(04-20-2019 09:33 AM)USM@FTL Wrote:  Rice and UTEP should both improve a little this year. 3 wins are probably within reach for both. 4 would mean solid progress. UTSA might fall past them. They seem precarious to me.

In the west, I'm wondering how La Tech rebuilds that DLine. They'll slip if that's a weakness. UAB graduated too much to repeat as champs. At least that's what I'm telling myself. I think they'll fall back, but certainly not to the bottom. UNT and USM will be your preseason favorites in the west division with their match-up slated for H'burg. After witnessing USM's recent Spring game, I'm confident that we've reloaded on defense, but the running game and kicking game looked rough. We'll be better than last year, but I'm not sure by how much. Fine keeps UNT in every game, if he can remain standing. Let's see if Littrell has built any depth.

In the east, FIU, FAU, and Marshall, in no particular order, have my attention, and should be the top of the division. ODU, Charlotte, WKU, and MTSU are either rebuilding of dropping, but they're still better than the bottom of the west.

C-USA 4.0 needs a dominant team to emerge, but I don't see it. Still, I think with stability and familiarity, we're improving. We're pulling our bottom up again probably.