With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, all 14 Conference USA teams are in action again in Week 12. There is one game slated for Friday night, which kicks off the weekend for Conference USA, as Louisiana Tech hosts Southern Miss at 7 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network. There are six other games on tap in the league on Saturday, as Florida Atlantic and East Division leaders WKU kick off the action on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT, when they do battle on Stadium. The day is however highlighted by a massive West Division clash between UAB and CFP No. 22 UTSA in San Antonio at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+, The final contest of the day kicks off at 6 p.m. CT as the surging Mean Green of North Texas aim to keep their bowl hopes alive as they travel to Miami to battle FIU on ESPN3.
 
Conference USA Celebrates its Hall of Fame Class of 2021 inductee Russel D. Anderson on November 19-20 during all league football games. Russ was a dedicated member of the Conference USA staff for more than 25 years until his sudden passing in April 2021. He was selected to the C-USA Hall of Fame in July. Teams are wearing helmet stickers this week in his honor.

In honor of Russ and his contributions to college athletics, the Russell D. Anderson Memorial fund has been established by his family together with Conference USA. The fund will be used to support development and opportunities for those pursuing careers in sports communications. To donate, head here.

How the West Can Be Won
UAB (7-3, 5-1 C-USA), remains on the road with a trip to San Antonio to battle one of three unbeaten FBS teams, CFP No. 22 UTSA  (10-0, 6-0 C-USA), at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The Roadrunners can clinch the West Division with a win, and would also clinch the ability to host the 2021 Ryan Conference USA Championship Game. UAB wouldn’t clinch with a win, but would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker and would be able to clinch the division the final week of the regular season at home with a win over UTEP, should the Blazers leave the Alamodome victorious. UTSA held on to beat Southern Miss last week, 27-17, while UAB picked up an impressive road win at Marshall, 21-14. This week's matchup sees a tremendous set of running backs in UTSA's Sincere McCormick, a Doak Walker Semifinalist (230 carries for 1,150 yards and 11 touchdowns), and UAB's DeWayne McBride (127 carries for 834 yards and 10 touchdowns), who has been on a tear the past several weeks (47 carries for 413 yards and eight touchdowns over the last three weeks). 

Six More C-USA Matchups
Louisiana Tech (3-7, 2-4 C-USA) is coming off an impressive 42-32 win last week at home over Charlotte to snap a five-game skid. The Bulldogs welcome Southern Miss (1-9, 0-6 C-USA) to Ruston on Friday night at 7 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network. Louisiana Tech benefitted from a big-time performance by RB Marcus Williams, Jr., who carried 29 times for 131 yards and four touchdowns in the win. Southern Miss hung with then-No. 23 UTSA until the fourth quarter, utilizing Frank Gore, Jr. effectively as the wildcat quarterback, but ultimately fell 27-17 in San Antonio. 

WKU (6-4, 5-1 C-USA) has won five straight since opening the season at 1-4, and the Hilltoppers are alone atop the East Division. They return home to Bowling Green and host Florida Atlantic (5-5, 3-3 C-USA) at 11 a.m. CT live on Stadium to kick off Saturday’s six-game slate. WKU won comfortably last week on the road at Rice, 42-21, on the strength of yet another monster performance by the nation’s leading passer, QB Bailey Zappe, who threw for five touchdowns and completed 34-42 passes for 482 yards, while one of the nation’s most explosive players, WR Jerreth Sterns, hauled in seven more catches for 92 yards. Florida Atlantic, has dropped two straight, to Marshall and last week on the road at Old Dominion (30-16). WKU can clinch the East Division and a spot in the 2021 Ryan Conference USA Championship Game with a win coupled with a Marshall loss at Charlotte, but should Marshall win this week, the East won’t be decided until WKU’s matchup at Marshall to close the regular season.

Marshall (6-4, 4-2 C-USA) hits the road to take on Charlotte (5-5, 3-3 C-USA) Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on Stadium. Marshall is still firmly in the mix for the East Division title, but must win Saturday to set up a winner-take-all game at home against WKU on Nov. 27. The Thundering Herd fell 21-14 at home last week, while Charlotte dropped a 42-32 decision at Louisiana Tech last week, suffering their third loss in the 49ers’ last four.

Old Dominion (4-6, 3-3 C-USA) travels to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to take on Middle Tennessee (5-5, 3-3 C-USA) at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The suddenly surging Monarchs have won three consecutive games, including last week’s 30-16 win at home over Florida Atlantic to keep their bowl hopes alive. RB Blake Watson has been steady over that timeframe, and carried 23 times for 163 yards and a score in the win over FAU. Middle Tennessee is just one win away  from bowl eligibility, and the Blue Raiders are coming off a 50-10 win at home last week over FIU. QB Nicholas Vattiato, who earned his second consecutive start, was efficient, completing 20-24 passes for 147 yards and two touchdown tosses. Six different Blue Raiders found the end zone in the win (five offensively) and DB Quincy Riley, who had a 45-yard interception return for a score.

Rice (3-7, 2-4 C-USA) makes the trip west to battle UTEP (6-4, 3-3 C-USA) at 3 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The Owls have dropped three straight since upsetting UAB on the road, including last week’s 42-21 loss at home to WKU. UTEP has cooled as well, falling for the third straight time last week, dropping a heartbreaker 20-17 in Denton against North Texas. The Miners got another strong effort from star WR Jacob Cowing, who caught five passes for 174 yards and a score.

North Texas (4-6, 3-3 C-USA) travels to South Beach  to take on FIU (1-9, 0-6 C-USA) at 6 p.m. CT in the final C-USA game of the day, on ESPN3. The surginig Mean Green picked up their third win in as many weeks, again keeping their bowl eligibility hopes alive, beating UTEP 20-17 in Denton. UNT led 17-7 in the fourth quarter, and despite UTEP tying it up at 17-17 in the final minute, North Texas QB Austin Aune connected with WR Detraveon Brown for a 58-yard gain down the sideline to set up K Ethan Mooney’s game-winning 27-yard field goal to send the Homecoming crowd home happy.