UPCOMING GAMES (ALL TIMES CT)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
UTEP at Northwestern (Big Ten Net) 2:30 p.m.
New Mexico State at Liberty (ESPN+) 5 p.m.
North Texas at FIU (ESPN+) 5:30 p.m.
Jax State at Coastal Carolina (ESPN+) 6 p.m.
Northwestern State at LA Tech (ESPN+) 6 p.m.
MTSU at Missouri (SEC Net+) 6 p.m.
Houston Christian at WKU (ESPN+) 6 p.m.
Air Force at Sam Houston (CBSSN) 7 p.m
A LOOK AT WEEK 2
For the second straight week, all nine Conference USA teams are in action in Week 2. The week features seven non-conference matchups and one conference tilt. UTEP (1-1, 0-1 CUSA) travels to Evanston, Illinois, to take on Northwestern (0-1) in the first game of the week involving a CUSA team. The Miners and Wildcats kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network. UTEP enters play after a 28-14 win at home last week against Incarnate Word, while Northwestern opened the season with a 24-7 loss to Rutgers in interim head coach David Braun’s debut.
New Mexico State (1-1, 0-0 CUSA) travels to Lynchburg to take on Liberty (1-0, 0-0 CUSA) in the first-ever CUSA contest for both teams, at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN+. Jerry Kill’s Aggies bounced back with a dominant 58-21 win over Western Illinois at home last week and look to duplicate their performance at Liberty from 2022…a 49-14 win. Liberty knocked off Bowling Green last week in the Flames’ season opener, 34-24, in Jamey Chadwell’s first win as Liberty head coach and the 100th of his coaching career.
FIU (1-1, 0-1 CUSA) hosts a former conference mate in North Texas (0-1) on Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The Panthers picked up their first win of the season last week with a 14-12 win at home over Maine in true freshman QB Keyone Jenkins’ first career start. North Texas opened the Eric Morris era with a disappointing 58-21 loss at home last week to Cal.
Jax State (2-0, 1-0 CUSA) looks to continue its hot start when it travels to Coastal Carolina (0-1) in Myrtle Beach at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The Gamecocks scored 49 unanswered points to knock off East Tennessee State 49-3 last week at home. This week they take their first road trip of the season to take on the Chanticleers, who fell 27-13 last week at UCLA in head coach Tim Beck’s debut.
LA Tech (1-1, 1-0 CUSA) looks to rebound this week when they host FCS foe Northwestern State (0-1) at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The Bulldogs fell 38-14 at SMU last week, while the Demons dropped their opener 38-13 at Louisiana.
Middle Tennessee (0-1) takes on its second consecutive SEC foe this week, when the Blue Raiders travel to battle Missouri (1-0) at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. MTSU lost 56-7 last week at No. 4 Alabama, while the Tigers opened the 2023 season with a 35- 10 win over South Dakota at home.
WKU (1-0) looks to open the year with back-to-back wins when the Hilltoppers welcome Houston Christian (1-0) to Bowling Green at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+. WKU knocked off AAC foe South Florida 41-24 last week in the season opener, while Houston Christian defeated Arkansas Baptist 66-0 in the Huskies’ opener.
The final game involving a CUSA team kicks off at 7 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network as Sam Houston (0-1) takes on Air Force (1-0) at NRG Stadium in Houston. The Bearkats hung with BYU last week on the road, falling 14-0 to the Cougars in Provo, while Air Force beat Robert Morris 42-7 last week at home
QUICK HITTERS
CHADWELL ERA AT LIBERTY OPENS WITH WIN
Liberty (1-0) opened its CUSA era with a 34-24 win at home over MAC foe Bowling Green (0-1). It marked new head coach Jamey Chadwell’s first win with the Flames and the 100th of his career. Liberty’s defense recorded five interceptions, including a pair by LB Jerome Jolly, Jr. Redshirt sophomore QB Kaidon Salter was dynamic for the Flames, throwing for 143 yards and two scores with no interceptions, and also ran for 82 yards in the win. Sophomore DL Chris Boti finished with 2.5 TFL and 1.5 sacks in the win.
JAX STATE COASTS TO 2-0, WIN 49-3
Jax State (2-0, 1-0 CUSA) improved to 2-0 with a comfortable 49-3 home win over FCS foe East Tennessee State (0-1). The Gamecocks ran for 237 yards, including a strong performance by RB Malik Jackson, who carried 12 times for 100 yards and a touchdown. QB Logan Smothers finished 13-17 for 127 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions in his first career start to go along with 14 carries for 40 yards and two more scores in the win. Defensively, Jax State forced four turnovers, giving them seven on the young season already. They also recorded three sacks in the win.
REED, EVANS LEAD WKU TO 41-24 WIN
WKU (1-0) opened its 2023 season with a 41-24 win over AAC foe South Florida (0-1). CUSA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year QB Austin Reed led the way for the Hilltoppers, completing 29-50 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and also carried three times for 27 yards and another score. Defensively, CUSA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year LB JaQues “Donut” Evans finished with seven stops, and a highlight reel sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery and rturned it 27 yards for a touchdown to put an exclamation mark on the victory.
JENKINS LEADS FIU TO FIRST WIN OF 2023
FIU (1-1, 0-1 CUSA) picked up its first win of the 2023 season, holding off Maine (0-1) 14-12 in Miami on Saturday night. True freshman QB Keyone Jenkins completed 15-30 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns in the win, his first career start. His favorite target was WR Kris Mitchell, who hauled in nine passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, LB Donovan Manuel recorded a game-high 14 tackles, and a pair of tackles for loss in the win.
HANKINS PACES MINERS TO WIN OVER UIW
UTEP (1-1, 0-1 CUSA) knocked off Incarnate Word (0-1) 28-14 in El Paso on Saturday night to even its record. RB Deion Hankins carried 24 times for 174 yards in the win for the Miners, and QB Gavin Hardison threw a pair of touchdown passes. LB Tyrice Knight had a game-high 16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. The Miners held UIW scoreless in the second half, and outgained the Cardinals 423-308.
AGGIES BOUNCE BACK WITH DOMINANT WIN
New Mexico State (1-1) bounced back at home Saturday night with a comfortable 58-21 win over Western Illinois (0-1). The Aggies rolled up 650 yards of total offense, and were led by QB Diego Pavia, who completed 16-20 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. RB Star Thomas paced a productive running game (277 rushing yards), carrying 12 times for 96 yards and a pair of scores, while WR Jonathan Brady hauled in four catches for 102 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, DL Nikhil Webb-Walker had 1.5 sacks and a quarterback hurry in the win.
SAM HOUSTON MAKES CUSA DEBUT AT BYU
Sam Houston (0-1) kept it close in Provo against BYU (1-0), falling 14-0 on the road in its FBS and CUSA debut. The Bearkats defense held the Cougars to 25 yards of total offense and just 14 points, but couldn’t get things going offensively.
