Conference USA Football Championship Game
The Conference USA Football Championship Game is an annual American football game that has determined the season champion of Conference USA (C-USA) since 2005.
| Conference USA Football Championship Game | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sport | College football |
| Conference | Conference USA |
| Current stadium | Hosted at school site by team with best conference winning percentage |
| Played | 2005–present |
| Last contest | 2022 |
| Current champion | UTSA |
| Most championships | East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Tulsa, UAB, UCF, UTSA, Western Kentucky (2) |
| TV partner(s) | CBSSN |
| Official website | ConferenceUSA.com |
| Sponsors | |
| Xbox 360 (2005) Aéropostale (2006) HotelPlanner.com (2010) Dynacraft BSC (2016–2017) Globe Life (2018) Ryan LLC (2019–present) | |
History
The championship game from 2005–2021 showcased the C-USA East Division regular season champion against the West Division regular season champion. From the 2022 season, the game pits the number one (1) team in the season standings versus the number two (2) team. The game is typically played on the first Saturday of December. The 2018 edition of the game, sponsored by Globe Life, was played on December 1, 2018, and televised by CBSSN. Ryan LLC currently holds sponsorship rights to the game.[1]
Due partly to major conference realignment in the early 2010s and early 2020s, only three of the nine current C-USA members have played in the Conference USA Football Championship Game, and the only current C-USA member to have won the championship game is Western Kentucky. During the era of divisional play, the overall series between both divisions was led 10–8 by the East Division.
The C-USA Football Championship Game had been aired on ESPN or its affiliates since 2005, but since the 2018 Championship Game has aired on CBSSN.[2]
Results
Conference USA champions (1996–2004)
Before 2005, each member of the conference played in a round-robin scheduling to determine the champion of the conference. In this time period, Southern Miss won the most titles with four. During this time frame, the winner of the C-USA Championship customarily received a berth to play in the Liberty Bowl against a member of the SEC. If two teams tied for the best conference record, co-champions were declared.
| Season | Champion(s) | Conf. record |
Overall record |
Bowl result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Houston | 4–1 | 7–5 | lost Liberty Bowl |
| Southern Miss | 4–1 | 8–3 | ||
| 1997 | #19 Southern Miss | 6–0 | 9–3 | won Liberty Bowl |
| 1998 | #7 Tulane | 6–0 | 12–0 | won Liberty Bowl |
| 1999 | #14 Southern Miss | 6–0 | 9–3 | won Liberty Bowl |
| 2000 | Louisville | 6–1 | 9–3 | lost Liberty Bowl |
| 2001 | #17 Louisville | 6–1 | 11–2 | won Liberty Bowl |
| 2002 | #23 TCU | 6–2 | 11–2 | won Liberty Bowl |
| Cincinnati | 6–2 | 7–7 | lost New Orleans Bowl | |
| 2003 | Southern Miss | 8–0 | 9–4 | lost Liberty Bowl |
| 2004 | #6 Louisville | 8–0 | 11–1 | won Liberty Bowl |
Final rankings from AP Poll shown.
Conference USA Championship Game (2005–present)
Below are the results from all Conference USA Football Championship Games played. The winning team appears in bold font, on a background of their primary team color. Rankings are from the AP Poll released prior to the game.
Current members
| Appearances | School | W | L | Pct | Titles | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Western Kentucky Hilltoppers | 2 | 1 | .666 | 2015, 2016 | 2021 |
| 2 | Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2014, 2016 | |
| 1 | Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2018 |
- FIU and UTEP have yet to make an appearance in a Conference USA Championship Game.
- Jacksonville State, Liberty, New Mexico State, and Sam Houston joined C-USA in July 2023. Jacksonville State and Sam Houston will not be eligible to appear in the title game until completing transitions from Division I FCS to FBS in 2024.
Former members
| Appearances | School | W | L | Pct | Titles | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2005, 2012 | 2007, 2008 |
| 4 | UCF Knights | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2007, 2010 | 2005, 2012 |
| 3 | UAB Blazers | 2 | 1 | .666 | 2018, 2020 | 2019 |
| 3 | Houston Cougars | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2006 | 2009, 2011 |
| 3 | Marshall Thundering Herd | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2014 | 2013, 2020 |
| 3 | Southern Miss Golden Eagles | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2011 | 2006, 2015 |
| 2 | East Carolina Pirates | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 2008, 2009 | |
| 2 | Florida Atlantic Owls | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 2017, 2019 | |
| 2 | UTSA Roadrunners | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 2021, 2022 | |
| 2 | North Texas Mean Green | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2017, 2022 | |
| 1 | Rice Owls | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2013 | |
| 1 | SMU Mustangs | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2010 |
- Charlotte, Memphis, Old Dominion, and Tulane did not make an appearance in a Conference USA Championship Game while members of the conference.
Game location
The team with the best overall conference win percentage will be the team that hosts the championship game. Six venues have hosted two title games—Houston's Robertson Stadium (since demolished, with TDECU Stadium standing at its former site), UCF's FBC Mortgage Stadium (both under its former name of Bright House Networks Stadium), Tulsa's Chapman Stadium, Western Kentucky's Houchens Stadium, Florida Atlantic's FAU Stadium, and UTSA's Alamodome.
In most recent years, Marshall and Rice both finished with 7–1 records in conference play in 2013, and did not play one another in the regular season, the site was chosen based on the BCS rankings at that time on December 1. Although only 25 teams were explicitly ranked, the ranking formula could be used to determine the relative rankings of any two teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Since 2014, when the BCS was replaced with the College Football Playoff rankings (CFP), national rankings have been removed from the tiebreaker process.
Following the 2022 contest, the home team is 13–5 overall in C-USA football championship games.
Game records
| Team | Record, Team vs. Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Most points scored (one team) | 58, Western Kentucky vs. Louisiana Tech | 2016 |
| Most points scored (losing team) | 44, Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky | 2016 |
| Fewest points scored (winning team) | 17, UCF vs. SMU | 2010 |
| Fewest points scored | 6, UAB vs. FAU | 2019 |
| Most points scored (both teams) | 102, Western Kentucky (58) vs. Louisiana Tech (44) | 2016 |
| Fewest points scored (both teams) | 24, UCF (17) vs. SMU (7) | 2010 |
| Most points scored in a half | 38, Western Kentucky (1st half) vs. Louisiana Tech | 2016 |
| Most points scored in a half (both teams) | 65, Western Kentucky vs. Louisiana Tech (1st half) | 2016 |
| Largest margin of victory | 43, Florida Atlantic (49) vs. UAB (6) | 2019 |
| Smallest margin of victory | 2, UAB (27) vs. Middle Tennessee (25) | 2018 |
| Total yards | 656, Western Kentucky (421 passing, 235 rushing) vs. Louisiana Tech | 2016 |
| Rushing yards | 308, UCF vs. Tulsa | 2007 |
| Passing yards | 577, Western Kentucky vs. UTSA | 2021 |
| First downs | 33, Houston vs. East Carolina | 2009 |
| Fewest yards allowed | 223, Florida Atlantic vs. UAB (84 passing, 139 rushing) | 2019 |
| Fewest rushing yards allowed | "-"9, Western Kentucky vs. UTSA | 2021 |
| Fewest passing yards allowed | 72, Marshall vs. Louisiana Tech | 2014 |
| Individual | Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent | Year |
| All-purpose yards | 582, Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky vs. UTSA | 2021 |
| Touchdowns (all-purpose) | 5, Case Keenum, Houston vs. East Carolina | 2009 |
| Rushing yards | 284, Kevin Smith, UCF vs. East Carolina | 2007 |
| Rushing touchdowns | 4, shared by: Kevin Smith, UCF vs. East Carolina Anthony Wales, Western Kentucky vs. Louisiana Tech | 2007 2016 |
| Passing yards | 577, Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky vs. UTSA | 2021 |
| Passing touchdowns | 5, Case Keenum, Houston vs. East Carolina | 2009 |
| Receiving yards | 241, James Cleveland, Houston vs. East Carolina | 2009 |
| Receiving touchdowns | 3, Zakhari Franklin, UTSA vs. North Texas | 2022 |
| Tackles | 15, shared by: Gerald McRath, Southern Miss vs. Houston C.J. Cavness, Houston vs. East Carolina | 2006 2009 |
| Sacks | 2, Bruce Miller, UCF vs. SMU | 2010 |
| Interceptions | 2, shared by 4 players, most recent: Jaylen Young, Florida Atlantic vs. North Texas | 2017 |
| Long Plays | Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent | Year |
| Touchdown run | 74, Kevin Smith, UCF vs. Tulsa | 2007 |
| Touchdown pass | 75, Deangelo Antoine from Chris Robison, Florida Atlantic vs. UAB | 2019 |
| Kickoff return | 69, Dwayne Harris, East Carolina vs. Houston | 2009 |
| Punt return | 83, Joe Burnett, UCF vs. Tulsa | 2007 |
| Interception return | 72, Travis Simmons, East Carolina vs. Tulsa | 2008 |
| Fumble return | 40, Travis Simmons, East Carolina vs. Tulsa | 2008 |
| Punt | 73, Matt Dodge, East Carolina vs. Tulsa | 2008 |
| Field goal | 48, Matt Quinn, UAB vs. Marshall | 2020 |
| Miscellaneous | Record, Team vs. Team | Year |
| Game attendance | 51,978, UCF vs. Tulsa | 2005 |
Source:[3]
Selection criteria
Division standings are based on each team's overall conference record. Often, two or more teams tie for the best record in their division and each team is recognized as a divisional co-champion. However, tiebreakers are used to determine who will represent the division in the championship game.
Two-team tie-breaker procedure
- Highest regular season winning percentage based on overall Conference USA play.
- If tied, head-to-head between tied teams.
- If still tied, team with highest CFP ranking.
NOTE: Although all division rivals meet during the season and NCAA overtime is played in case of a tie game, the CUSA has provisions in case a game ends in a tie under NCAA Rule 3–3–3 (c) and (d), Suspending the Game, or if the two tied teams did not play an official game because of weather. As such, CUSA rules still contain the remaining procedures if those circumstances were to happen.
Three or more-team procedure
(Once the tie has been reduced to two teams, go to the two-team tie-breaker format.)
- Highest regular season winning percentage based on overall CUSA play.
- If tied, head-to-head between tied teams.
- If still tied, highest winning percentage within division.
- If still tied, compare records against divisional opponents in descending order of finish.
- If still tied, compare records with common cross-divisional opponents.
- If still tied, compare records against cross-divisional opponents in descending order of finish.
- If still tied, team with highest CFP ranking.
- If still tied, the representative will be the team that has not participated in the championship game most recently.
- If at any point the tie is broken in a multiple team tie, the remaining teams will begin the process again at #2.
References
- "Ryan Named Football Championship Title Sponsor". Conference USA. October 10, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
- CBS SPORTS NETWORK ANNOUNCES 2018 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE FEATURING SERVICE ACADEMIES AND TOP SCHOOLS FROM NINE CONFERENCES
- "C-USA Records Master" (PDF). conferenceusa.com. pp. 35–36. Retrieved December 3, 2021.