Week Seven Conference Notes
 
DALLAS – Week seven brings a four-game Weekday CUSA slate, featuring a matchup of undefeated conference teams in Jax State (2-0 CUSA) and FIU (1-0 CUSA) at 7 p.m. CT Tuesday on ESPNU.
 
Week seven includes two showdowns of teams in search of their first CUSA win on CBS Sports Network as Tuesday’s slate opens with Delaware visiting MTSU at 6 p.m. CT, while Missouri State is set to host Kennesaw State at 6:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday.
 
The week seven schedule wraps up with WKU and Sam Houston squaring off on ESPN at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday.
 
DELAWARE (2-3, 0-1 CUSA) AT MTSU (2-3, 0-1 CUSA)
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Murfreesboro, Tenn. (Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium)
Broadcast: CBS Sports Network
Announcers: Alex Del Barrio (PxP), Taylor McHargue (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Delaware leads 3-0
 
FIU (3-2, 1-0 CUSA) AT JAX STATE (4-2, 2-0 CUSA)
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Location: Jacksonville, Ala. (AmFirst Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPNU
Announcers: Peter Sousa (PxP), Leger Douzable (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Jax State leads 3-1
 
KENNESAW STATE (1-4, 0-1 CUSA) AT MISSOURI STATE (1-4, 0-1 CUSA)
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 14
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Springfield, Mo. (Robert W. Plaster Stadium)
Broadcast: CBS Sports Network
Announcers: Justin Kutcher (PxP), Ben DiNucci (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Series tied 1-1
 
WKU (2-4, 1-1 CUSA) AT SAM HOUSTON (1-4, 0-1 CUSA)
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 14
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Location: Huntsville, Texas (Elliott T. Bowers Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN
Announcers: Clay Matvick (PxP), Rocky Boiman (Analyst)
All-Time Series: WKU leads 3-1
 
WEEKDAY WARRIORS
Jax State has enjoyed the most success during Weekday CUSA since its inception as the Gamecocks own a 12-1 mark over four years. The only loss came in 2023 against eventual CUSA Champion and Fiesta Bowl participant, Liberty.
 
School                       Record
Jax State                 12-1 (.923)
Liberty                    9-2 (.818)
Missouri State           3-1 (.750)
WKU                      8-4 (.667)
NM State                 7-5 (.583)
Kennesaw State        4-4 (.500)
FIU                        4-8 (.333)
Delaware                 1-3 (.250)
Sam Houston           3-11 (.214)
MTSU                     2-8 (.200)
 
SACK ATTACK
Delaware’s defense has come up with 16 sacks this season, tied for 19th most in the FBS. The Fightin’ Blue Hens have one more sack than the next-highest CUSA squad (NM State), despite playing one less game. It’s the most by a CUSA program through five games of a season since Middle Tennessee in 2022 (19). Delaware had three or more defensive sacks and a recovered opponent fumble in four straight games to start 2026, the longest such streak to start a season in CUSA history.
 
PANTHERS’ PRESSURE
FIU has established itself as one of the nation’s most complete defensive teams, ranking in the top 25 in FBS in third down defense (.292), passing defense (156.4), rushing defense (85.4), scoring defense (12.2), passing efficiency defense (97.46) and total defense (241.8). The Panthers also rank 27th in tackles for loss (6.6) and 29th in sacks (2.60). FIU has not allowed more than 20 points in any game this season. The five-game streak is the longest to start a season by a CUSA team since 2020, when Marshall opened with a conference-record eight straight games allowing 20 points or fewer and FAU opened that season with seven straight.
 
GROUND-POUND GAMECOCKS
Jacksonville State has rushed for a touchdown in 64 consecutive games, a streak that started immediately after a loss at Kennesaw State on October 2, 2021. It’s 24 games longer than the next-longest active streak across all FBS and FCS programs (Montana State, 40). Quarterback Caden Creel paces the team with 405 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. His 1480 rushing yards since the start of last season are second most among all FBS quarterbacks behind Army’s Cale Hellums (1747). Creel needs 20 rushing yards to become the seventh QB in Conference USA history to reach 1,500.
 
OWLS OFFENSE SIMMERING
In its CUSA opener last week, Kennesaw State looked as good as it has offensively all season, recording the eighth-most FBS offensive yards in program history (411) and seventh-most passing yards (293) in a single game. After averaging 87 rushing yards against Georgia Southern and Tennessee, the Owls have found another gear, averaging 157 yards per game on the ground over their last two weeks. In the previous two games, quarterback Rickie Collins has eclipsed 70 percent completing his passes.
 
MTSU’s MISHAP MANAGEMENT
MTSU has been among the nation’s best at protecting the football, while also turning the tides with turnovers on defense. The Blue Raiders rank fourth nationally with just two turnovers lost this season and have forced seven turnovers. This has resulted in a +1.00 turnover margin that leads CUSA and ranks 12th in the FBS. Quarterback Roman Gagliano has been one of the most sound quarterbacks in the turnover game with one career interception on 300 pass attempts and no fumbles on 61 carries.
 
BIRD IS THE WORD
Missouri State linebacker Jared “Bird” Lloyd is quickly emerging as one of the most productive FBS linebackers, leading FBS in total tackles (12.0) on the year. Bird is tied for 10th in FBS in solo stops per game (5.40). He set a new career high with 15 stops against WKU this past week after he logged 13 tackles on three occassions already this season, including two against top-25 teams in Texas A&M and SMU. Only Oklahoma State’s Ethan Wesloski has more tackles per game in multiple games against Power Four teams.
 
NO FLY ZONE
Sam Houston is holding opponents to 139.0 passing yards per game this season, good for fourth in the FBS. It’s also one of the best marks through five games by any Conference USA team in the last 20 years, ranking third among CUSA squads since 2007 behind only 2011 UCF (100.2) and 2018 UAB (134.6). The Bearkats rank third in FBS in opponent completion percentage (50.4), sixth in yards per attempt (5.56) and ninth in passing efficiency defense (104.94). On third downs, the Bearkats have allowed the fourth-lowest completion percentage (39.4) in FBS, behind Oregon, Oklahoma and Ohio State. Opponents are just 13-33 for 172 yards dropping back on third down.
 
FRESHMAN PHENOM
WKU wide receiver Jonathan Stafford Jr. ranks third among FBS freshmen this season with 36 receptions, which leads all Conference USA players. He’s on a small list of recent CUSA rookies to average at least 6.0 catches in his team’s first six games of a season, coming in at third among CUSA freshmen since 2010. The most recent to do so was former Hilltopper legend Malachi Corley in 2021. Stafford’s recent success has resulted in him becoming the first player in CUSA history to earn three-straight Freshman of the Week titles.