Top CUSA Conference Games

With so many quality programs in Conference USA, it is tough to narrow the list of top CUSA conference games down to 10. Here is my best shot at doing so. **These games are in no particular order.**

TOP CONFERENCE GAMES:

• Louisiana Tech at WKU 7:00p: This was the game that the Hilltoppers said changed their season in 2014 in getting blown out by the Bulldogs on the road in their worst performance of the season. WKU gets the rematch one year later at home in the first CUSA game of the year. All eyes in the G5 community should be on this game as many have picked this matchup as the eventual CUSA title game as well. Expect this game to be much closer than last year's contest.
• Marshall at WKU 11:00a: Black Friday was a day the Thundering Herd would like to forget as WKU came in and upset Marshall in one of the craziest games of the 2014 season. This game started a hatred between the two programs that will be blazing at the end of the season, especially if both teams are undefeated in conference play heading into the season finale. After last seasons' 67-66 game, expect national eyes to find their way towards this matchup.
• Rice at UTEP 7:00p: The battle for second place in the CUSA West, UTEP looks to overcome the rival Owls. Rice has won eight of the last nine meetings with the most recent UTEP win coming in 2010. Rice will need to slow down the punishing rushing attack of the Miners while UTEP needs to just play better overall defense in this game for a chance to win. Whoever wins this game will be in very good shape for a quality bowl this fall. 
• Marshall at Middle Tennessee TBA: MTSU feels like this is the year to pounce on Marshall with several key losses to graduation but the Thundering Herd still have quite a few talented players on both sides of the ball. Expect MTSU to come out very confident at home after defeating Marshall in their only meeting in Murfreesboro in 2013. Marshall paid the Blue Raiders back with a dominant 49-24 win last season in Huntington. 
• WKU at Rice 2:30p: With all of the focus on Louisiana Tech, MTSU, and Marshall on the WKU conference schedule, a trip to Rice can sneak up on the Hilltoppers. Rice is a solid CUSA program that seems to have found their groove as one of the top CUSA West teams and will not make things easy on the Hilltoppers. This is the first meeting between the two programs.
• UTSA at UTEP 7:00p: Two fan bases that absolutely despise one another, this should be a fun game just for the atmosphere in El Paso. UTSA struggled in the meeting last season but I expect the Roadrunners to give a much better effort in this game. I think the Miners rushing attack it too much for UTSA to stop but it will be fun to watch them try in this game.
• Middle Tennessee at WKU TBA: Another game with two hated rivals, the history between MTSU and WKU transcends football and goes out to every sport. Former conference mates in the OVC and Sun Belt, these two teams always put on a show when they meet. Last season's 50-47 win by MTSU was one of the most entertaining games of the CUSA season.
• Middle Tennessee at LA Tech 2:30p: The dark horse of the east versus the favorite of the west should bring some fireworks. Both teams expect to field offenses that can score points in bunches, especially Louisiana Tech with Jeff Driskell at quarterback. Even with these high powered offenses, the defenses could steal the show and turn this game into a low scoring field position affair.
• Louisiana Tech at Rice 7:00p: The Owls get a chance to make up for their most embarrassing performance of the 2014 season, a 76-31 loss to Louisiana Tech. The blowout loss has been on the minds of the Owls all year long and getting the chance to get revenge is important. Louisiana Tech will not lay down versus Rice and bring a team that may be more talented overall than the 2014 CUSA West Division Championship team.
• Louisiana Tech at UTEP TBA: A 52-point loss to Louisiana Tech is not something the Miners want to every experience again after the 2014 beatdown. The Miners used that loss to motivate them into winning five of their last seven regular season games in route to making a bowl for the first time since 2010. Louisiana Tech will be the favorite in this game but a 52-point margin of victory is very unlikely.