Week 10 Conference Notes
 
DALLAS – Liberty and Jacksonville State, both tied atop the Conference USA football standings at 4-0, will be featured on linear networks for their week 10 matchups as the Gamecocks host Sam Houston at 6 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network, while the Flames take on New Mexico State at 6 p.m. MT/8 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
 
The weekend slate also features the 76^th meeting of the 100 Miles of Hate Rivalry as MTSU hosts WKU, who has won seven-straight in the series. Week 10 will also see a pair of unfamiliar matchups as Delaware and Kennesaw State face off for the first time, while Missouri State and FIU will meet for just the second time after the Bears claimed a 28-21 victory last season.  
 
DELAWARE (4-4, 2-2 CUSA) AT KENNESAW STATE (2-6, 1-3 CUSA)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: 2 p.m. CT
Location: Kennesaw, Ga. (Fifth Third Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Nolan Alexander (PxP), Cole Neely (Analyst), Maria Martin (Reporter)
All-Time Series: First meeting
 
WKU (3-5, 2-2 CUSA) AT MTSU (4-4, 2-2 CUSA)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: 2:30 p.m. CT
Location: Murfreesboro, Tenn. (Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Jake Rose (PxP), Jeremy Kellem (Analyst), Emmy Fazenbaker (Reporter)
All-Time Series: WKU leads 39-35-1
 
MISSOURI STATE (3-5, 2-2 CUSA) AT FIU (3-5, 1-3 CUSA)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: 3 p.m. CT
Location: Miami, Fla. (Pitbull Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Corey Brooks (PxP), Jermon Bushrod (Analyst), Sydney Jones (Reporter)
All-Time Series: Missouri State leads 1-0
 
SAM HOUSTON (1-7, 0-4 CUSA) AT JAX STATE (6-2, 4-0 CUSA)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Jacksonville, Ala. (AmFirst Stadium)
Broadcast: CBS Sports Network
Announcers: Alex Del Barrio (PxP), Emory Hunt (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Jax State leads 8-6
 
LIBERTY (7-1, 4-0 CUSA) AT NM STATE (3-5, 2-2 CUSA)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Location: Las Cruces, N.M. (Aggie Memorial Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPNU
Announcers: Joe Tordy (PxP), Forrest Conoly (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Liberty leads 7-2
 
MINICUCCI MAKES HIS MARK
After missing Delaware’s first two CUSA games, quarterback Nick Minicucci returned to the field in a big way with back-to-back outings that netted him CUSA Offensive Player of the Week and Davey O’Brien Award Great 8 honors. In the Fightin’ Blue Hens’ two victories, he has completed 52-67 (77.6%) of his passes for 639 yards and nine touchdowns while rushing for another score on the ground. Minicucci is fresh off a 414-yard, four-touchdown performance in a road win at WKU to bring Delaware back to .500 on the season. He’s already back in the mix among national leaders, ranking in the top 25 in passing efficiency (160.7), passing yards per game (246.2), yards per completion (13.31) and points responsible for per game (16.3). His 10 games with at least 300 passing yards since the start of last season are tied for second most in FBS behind only Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker.
 
GROUND-POUND GAMECOCKS
Jacksonville State has rushed for a touchdown in 66 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, 43). Quarterback Caden Creel paces the team with 89.1 rushing yards per game, which ranks 25th among all FBS players and fifth among quarterbacks. He exploded for 213 yards in the shutout win over New Mexico State, which marked a career-high, a program record by a quarterback and just one yard shy of the CUSA record for rushing yards by a quarterback.
 
COLLINS’ CRISP COMPLETIONS
Kennesaw State quarterback Rickie Collins leads CUSA and ranks in the top 30 in FBS in both completion percentage (12th, .699) and completions per game (28th, 20.00). On the year, he has completed 160-229 passes. Collins has been efficient early and often, completing 34-43 (79.1%) of passes in the opening quarter, which ranks seventh among all FBS quarterbacks.
 
PURDIE, PURDIE GOOD
Liberty entered week nine as 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. Even after a rare mistake by quarterback Deshawn Purdie, the Flames are tied for second nationally behind USF with one interception. Liberty leads CUSA and ranks 17th nationally in team passing efficiency (162.12). Purdie leads CUSA and ranks 17th in FBS in passing efficiency (163.9). He has completed 96-152 passes (63.2%) for 1,453 yards with 10 touchdowns. After he was intercepted on his third attempt of the game against FIU, Purdie was 15-16 the rest of the way with a touchdown pass.
 
LOGAN’S LONG-RANGE LEG
MTSU punter Ashton Logan leads CUSA and ranks fourth in FBS in punting (49.0), having booted 39 balls for 1,910 yards. His longest punt of 76 yards came at Kansas and is tied for the second-longest punt of the season thus far. Logan has been a magician at pinning the opponent back with eight of his 23 punts being downed inside the 20 during the last four games. His 18 punts of 50 yards or more are tied for second nationally, behind only Virginia’s Daniel Sparks. Logan has recorded three games in which he averaged more than 50 yards per punt, including a season-best 53.20 average on five punts against Delaware.
 
MYERS’ MONSTER GAMES
Missouri State wide receiver Isaiah Myers has caught a touchdown pass in five-straight games, making him one of just five FBS wide receivers with an active touchdown streak of five games or longer. He has seven scoring receptions during that span. Myers currently leads CUSA and ranks in the top 10 in FBS in receiving yards per game (109.1) and receiving touchdowns (8). He has tallied four games with at least 130 receiving yards, which is tied with the likes of 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 is the sole FBS leader in receptions of at least 30 yards (13) and is tied for the lead in catches over 20 yards (18).
 
CATCH HIM IF YOU CAN
New Mexico State running back James Jones leads CUSA and ranks in the top 30 in FBS in all purpose yardage (116.88), rushing yards per carry (6.40) and rushing yards per game (111.1). During the month of October, he averaged 133.50 yards per game, which ranked seventh among FBS running backs. Jones is tied for fourth among FBS backs in runs of at least 20 yards (10) and tied for ninth in runs of 10+ yards (24).
 
NO FLY ZONE
Sam Houston is holding opponents to 146.4 passing yards per game this season, good for fourth in the FBS. The Bearkats also rank 16th in FBS in passing efficiency defense (114.12). Sam Houston ranks sixth in FBS in opponent completion percentage (53.7) and eighth in opponent yards per attempt (5.8). On third downs, the Bearkats have allowed the 13th-lowest completion percentage (47.4) in FBS. Opponents are just 27-57 for 297 yards dropping back on third down. This has led to them ranking 16th in third-down defense (.311).
 
NEWSOME NABS ATTENTION
WKU defensive back Tony Newsome Jr. has been a constant presence for the Tops’ secondary, recording at least one pass breakup in each of the last five games, totaling six during that span. He also has a pair of interceptions during that stretch. Newsome leads CUSA and ranks 14th in FBS in passes defended (1.14) with eight in seven games. His two interceptions and seven passes defended in CUSA play are tied for the league lead.