Week Six Conference Notes
 
DALLAS – Weekday CUSA rolls on in week six and features a pair of fun storylines in Wednesday’s showdowns as Kennesaw State hosts rival Jacksonville State in a rematch of the 2025 CUSA Championship Game and FIU welcomes New Mexico State for the Panthers’ annual Vice Night festivities.
 
Thursday brings another duo of exciting matchups as Missouri State travels to WKU after the Hilltoppers overcame a 16-10 second-half deficit to knock off the Bears, 27-22, in last year’s meeting. Then, two of the league’s stingiest defenses square off as Liberty hosts Sam Houston in a series that has seen two meetings decided by a total of seven points.
 
JAX STATE (3-2, 1-0 CUSA) AT KENNESAW STATE (1-3, 0-0 CUSA)
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 7
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Kennesaw, Ga. (Fifth Third Stadium)
Broadcast: CBS Sports Network
Announcers: Chris Lewis (PxP), Taylor McHargue (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Kennesaw State leads 4-3
 
NM STATE (2-3, 1-0 CUSA) AT FIU (2-2, 0-0 CUSA)
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 7
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Miami, Fla. (Pitbull Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN2
Announcers: Clay Matvick (PxP), Rocky Boiman (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Tied 2-2
 
MISSOURI STATE (1-3, 0-0 CUSA) AT WKU (1-4, 0-1 CUSA)
Date: Thursday, Oct. 8
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: WKU leads 7-4
 
SAM HOUSTON (1-3, 0-0 CUSA) AT LIBERTY (4-1, 1-0 CUSA)
Date: Thursday, Oct. 8
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Williams Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPNU
Announcers: Tiffany Greene (PxP), Jay Walker (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Tied 1-1
 
WEEKDAY WARRIORS
Jax State has enjoyed the most success during Weekday CUSA since its inception as the Gamecocks own an 11-1 mark over three years. The only loss came in 2023 against eventual CUSA Champion and Fiesta Bowl participant, Liberty. 
 
School                                   Record
Missouri State                    3-0 (1.000)
Jax State                          11-1 (.917)
Liberty                             8-2 (.800)
NM State                          7-4 (.636)
WKU                                7-4 (.636)
Kennesaw State                  4-3 (.571)
FIU                                  3-8 (.273)
Delaware                          1-3 (.250)
Sam Houston                     3-10 (.231)
MTSU                               2-8 (.200)
 
HOME SWEET HOME
CUSA teams are averaging 287.9 passing yards per game at home this season which leads all FBS conferences. CUSA is the only FBS conference with at least half its teams averaging 300 pass yards per game at home (Western Kentucky, Delaware, Sam Houston, Missouri State, FIU). The Hilltoppers’ 407.0 yards is second only to Oregon, while the Bearkats rank ninth, Delaware ranks 17th, Missouri State ranks 22nd and FIU comes in at 29th.
 
GROUND-POUND GAMECOCKS
Jacksonville State has rushed for a touchdown in 63 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, 39). The Gamecocks are coming off their 17th game with at least 250 rushing yards since 2024, tied with Army for the most in the FBS. Quarterback Caden Creel paces the team with 375 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. His 1450 rushing yards since the start of last season are second most among all FBS quarterbacks behind Army’s Cale Hellums (1524). Creel needs 50 rushing yards to become the seventh QB in Conference USA history to reach 1,500.
 
KARDIAC KENNESAW
Since the inception of its football program, Kennesaw State has been terrific in close games when playing at home. The Owls have the fourth-highest winning percentage in home games decided by eight points or fewer since 2015, behind only Michigan State, Liberty and Vanderbilt. Since joining CUSA in 2024, Kennesaw State is 5-1 in such games, including a perfect 3-0 mark in 2025.

PANTHERS’ PRESSURE
FIU has established itself as one of the nation’s most complete defensive teams, ranking eighth nationally in total defense (244.8), fourth in first downs allowed (55) and 12th in rushing defense (80.0). The Panthers are also 18th in scoring defense (14.5) and 22nd nationally in third-down defense (.300). FIU has not allowed more than 20 points in any game this season. The four-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.
 
SCHOOL IN SESSION
NM State’s Nick Session is one of just four FBS players to rank in the top 25 nationally in solo tackles per game and interceptions per game. The Aggie corner is tied for 18th with 5.00 solo stops per game, while his 0.40 interceptions per game is tied for 23rd. He joins Washington’s Alex McLaughlin, Boston College’s KP Price and San Jose State’s Caleb Womack.
 
BIRD IS THE WORD
Missouri State linebacker Jared “Bird” Lloyd is quickly emerging as one of the most productive FBS linebackers, leading CUSA and ranking second only to Nevada’s EJ Smith in tackles per game with 11.3 per contest on the year. Bird is tied for 18th in FBS in solo stops per game (5.00). He has tied his career high with 13 tackles on three occassions already this season, including two against top-25 teams in Texas A&M and SMU.
 
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.
 
BEARKAT BARRAGE
Sam Houston has been one of the nation’s most effective teams against the pass, ranking eighth nationally in passing yards allowed at just 145.3 yards per game and fifth in passing efficiency defense at 97.57. The Bearkats have also limited opponents to a .268 conversion rate on third down, good for 13th nationally. Sam Houston has held opponents to just 5.2 yards per pass attempt and a 47.7 completion percentage. On third downs, the Bearkats have allowed the second-lowest completion percentage (31.0) in FBS, behind Oklahoma. Opponents are just 9-29 for 122 yards dropping back on third down.
 
FLAWLESS FLAMES
Liberty is one of just eight FBS teams yet to thrown an interception this season. The Flames have matched the 2014 Florida Atlantic squad for the longest streak to start a season in CUSA history. Led by the disciplined performances of quarterback Deshawn Purdie, Liberty leads CUSA and ranks 29th nationally in team passing efficiency (162.77). Purdie leads CUSA and ranks 34th in FBS in passing efficiency (161.7).