UPCOMING GAMES (ALL TIMES CT)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 27
Austin Peay at WKU (CBSSN) 11 am
Charlotte at Florida Atlantic (CBSSN) 6 pm
North Texas at UTEP (Stadium) 8 pm
QUICK HITTERS
2022 SEASON OPENERS
Following an exciting 2021 campaign, Conference USA begins its 28th football season on Saturday morning, opening the 2022 campaign.
WKU, last season’s C-USA runner-up kicks off a three-game Week 0 slate for the league that concludes with a pair of league lid-lifters.
The Hilltoppers begin the 2022 season with their 2022 home opener at 11 a.m. CT from Houchens Industries/L.T. Smith Stadium against FCS foe Austin Peay. WKU has a lot of new faces offensively after a record-setting 2021, and looks to get off to a quick start on CBS Sports Network. WR Daewood Davis returns (43 catches for 763 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021) and is expected to make a leap for the Hilltoppers in their high-octane offense, while DE Juwuan Jones (45 total tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks and three QBH in 2021) and DB Kahlef Hailassie (57 total tackles, 3.0 TFL, two interceptions and five pass break-ups in 14 starts in 2021) are back defensively to lead WKU. The Hilltoppers will be breaking in a new QB in 2022 after Bailey Zappe’s monster season last year and West Florida transfer Austin Reed will look to pen his own legacy starting in Week 0. He will have a few key targets back in the fold for the Hilltoppers in Davis (mentioned above) and fellow WR Malachi Corley (73 receptions for 691 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021).
C-USA’s league play also kicks off on Saturday in Week 0 with a pair of conference battles beginning at 6 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network with Charlotte traveling to Boca Raton to take on Florida Atlantic. Charlotte returns the program’s all-time leader at QB in Chris Reynolds, as well as his top three targets from last season – WRs Victor Tucker, Grant DuBose and Elijah Spencer (last season’s C-USA Freshman of the Year). Defensively for the 49ers, DE Markees Watts is back (2021 All-Conference honorable mention selection) as they look to continue to improve on that side of the ball. FAU returns QB N’Kosi Perry (threw for 2,771 yards with 20 touchdowns to seven interceptions and ran for four more scores in 2021) and S Teja Young (59 total tackles, three interceptions, a forced fumble and five pass break-ups in 2021). This pair each went 5-7 in 2021, and aim to get off to a strong start in league play as both have bowl berths in their respective sights.
The evening comes to a close with a big matchup in El Paso, as UTEP hosts North Texas from the Sun Bowl in what is expected to be a packed house at 8 a.m. CT live on Stadium. The Miners had a major turnaround season last year, posting a 7-6 record and a bowl berth under Dana Dimel in his fourth season. Offensively QB Gavin Hardison (who has the honor of wearing the late Luke Laufenberg’s No. 2 jersey this season) returns (threw for 3,218 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2021), as does the two-headed monster in the backfield in RBs Ronald Awatt (844 yards and six touchdowns in 2021) and Deion Hankins (458 yards and six scores in 2021). Defensively, DE Praise Amaewhule (13.0 TFL and 5.5 sacks in
2021) and the LB duo of Breon Howard (108 total tackles, 7.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks in 2021) and Tyrice Knight (102 total tackles, 9.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, a fumble recovery and two forced fumbles in 2021) are back as well. The Mean Green won its last five regular season games last year to reach a bowl game and return leading WR Roderic Burns (58 catches for 802 yards and four touchdowns in 2021) and three of its four leading rushers from a year ago from the nation’s fifth-ranked rushing attack – RBs Ikaika Ragsdale, Ayo Adeyi and Isaiah Johnson. Oscar Adaway is also back from injury and adds another dynamic to the Mean Green ground game. Defensively, LB KD Davis (121 total tackles, 16.0 TFL, 5.5 sacks, seven QBH and two fumble recoveries in 2021) is back and will lead the Mean Green on that side of the ball. All 11 C-USA programs will be in action the following week in a busy three-day stretch for the conference. A trio of games on Thursday night kick off Week 1, highlighted by LA Tech traveling to Missouri at 7 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
