Conference USA announces divisional alignment, 2013 opponents
Conference USA announced its divisional alignments and 2013 football opponents on Tuesday afternoon. The league, which has undergone a major face-lift due to the shifting tides of other conferences, welcomes newcomers Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, North Texas and UTSA this fall. And the Conference USA isn't done yet, either. Tulane will leave for the Big East in 2014, Tulsa appears on the way out the door as well, and Old Dominion will join the conference in 2014.
As things stand now, the 14-team conference will play six divisional games and two cross-division opponents, with each division winner playing in the Conference USA Championship on Dec. 7. Each division will be comprised as follows:
East Division
East Carolina
Florida Atlantic
Florida International
Marshall
Middle Tennessee
Southern Miss
UAB
West Division
Louisiana Tech
Rice
North Texas
Tulane
Tulsa
UTEP
UTSA
Here is how the scheduling will break down this fall. Dates and times will be announced at a later date.
EAST CAROLINA
HOME - FAU, Southern Miss, Tulsa, UAB
AWAY - at FIU, at Marshall, at Middle Tennessee, at Tulane
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
HOME - FIU, Marshall Middle Tennessee, Tulane
AWAY - at East Carolina, at Rice, at Southern Miss, at UAB
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
HOME - East Carolina, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, UAB
AWAY - at FAU, at Middle Tennessee, at Southern Miss, at UTEP
LOUISIANA TECH
HOME - North Texas, Southern Miss, Tulane, Tulsa
AWAY - at FIU, at Rice, at UTEP, at UTSA
MARSHALL
HOME - East Carolina, Southern Miss, UAB, UTSA
AWAY - at FAU, at FIU, at Middle Tennessee, at Tulsa
MIDDLE TENNESSEE
HOME - East Carolina, FIU, Marshall, UTEP
AWAY - at FAU, at North Texas, at Southern Miss, at UAB
NORTH TEXAS
HOME - Middle Tennessee, Rice, UTEP, UTSA
AWAY - at Louisiana Tech, at Southern Miss, at Tulane, at Tulsa
RICE
HOME - FAU, Louisiana Tech, Tulane, UTEP
AWAY - at North Texas, at Tulsa, at UAB, at UTSA
SOUTHERN MISS
HOME - FAU, FIU, Middle Tennessee, North Texas
AWAY - at East Carolina, at Louisiana Tech, at Marshall, at UAB
TULANE
HOME - East Carolina, North Texas, Tulsa, UTEP
AWAY - at FAU, at Louisiana Tech, at Rice, at UTSA
TULSA
HOME - Marshall, North Texas, Rice, UTSA
AWAY - at East Carolina, at Louisiana Tech, at Tulane, at UTEP
UAB
HOME - FAU, Middle Tennessee, Rice, Southern Miss
AWAY - at East Carolina, at FIU, at Marshall, at UTSA
UTEP
HOME - FIU, Louisiana Tech, Tulsa, UTSA
AWAY - at Middle Tennessee, at North Texas, at Rice, at Tulane
UTSA
HOME - Louisiana Tech, Rice, Tulane, UAB
AWAY - at Marshall, at North Texas, at Tulsa, at UTEP
