2007 C-USA Team-by-Team Schedules

The Conference USA season should be thrilling with several teams in the hunt for the title along with some tremendous young talent like Marshall's pass rushing star Albert McClellan. Check out each team's schedule for the upcoming season.

East  UAB | UCF | East Carolina | Marshall | Memphis | Southern Miss
West  Houston | Rice | SMU | Tulane | Tulsa | UTEP

-  2007 Conference USA Composite Schedule Analysis

Toughest schedules
Based on home games as well as who the teams play. when

East
1. Southern Miss
2. Marshall
3. UAB
4. UCF
5. East Carolina
6. Memphis

West
1. SMU
2. Rice
3. Houston
4. UTEP
5. Tulane
6. Tulsa

East

East Carolina
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 8-4
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 7-5
It starts out a bit rough with non-conference games against Virginia Tech and a refurbished North Carolina, but the big deal is the Conference USA opener against defending East champion Southern Miss. With road trips to West Virginia and Houston to end the first month, ECU just has to survive. The final seven games of the year are against teams that didn't go to a bowl game. Winning all the league home games is a must to have a realistic shot at a bowl.

East Carolina
Sept. 1	at Virginia Tech
Sept. 8	North Carolina
Sept. 15	Southern Miss
Sept. 22	at West Virginia
Sept. 29	at Houston
Oct. 6	UCF
Oct. 13	at UTEP
Oct. 20	NC State
Oct. 27	UAB
Nov. 3	at Memphis
Nov. 10	at Marshall
Nov. 24	Tulane
- Almost certain win - Likely loss - Could go either way

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Marshall
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 7-5
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 6-6
While the non-conference schedule is a monster playing at Miami and Cincinnati along with the rivalry showdown with West Virginia and a breather against New Hampshire. Making matters tougher early on is a three game road trip before coming home to face Southern Miss in a critical East battle. On the plus side, the Herd gets the Golden Eagles, along with the other likely division favorite, East Carolina, at home. However, not only are there games against Houston and Tulsa, the two best teams from the West, they're both on the road.

Marshall
Sept. 1	at Miami
Sept. 8	West Virginia
Sept. 15	New Hampshire
Sept. 22	at Cincinnati
Oct. 2	at Memphis
Oct. 13	at Tulsa
Oct. 21	Southern Miss
Oct. 27	Rice
Nov. 3	at UCF
Nov. 10	East Carolina
Nov. 17	at Houston
Nov. 24	UAB
- Almost certain win - Likely loss - Could go either way

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Memphis
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 9-3
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 7-5
The potential is there for a quick turnaround with a pillow-soft non-conference schedule with only one game, the opener against Ole Miss, that'll likely be a loss. Getting Southern Miss on the road might make winning the East tough, but missing Houston and Tulsa from the West is a big help. Playing three home games in November should make a winning season all but certain if the wheels don't fall off like last year.

Memphis
Sept. 1	Ole Miss
Sept. 8	at Arkansas State
Sept. 15	Nicholls State
Sept. 22	at UCF
Oct. 2	Marshall
Oct. 13	Middle Tennessee
Oct. 20	at Rice
Oct. 27	at Tulane
Nov. 3	East Carolina
Nov. 10	at Southern Miss
Nov. 17	UAB
Nov. 24	SMU
- Almost certain win - Likely loss - Could go either way

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Southern Miss
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 10-2
Barring total disaster worst case record: 7-5
Realistic record: 9-3
USM will likely be everyone's favorite to win the Conference USA title, but the schedule doesn't do any favors with road games against the East's top teams, East Carolina and Marshall. Missing Houston and Tulsa from the West is nice, but the Golden Eagles have to go on the road to face UTEP. The non-conference slate is interesting with chances to make national noise on the road against Tennessee and Boise State to go along with cupcake wins against Tennessee Martin and Arkansas State.

Southern Miss
Sept. 1	Tennessee Martin
Sept. 8	at Tennessee
Sept. 15	at East Carolina
Sept. 22	at Boise State
Oct. 3	Rice
Oct. 13	SMU
Oct. 21	at Marshall
Oct. 28	UCF
Nov. 3	at UAB
Nov. 10	Memphis
Nov. 17	at UTEP
Nov. 24	Arkansas State
- Almost certain win - Likely loss - Could go either way

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UAB
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 7-5
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 6-6
The concentration of road games early, and with two to close out the season, means UAB has a nice stretch in the middle of the year with four home games in five weeks. Unfortunately, the schedule makers didn't do the Blazers any favors giving them Houston and Tulsa from the West and three East games (East Carolina, Memphis and Marshall) on the road. A 1-3 non-conference record is likely facing Michigan State, Florida State and Mississippi State away and Alcorn State at home.

UAB
Sept. 1	at Michigan State
Sept. 8	at Florida State
Sept. 15	Alcorn State
Sept. 29	at Tulsa
Oct. 6	at Mississippi State
Oct. 13	Tulane
Oct. 20	Houston
Oct. 27	at East Carolina
Nov. 3	Southern Miss
Nov. 10	UCF
Nov. 17	at Memphis
Nov. 24	at Marshall
- Almost certain win - Likely loss - Could go either way

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UCF
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 8-4
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 5-7
There aren't too many big conference breaks having to play Southern Miss and East Carolina on the road to make winning the East difficult, while getting Tulsa, SMU and UTEP from the West isn't a plus. The non-conference schedule only has one layup, UL Lafayette, while the early dates with NC State and Texas won't likely make for a strong start. Can the Golden Knights get through October alive with road games at East Carolina, South Florida and Southern Miss along with the showdown with the Golden Eagles?

UCF
Sept. 1	at NC State
Sept. 15	Texas
Sept. 22	Memphis
Sept. 29	UL Lafayette
Oct. 6	at East Carolina
Oct. 13	at South Florida
Oct. 20	Tulsa
Oct. 28	at Southern Miss
Nov. 3	Marshall
Nov. 10	at UAB
Nov. 17	at SMU
Nov. 24	UTEP
- Almost certain win - Likely loss - Could go either way

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West

Houston
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 9-3
Barring total disaster worst case record: 6-6
Realistic record: 8-4
The defending Conference USA champions are testing themselves early with the non-conference schedule going to Oregon and Alabama and hosting Colorado State, and they give themselves a treat to end the season against Texas Southern. In league play, they miss Southern Miss and get East battles against East Carolina and Marshall at home, but they have the key divisional showdown with Tulsa on the road. Three road games in four weeks won't be easy, but the Cougars close out with three home games in the final four.

Houston
Sept. 1	at Oregon
Sept. 15	at Tulane
Sept. 22	Colorado State
Sept. 29	East Carolina
Oct. 6	at Alabama
Oct. 13	Rice
Oct. 20	at UAB
Oct. 27	at UTEP
Nov. 4	SMU
Nov. 10	at Tulsa
Nov. 17	Marshall
Nov. 24	Texas Southern
- Almost certain win - Likely loss - Could go either way

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Rice
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 7-5
Barring total disaster worst case record: 3-9
Realistic record: 5-7
With four road dates in a five game stretch, the schedule is brutal early before easing up late with three home games in the final four. The Owls not only have to go to Texas to go along with games against Big 12 Southers Baylor and Texas Tech, but they have to start off the conference year on the road against the league's two best teams; Southern Miss from the East and Houston from the West. After playing the Cougars, five games in a row are against teams that didn't go to a bowl.

Rice
Sept. 1	Nicholls State
Sept. 8	at Baylor
Sept. 15	Texas Tech
Sept. 22	at Texas
Oct. 3	at Southern Miss
Oct. 13	at Houston
Oct. 20	Memphis
Oct. 27	at Marshall
Nov. 3	UTEP
Nov. 10	at SMU
Nov. 17	Tulane
Nov. 24	Tulsa
- Almost certain win - Likely loss - Could go either way

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SMU
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 9-3
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 7-5
It's not easy. The Mustangs have the three worst Conference USA road games you can get going to Southern Miss, Tulsa and Houston in a title-dream killing midseason stretch of three away dates in four weeks. While North Texas and Arkansas State help ease up the non-conference slate, playing Texas Tech and going to TCU means a 2-2 start is likely. There can't be any slips in home games against Tulane, Rice and UCF if the Mustangs want to go to a bowl.

SMU
Sept. 3	Texas Tech
Sept. 8	North Texas
Sept. 15	at Arkansas State
Sept. 22	at TCU
Sept. 29	UTEP
Oct. 13	at Southern Miss
Oct. 20	Tulane
Oct. 27	at Tulsa
Nov. 4	at Houston
Nov. 10	Rice
Nov. 17	UCF
Nov. 24	at Memphis
- Almost certain win - Likely loss - Could go either way

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Tulane
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 7-5
Barring total disaster worst case record: 3-9
Realistic record: 5-7
The Green Wave gets an unheard of four straight home games to start the season, but defending Conference USA champion Houston, Mississippi State, and LSU are in the mix. Paying the piper, Bob Toledo's crew has to go on the road for a three-game road stretch, but Army, UAB and SMU aren't exactly killers. Getting Memphis and UAB from the East is a big bonus, but finishing up the year at Rice and East Carolina means home games against Tulsa and UTEP might be must-wins.

Tulane
Sept. 8	Mississippi State
Sept. 15	Houston
Sept. 22	SE Louisiana
Sept. 29	LSU
Oct. 6	at Army
Oct. 13	at UAB
Oct. 20	at SMU
Oct. 27	Memphis
Nov. 3	Tulsa
Nov. 10	UTEP
Nov. 17	at Rice
Nov. 24	at East Carolina
- Almost certain win - Likely loss - Could go either way

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Tulsa
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 10-2
Barring total disaster worst case record: 7-5
Realistic record: 8-4
If Tulsa is even remotely decent, it should be able to walk through the season to a spot in the Conference USA title game. You could do a lot worse than playing UCF and UAB from the East, while a tough date with Marshall is at home. The West showdowns against Houston and SMU are in Tulsa, and there aren't two road games until the season finales against Army and Rice. The non-conference schedule is interesting with the easy ones, Army and UL Monroe, on the road and the nasty games, BYU and Oklahoma at home.

Tulsa
Aug. 30	at UL Monroe
Sept. 15	BYU
Sept. 21	Oklahoma
Sept. 29	UAB
Oct. 6	at UTEP
Oct. 13	Marshall
Oct. 20	at UCF
Oct. 27	SMU
Nov. 3	at Tulane
Nov. 10	Houston
Nov. 17	at Army
Nov. 24	at Rice
- Almost certain win - Likely loss - Could go either way

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UTEP
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 8-4
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 6-6
UTEP will get its fill of the southwest facing New Mexico, Texas Tech, New Mexico State and Texas Southern before dealing with Conference USA play. If nothing else, the games against the Red Raiders and Aggies should be some of the wildest shootouts of the year. While the Miners play have four of the league's best teams (Tulsa, East Carolina, Houston and Southern Miss), they get them all at home. Three of the final four games are on the road.

UTEP
Sept. 1	New Mexico
Sept. 8	at Texas Tech
Sept. 15	at New Mexico State
Sept. 22	Texas Southern
Sept. 29	at SMU
Oct. 6	Tulsa
Oct. 13	East Carolina
Oct. 27	Houston
Nov. 3	at Rice
Nov. 10	at Tulane
Nov. 17	Southern Miss
Nov. 24	at UCF
- Almost certain win - Likely loss - Could go either way