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C-USA Power Rankings: Week 8

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:43:31 EDT

1 Houston(5-1, 1-1) - They did their job and beat an SEC team to wrap up a 4-0 out-of-conference record and are currently ranked. This team is 1-1 in conference, where it really counts. Interesting fact: If you only include C-USA records, Houston is 8th place in the conference. They now begin a tough stretch which will determine their season including: SMU, USM, @TU & @UCF. The season will end with 2 "gimme" home games vs Memphis & Rice (although Houston proved capable of losing to anyone @ UTEP).

2 Tulsa(4-2, 2-0) - Despite any criticisms, this team remains #1 in C-USA play with a 2-0 conference record & 4-2 overall record. In C-USA, this team is #1 in scoring defense & total defense. Tulsa proved they can compete with elite teams as they were driving down the field down 7 in the final minutes against #5 Boise State. Now they face a "daunting" test which Houston failed: win @ UTEP. Then, like Houston, they will begin a tough 4-game stretch which includes SMU, Houston, ECU & @USM. After UTEP, they'll have 4 home games left and only 1 away.

Tulsa Golden Hurricane Football Preview 2009

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 9:55:40 EDT

NOTE: THIS BLOG IS A RE-POST OF AN ARTICLE I WROTE SEPTEMBER 2, 2009 ON BLEACHER REPORT.

What happened to Tulsa?

Nearly every preseason ranking for C-USA has Tulsa finishing 3rd or worse. Most predict Tulsa will go 7-5, but several have listed them at 6-6. This is for a team which went 10-4 in 2007 and 11-3 last year.

Tulsa has gone to the C-USA Championship game 3 of the last four years and made a mockery of the No. 18 12-1 Ball State Cardinals in January with a 45-13 roasting at the GMAC bowl. Tulsa hasn't gone anywhere and they certainly won't sit out this season.

C-USA Power Rankings: Week Six

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:58:14 EDT

1) Houston (3-1, 0-1)

No one in C-USA has two higher quality wins. A loss at UTEP has narrowed the (perceived) gap between Houston and everyone else in C-USA.

Starting out 0-1 in C-USA is not the statement the previously 12th-ranked Houston Cougars wanted to make.

The UTEP game was the first of five for Houston in October. Hats off to the AD at Houston for a tough out-of-conference schedule. Hats off to Houston for winning the first three of those. If they win this next one, this team could be right back in the top 25, ready to take C-USA by storm.