Conference USA
East Carolina
Record: 7-5
Conference Record: 5-3
Pythagorean Record: 6.74-5.26
Grade: B+
Pirates bounced back from a rough start to win 5 of their final six games. Beat two ACC teams (Virginia and NC State) in non-conference play.
Houston
Record: 10-3
Conference Record: 7-1
Pythagorean Record: 9.38-3.62
Grade: B+
Aside from the inexplicable home loss to Louisiana-Lafayette, the season went about as well as could be expected. Nearly beat Miami in the Orange Bowl. Cougars, led by Kevin Kolb, had by far the best offense in Conference USA (32.8 points per game).
Marshall
Record: 5-7
Conference Record: 4-4
Pythagorean Record: 5.15-6.85
Grade: C
Thundering Herd closed the season winning 4 of 6 after a 1-5 start. Still, coach Mark Snyder will be squarely on the hot seat next year after consecutive losing seasons in his first two years on the job.
Memphis
Record: 2-10
Conference Record: 1-7
Pythagorean Record: 4.20-7.80
Grade: D
After 3 consecutive winning seasons, the Tigers fell off a cliff, winning only 2 games. Part of it was attrition (the Tigers lost their starting quarterback, running back, and half of their starting defense from 2005) and part of it was dumb luck. The Tigers were 0-5 in close games. Tigers are a Conference USA sleeper for next season.
Rice
Record: 7-5
Conference Record: 6-2
Pythagorean Record: 4.87-7.13
Grade: A+
The Owls are the Cinderella story of 2006. Rice is making its first bowl appearance since 1961 under the tutelage of first year coach Todd Graham. Sophomore wide receiver Jarett Dillard is the story with 20 touchdown catches on the year. Good luck played a significant role in the Owl’s season as they went 5-1 in close games. May regress next season before turning the corner for good under Graham.
SMU
Record: 6-6
Conference Record: 4-4
Pythagorean Record: 6.71-5.29
Grade: B+
After a long hiatus, the Pony Express may be back. Mustangs have improved each season under Phil Bennett since going winless in 2003. Season did not begin promising with blowout losses to Texas Tech and North Texas. A win in the North Texas (3-9) game and the Mustangs are probably bowling. Only won 1 road game.
Southern Miss
Record: 8-5
Conference Record: 6-2
Pythagorean Record: 8.44-4.56
Grade: B+
Another year, another bowl game for the Golden Eagles. This year makes 5 in a row. Integrated a new starting quarterback, Jeremy Young, in place of the departed Dustin Almond, and still managed to win their half of Conference USA. Jeff Bower is vastly underrated.
Tulane
Record: 4-8
Conference Record: 2-6
Pythagorean Record: 2.42-9.58
Grade: C-
Green Wave will probably catch a lot of heat for letting Chris Scelfo go one year after guiding the team through the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. However, the fact remains that Tulane has posted only two winning seasons and one bowl game in his 8 years at the school.
Tulsa
Record: 8-4
Conference Record: 5-3
Pythagorean Record: 8.54-3.46
Grade: B+
I have to say, I expected more from the Golden Hurricane. Still 8 wins at one of the smallest schools in Division I-A is quite an accomplishment for Steve Kragthorpe.
UAB
Record: 3-9
Conference Record: 2-6
Pythagorean Record: 4.09-7.91
Grade: D+
After giving Oklahoma all they could handle in Norman, and then beating East Carolina in week 2, the Blazers looked to be real contenders in Conference USA. Even following two consecutive losses, the Blazers rebounded to stand at 3-3 at the season’s midpoint. Then they lost the final 6 games. Blazers were 2-5 in close games, so whoever coaches next season is likely to see improvement in that ara.
UCF
Record: 4-8
Conference Record: 3-5
Pythagorean Record: 3.37-8.63
Grade: C-
After a charmed season where they went 4-1 in close games and played for the conference title, the Golden Knights slipped to 4-8. Three tough non-conference games (Florida, Pittsburgh, and South Florida) account for some of the poor record. George O’Leary didn’t forget how to coach any more than he did during the 0-11 campaign. Knights will be back among Conference USA contenders next season.
UTEP
Record: 5-7
Conference Record: 3-5
Pythagorean Record: 5.06-6.94
Grade: D-
What happened? In Jordan Palmer’s senior season the Miners couldn’t dig in the last half of the season finishing the year 1-5. Offense finished only 7th in scoring in conference play (25.3 points per game).
Record: 7-5
Conference Record: 5-3
Pythagorean Record: 6.74-5.26
Grade: B+
Pirates bounced back from a rough start to win 5 of their final six games. Beat two ACC teams (Virginia and NC State) in non-conference play.
Houston
Record: 10-3
Conference Record: 7-1
Pythagorean Record: 9.38-3.62
Grade: B+
Aside from the inexplicable home loss to Louisiana-Lafayette, the season went about as well as could be expected. Nearly beat Miami in the Orange Bowl. Cougars, led by Kevin Kolb, had by far the best offense in Conference USA (32.8 points per game).
Marshall
Record: 5-7
Conference Record: 4-4
Pythagorean Record: 5.15-6.85
Grade: C
Thundering Herd closed the season winning 4 of 6 after a 1-5 start. Still, coach Mark Snyder will be squarely on the hot seat next year after consecutive losing seasons in his first two years on the job.
Memphis
Record: 2-10
Conference Record: 1-7
Pythagorean Record: 4.20-7.80
Grade: D
After 3 consecutive winning seasons, the Tigers fell off a cliff, winning only 2 games. Part of it was attrition (the Tigers lost their starting quarterback, running back, and half of their starting defense from 2005) and part of it was dumb luck. The Tigers were 0-5 in close games. Tigers are a Conference USA sleeper for next season.
Rice
Record: 7-5
Conference Record: 6-2
Pythagorean Record: 4.87-7.13
Grade: A+
The Owls are the Cinderella story of 2006. Rice is making its first bowl appearance since 1961 under the tutelage of first year coach Todd Graham. Sophomore wide receiver Jarett Dillard is the story with 20 touchdown catches on the year. Good luck played a significant role in the Owl’s season as they went 5-1 in close games. May regress next season before turning the corner for good under Graham.
SMU
Record: 6-6
Conference Record: 4-4
Pythagorean Record: 6.71-5.29
Grade: B+
After a long hiatus, the Pony Express may be back. Mustangs have improved each season under Phil Bennett since going winless in 2003. Season did not begin promising with blowout losses to Texas Tech and North Texas. A win in the North Texas (3-9) game and the Mustangs are probably bowling. Only won 1 road game.
Southern Miss
Record: 8-5
Conference Record: 6-2
Pythagorean Record: 8.44-4.56
Grade: B+
Another year, another bowl game for the Golden Eagles. This year makes 5 in a row. Integrated a new starting quarterback, Jeremy Young, in place of the departed Dustin Almond, and still managed to win their half of Conference USA. Jeff Bower is vastly underrated.
Tulane
Record: 4-8
Conference Record: 2-6
Pythagorean Record: 2.42-9.58
Grade: C-
Green Wave will probably catch a lot of heat for letting Chris Scelfo go one year after guiding the team through the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. However, the fact remains that Tulane has posted only two winning seasons and one bowl game in his 8 years at the school.
Tulsa
Record: 8-4
Conference Record: 5-3
Pythagorean Record: 8.54-3.46
Grade: B+
I have to say, I expected more from the Golden Hurricane. Still 8 wins at one of the smallest schools in Division I-A is quite an accomplishment for Steve Kragthorpe.
UAB
Record: 3-9
Conference Record: 2-6
Pythagorean Record: 4.09-7.91
Grade: D+
After giving Oklahoma all they could handle in Norman, and then beating East Carolina in week 2, the Blazers looked to be real contenders in Conference USA. Even following two consecutive losses, the Blazers rebounded to stand at 3-3 at the season’s midpoint. Then they lost the final 6 games. Blazers were 2-5 in close games, so whoever coaches next season is likely to see improvement in that ara.
UCF
Record: 4-8
Conference Record: 3-5
Pythagorean Record: 3.37-8.63
Grade: C-
After a charmed season where they went 4-1 in close games and played for the conference title, the Golden Knights slipped to 4-8. Three tough non-conference games (Florida, Pittsburgh, and South Florida) account for some of the poor record. George O’Leary didn’t forget how to coach any more than he did during the 0-11 campaign. Knights will be back among Conference USA contenders next season.
UTEP
Record: 5-7
Conference Record: 3-5
Pythagorean Record: 5.06-6.94
Grade: D-
What happened? In Jordan Palmer’s senior season the Miners couldn’t dig in the last half of the season finishing the year 1-5. Offense finished only 7th in scoring in conference play (25.3 points per game).
MAC
Akron
Record: 5-7
Conference Record: 3-5
Pythagorean Record: 5.03-6.97
Grade: C
Zips failed to build on first bowl trip in nearly 30 years, but they did upend NC State.in Raleigh.
Ball State
Record: 5-7
Conference Record: 5-3
Pythagorean Record: 6.38-5.62
Grade: C
Cardinals had the best season in Brady Hoke’s tenure winning 5 games. Lost to the Big 10’s Indiana by a single point, but have to be kicking themselves for losing to I-AA North Dakota State.
Bowling Green
Record: 4-8
Conference Record: 3-5
Pythagorean Record: 3.50-8.50
Grade: C-
Life without Omar Jacobs wasn’t much fun for the Falcons. First losing season in Gregg Brandon’s stay. His record has gotten worse each year (11-3, 9-3, 6-5, 4-8) since taking over for Urban Meyer.
Buffalo
Record: 2-10
Conference Record: 1-7
Pythagorean Record: 2.03-9.97
Grade: C-
Bulls won their first game under Turner Gill against Temple, but it was all down hill from there. Except for the amazing home beatdown of a pretty good Kent State team.
Central Michigan
Record: 9-4
Conference Record: 7-1
Pythagorean Record: 8.41-4.59
Grade: A
Brian Kelly did a great job after moving up from Grand Valley State three seasons ago. Unfortunately, it was too good a job as he is moving on to Cincinnati now. He does leave outstanding freshman quarterback Dan LeFevour to his replacement so the Chippewas should remain a MAC contender.
Eastern Michigan
Record: 1-11
Conference Record: 1-7
Pythagorean Record: 2.09-9.91
Grade: D
After consecutive 4-7 seasons, the Eagles collapsed. That’s 4 seasons of at least 9 losses in the last 6 for the struggling program
Kent State
Record: 6-6
Conference Record: 5-3
Pythagorean Record: 5.16-6.84
Grade: B+
6-6 is a world better than 1-10 which the Golden Flashes were in 2005. Played Minnesota and Virginia Tech in non-conference games. Actually were 4-0 in conference play before losing 3 of their last 4.
Miami
Record: 2-10
Conference Record: 2-6
Pythagorean Record: 3.86-8.14
Grade: D+
Shane Montgomery’s sophomore campaign didn’t go to well. Redhawks were a tough luck 2-5 in close games, they could be a conference sleeper next season.
Northern Illinois
Record: 7-5
Conference Record: 5-3
Pythagorean Record: 8.10-3.90
Grade: C
Garret Wolfe got his yards of course, but the Huskies underperformed most people’s expectations. They are going bowling for the second time in three years.
Ohio
Record: 9-4
Conference Record: 7-1
Pythagorean Record: 7.86-5.14
Grade: A
Frank Solich guided the Bobcats to an improbable appearance in the MAC title game thanks to a very good defense. The offense still needs work, but the Bobcats tll have a chance to win 10 games.
Toledo
Record: 5-7
Conference Record: 3-5
Pythagorean Record: 4.83-7.17
Grade: C
After going 45-18 in his first 6 years at Toledo, Tom Amstutz, endured his first losing season. Rockets did close well, winning 3 of their last 4. Also defeated Kansas earlier in the season.
Western Michigan
Record: 8-4
Conference Record: 6-2
Pythagorean Record: 7.19-4.81
Grade: B+
Bill Cubit is no zirconium. He’s done a fantastic job at Kalamazoo. After going 1-10 in 2004, the Broncos have achieved records of 7-4 and 8-4 in Cubit’s initial two seasons. Won at Virginia.
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