 26
Southern Miss at UCF
Sat., September 30
Houston at Miami
Tennessee at Memphis
Rice at Army
SMU at Tulane
Troy State at UAB
New Mexico State at UTEP
Tues., October 3
Southern Miss at Tulsa
Wed., October 4
UCF at Marshall
Sat., October 7
Virginia at East Carolina
UL Lafayette at Houston
Memphis at UAB
Rice at Tulane
SMU at UTEP
Fri., October 13
Pittsburgh at UCF
Sat., October 14
Tulsa at East Carolina
Houston at Southern Miss
Marshall at SMU
Arkansas State at Memphis
UAB at Rice
Tulane at UTEP
Sat., October 21
SMU at East Carolina
UTEP at Houston
Marshall at UAB
Southern Miss at Virginia Tech
Tulsa at Memphis
Rice at UCF
Tulane at Auburn
Fri., October 27
UTEP at Tulsa
Sat., October 28
East Carolina at Southern Miss
UCF at Houston
Memphis at Marshall
Army at Tulane
Tues., October 31
UAB at SMU
Sat., November 4
East Carolina at UCF
Tulsa at Houston
Tulane at Marshall
Southern Miss at Memphis
Rice at UTEP
Fri., November 10
UTEP at UAB
Sat., November 11
Marshall at East Carolina
Houston at SMU
UCF at Memphis
Rice at Tulsa
Southern Miss at Tulane
Sat., November 18
East Carolina at Rice
Houston at Memphis
UTEP at Marshall
Tulsa at SMU
UAB at Southern Miss
UCF at Tulane
Sat., November 25
East Carolina at North Carolina State
Marshall at Southern Miss
Memphis at UTEP
SMU at Rice
Tulane at Tulsa
UAB at UCF
Sat., December 2
C-USA Championship Game