The Conference USA Football Championship Game is an annual American football game that has determined the season champion of Conference USA (CUSA) 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 | 2023 |
| Current champion | Liberty |
| 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 (2019–2022) | |
History
The championship game from 2005 to 2021 showcased the CUSA 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 five of the nine current CUSA members have played in the Conference USA Football Championship Game, with the most recent 2023 edition featuring two schools in their first season in the conference. The only current CUSA members to have won the championship game are Liberty and Western Kentucky. During the era of divisional play, the overall series between both divisions was led 10–8 by the East Division.
The CUSA Football Championship Game had been aired on ESPN or its affiliates since 2005, but since the 2018 edition 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 CUSA 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 its primary team color. Rankings are from the AP Poll released prior to the game.
‡ 2020 game attendance limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results by team
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 | Liberty Flames | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2023 | |
| 1 | Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2018 | |
| 1 | New Mexico State Aggies | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2023 |
- FIU, Jacksonville State, Sam Houston and UTEP have yet to make an appearance in a Conference USA Championship Game.
- Kennesaw State, which joins CUSA in 2024, and both Delaware and Missouri State, which join in 2025, will respectively be eligible for the title game for the first time in 2025 and 2026.
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 2023 contest, the home team is 14–5 overall in CUSA 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 |
| Total offense | 582, Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky vs. UTSA | 2021 |
| Touchdowns responsible for | 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: Conference USA[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.[4]