Here is rabids simple method of figuring the favorites in CUSA's East and West. This "simple" formula is pretty simple - as you can see. I'm pretty sure its close to the prognostications of the rest of the league's expert opinion writers.

What I do is simply take the number of wins plus the number of returning starters and add them together. What's left is a number that is used as comparison of one team to the other.

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RabidTU's CUSA Prediction - First is the East, then West

Team-------------Starters Returning----2011 Wins---Total Points

USM------------------12-----------------10-------------22

UCF------------------16------------------5--------------21

ECU*-----------------15------------------5--------------20

Marshall*-------------13------------------7--------------20

Memphis--------------14------------------2--------------16

UAB------------------11------------------3--------------14

Denotes numerical tie*




Houston---------------12-----------------13--------------25

TU--------------------13------------------8--------------21

SMU*------------------10-----------------8--------------18

UTEP*-----------------13-----------------5--------------18

Tulane-----------------14-----------------2--------------16

Rice-------------------10------------------4--------------14

Teams tied head to head would be favored by who is at home. Thus Marshall would be favored over ECU and UTEP over SMU. I listed "tied" teams in alphabetical order. Also, I used Phil Steeles CFB magazine for reference.

Play Ball!