Week Nine Conference Notes
 
DALLAS – Week nine marks the unfortunate conclusion of the 2026 Weekday CUSA slate with four weekday games, followed by a Halloween afternoon showdown between FIU and Liberty.
 
WKU won two straight heading into its bye week and now welcomes Delaware after Nick Minicucci totaled six touchdowns in his return for the Fightin’ Blue Hens last week. Sam Houston and Missouri State face off for the first time as CUSA foes and the first time since 2006.
 
On Wednesday, MTSU returns home on a two-game winning streak to host Kennesaw State, and Jax State puts its unblemished CUSA mark on the line at New Mexico State. 
 
DELAWARE (3-4, 1-2 CUSA) AT WKU (3-4, 2-1 CUSA)
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 27
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Bowling Green, Ky. (Houchens Industries – L.T. Smith Stadium)
Broadcast: CBS Sports Network
Announcers: Justin Kutcher (PxP), Ben DiNucci (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Delaware leads 2-1
 
SAM HOUSTON (1-6, 0-3 CUSA) AT MISSOURI STATE (2-5, 1-2 CUSA)
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 27
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Location: Springfield, Mo. (Robert W. Plaster Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN2
Announcers: Jason Ross Jr. (PxP), Tyoka Jackson (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Series tied 1-1
 
KENNESAW STATE (1-6, 0-3 CUSA) AT MTSU (4-3, 2-1 CUSA)
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 28
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Murfreesboro, Tenn. (Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium)
Broadcast: CBS Sports Network
Announcers: Chris Lewis (PxP), Emory Hunt (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Series tied 1-1
 
JAX STATE (5-2, 3-0 CUSA) AT NM STATE (3-4, 2-1 CUSA)
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 28
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Location: Las Cruces, N.M. (Aggie Memorial Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN2
Announcers: Clay Matvick (PxP), Rocky Boiman (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Series tied 1-1
 
FIU (3-4, 1-2 CUSA) AT LIBERTY (6-1, 3-0 CUSA)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 31
Time: 2:30 p.m. CT
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Williams Stadium)
Broadcast: CBS Sports Network
Announcers: John Sadak (PxP), Randy Cross (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Liberty leads 3-1
 
WEEKDAY WARRIORS
Jax State has enjoyed the most success during Weekday CUSA since its inception as the Gamecocks own a 13-1 mark over four years. The only loss came in 2023 against eventual CUSA Champion and Fiesta Bowl participant, Liberty. The Flames follow closely behind with 10 Weekday CUSA wins since 2023.
 
School                        Record
Jax State                  13-1 (.929)
Liberty                     10-2 (.833)
WKU                        9-4 (.692)
Missouri State           4-2 (.667)
NM State                  8-5 (.615)
Kennesaw State         4-6 (.400)
MTSU                      4-8 (.333)
Delaware                  2-4 (.333)
FIU                         4-10 (.286)
Sam Houston            3-13 (.188)
 
SPREAD THE LOVE
After Delaware wide receiver Bryson Graves completed a touchdown pass to quarterback Tyler Bell against MTSU, Graves became the fifth Blue Hen to throw a touchdown pass this season and second by a non-quarterback. The five touchdown passers are the most in the country this season and tied for the most by a CUSA team all-time in a season, matching Memphis in 2008 and Southern Miss in 2021. The two non-QB touchdown passers are tied for the most in the nation this season (Louisiana Tech). One of those came via RB Viron Ellison Jr.’s 75-yard-touchdown pass versus Merrimack, which is the longest by a running back since Michigan’s Donovan Edwards’ 75-yard throw in 2021. Delaware also ranks second only to Georgia (13) with 12 different pass catchers with a touchdown reception in 2026.
 
THRIVING ON THIRD DOWN
FIU has converted at least five third-down attempts in eight straight games, the fourth-longest active streak in the FBS. This season, the Panthers lead CUSA and rank 27th in FBS in third-down conversion percentage (.464). Quarterback JJ Kohl has completed 35-59 passes for 542 yards on third downs, gaining 30 first downs on his 35 attempts while averaging 9.2 yards per attempt.
 
GROUND-POUND GAMECOCKS
Jacksonville State has rushed for a touchdown in 65 consecutive games, a streak that started immediately after a loss at Kennesaw State on October 2, 2021. It’s 23 games longer than the next-longest active streak across all FBS and FCS programs (Montana State, 42). Quarterback Caden Creel paces the team with 500 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. With 95 yards in the win over FIU, Creel became the seventh quarterback in Conference USA history to reach 1,500 career rushing yards.
 
COLLINS’ CRISP COMPLETIONS
Kennesaw State quarterback Rickie Collins leads CUSA and ranks in the top 25 in FBS in both completion percentage (.686) and completions per game (20.57). On the year, he has completed 144-210 passes. Collins has been efficient early and often, completing 29-38 (76.3%) of passes in the opening quarter, which ranks 13th among all FBS quarterbacks.
 
FLAWLESS FLAMES
Liberty is one of just three FBS teams (Boise State, South Florida) yet to throw an interception, surpassing the 2014 Florida Atlantic squad for the longest streak to start a season in CUSA history. Led by a disciplined quarterback in Deshawn Purdie, Liberty leads CUSA and ranks 19th nationally in team passing efficiency (160.33). Purdie leads CUSA and ranks 25th in FBS in passing efficiency (159.9). He has completed 80-133 passes (60.2%) for 1,226 yards with nine touchdowns and no interceptions.
 
ROMAN’S REIGN
Among all active FBS quarterbacks with at least 350 career pass attempts, no one has a higher touchdown-to-interception ratio than Roman Gagliano. The redshirt-sophomore gun-slinger has a 9.50 TD-to-INT ratio, having thrown 19 touchdowns to just two interceptions on 359 career attempts. The next highest active quarterbacks include Miami’s Darian Mensah (6.00) and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr (5.71).
 
MYERS’ MONSTER GAMES
Isaiah Myers is coming off his fourth game of the season with at least 130 receiving yards, tied with Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Oregon State’s Jesse Legree for the most in the FBS. No CUSA player has had five or more games with 130 receiving yards in a single season since 2021 (WKU’s Jerreth Sterns, seven; UTEP’s Jacob Cowing, five). Myers currently leads CUSA and ranks in the top 10 in FBS in receiving yards per game (113.7) and receiving touchdowns (7), having found the endzone at least once in four straight games and twice in each of the last two games.
 
CONTAINING CONFERENCE FOES
New Mexico State has had the best run defense in FBS against conference opponents, allowing just 51.3 yards per game and 1.6 yards per carry - both the lowest figures by any school. The 11 rushing yards the Aggies allowed last week to Sam Houston were the fewest by a CUSA team since UTEP held Louisiana Tech to seven on Oct. 22, 2024.
 
NO FLY ZONE
Sam Houston is holding opponents to 141.0 passing yards per game this season, good for third in the FBS. The Bearkats rank second in FBS in opponent yards per attempt (5.3) and fourth in opponent completion percentage (52.4). On third downs, the Bearkats have allowed the fifth-lowest completion percentage (44.2) in FBS. Opponents are just 23-52 for 242 yards dropping back on third down.
 
TOPPER TRADITION
WKU is one of just 10 FBS programs and three Group of Six schools (Memphis, Louisiana) to play in a bowl game in each of the last seven years. WKU is one of only 10 FBS programs in the nation with 8+ wins in each of the last five seasons and has participated in 12 bowl games over the last 14 seasons, winning eight after claiming the 2025 New Orleans Bowl. Since the start of the CFP era in 2014, only Georgia and Minnesota (nine each) have more bowl wins than WKU’s eight, which are tied with Alabama, Ohio State and Wisconsin.