With the 2016 College Football Season just around the corner, many teams will be vying for the Conference USA championship. Here is a breakdown of the top C-USA favorites to win, along with our best play for a dark horse. The betting odds to win the Conference-USA this season have been provided by Betonline Sportsbook with analysis by Keth F..
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI +250
It is easy to assume that the Golden Eagles are overvalued based on a reaction to their impressive 2015-16 campaign. However, Southern Miss may likely be the bees’ knees of the Conference USA and they are primed to build off their impressive 9-5 season in 2015. This speculation is the driving force behind Southern Miss emerging as the stock favorite. Defending champion Western Kentucky is without standout quarterback Brandon Doughty at the helm. On the contrary, the Eagles return signal caller Nick Mullens who threw 38 touchdowns in 2015. Optimism should be heightened and given the other options as a favorite for the C-USA, this choice actually bodes the best value.
MARSHALL +300
Contrarian to the enormous upside offered with Southern Mississippi, the Thundering Herd are likely overvalued by virtue of the fact, Marshall is the most recognized name in the C-USA. Some pundits may toss in the exclamation that the Herd took down Southern Miss in 2015 in dominant fashion. However, this impressive result was fostered in Huntington before the Southern Mississippi offense began to fire on all cylinders. Now Marshall are tasked with traveling to Hattiesburg to face down this same conference favorite with a defined and successful blueprint. Marshall boasts returning a crop of skill players but their offense has not been as explosive as we have seen in years past during the Raheem Cato era. We recommend approaching this play with caution.
WESTERN KENTUCKY +350
The Hilltoppers lost Brandon Doughty at quarterback, one of the game's most prolific passers in the history of the game. Now, Western Kentucky has to find themselves again and re-establish their identity offensively and as a football team overall. Many will argue that Coach Jeff Brohm is up to the task but with no returning offensive starters, the Hilltoppers may be headed for turbulence. At this price, we won’t be bothered with riding the rollercoaster ride of this potentially imperiled outfit. Low reward for a fair amount of risk, stay off.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE +525
The Blue Raiders are a dangerous football team, this team can be a serious problem at home and were responsible for upending Marshall in 2015. The Blue Raiders return a prolific passer in Brent Stockstill who through for over 4,000 yards in 2015. The Blue Raiders also return key starters on their offensive line and defense, making them one of the most balanced teams in the C-USA. With Western Kentucky and Louisiana Tech expected to have a down years, MTSU may look took advantage of these match-ups in friendly confines. We reiterate that the Blue Raiders were undefeated in Murfreesboro in 2015 and they will look to sizzle up some more firepower with home cooking in 2016. Great value on this team.