2008 Conference USA Football Picks & Predictions

Written by Jimmy Boyd on August 2, 2008

Find out who Jimmy Boyd has as the team’s to beat in his 2008 Conference USA predictions as he provides you with a quick overview of the conference from top to bottom. No other football handicapping service knows the mid-majors inside and out quite like Jimmy.

East

1st – Memphis Tigers

With an experienced offensive line and sensational wide receivers the Tigers should be the class of the East division. We also expect the defense and running game to be better than anticipated. With four wide receivers over 6′3”, the Tigers will continue to dominate through the air.

2nd – UCF Golden Knights

Replacing running back Kevin Smith will be tough, especially with a new QB and a rebuilt line. But a strong defense which returns nine starters will keep the Knights in the race.

3rd – East Carolina Pirates

East Carolina also returns nine starters on the defensive side of the ball and will have to rely on those guys to keep them in games until reliable offensive weapons emerge.

4th – Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

USM is on the rise so their opponents better beat up on them this year because they may not have much of a chance in the years to come. Without an experienced QB to run the spread, the Eagles will struggle at times this season. Running back Damion Fletcher is among the best backs in the conference and he will be the offense.

5th – Marshall Thundering Herd

Marshall was QB University with stars like Chad Pennington and Byron Leftwich emerging, but the team will have no such capable signal caller in 2008 and will suffer because of it.

6th – UAB Blazers

UAB has 18 returning starters and brings in 11 more juco transfers. They’ll be better, but a sixth place finish will still be their result as there is still too much inexperience.

West

1st – Tulsa Golden Hurricanes

Even with the loss of record setting QB Paul Smith, Tulsa is still the class of the entire conference. With nine returning starters on offense, last year’s No. 1 ranked team in terms of yards per game, will rack ‘em up again in 2008.

2nd – Houston Cougars

With experience on defense and the added boost of all-league offensive tackle SirVincent Rogers returning from injury, it should be another solid season for the Cougars. Defense will keep the Cougars in the title chase, but skill players must emerge if they want to win it.

3rd – UTEP Miners

The Miners allowed 37 points per game last season so they are hoping that shifting to a 3-3-5 scheme will garner better results. With eight returning defensive starters, at least they will have some experience to look to. The team will still likely have to win by shootout and that’s a very tough road to travel.

4th – Tulane Green Wave

The loss of 2,000-yard rusher Matt Forte alone will keep Tulane from making any strides in 2008. A tough road schedule will also hinder the appearance of progress.

5th – SMU Mustangs

There’s plenty of excitement with the hiring of June Jones, but he doesn’t exactly have the cupboards stocked. The defense is loaded with questions. It’s going to be a tough year one for the accomplished head man.

6th – Rice Owls

Rice has an explosive, experienced offense led by QB Chase Clement and wide receiver Jarett Dillard. The worst defense in Conference USA and one of the worst in the nation will continue to keep the Owls losing in shootouts.

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