What Will Liberty Do for An Encore in Conference USA?
Defending Champion Liberty Leads Way in 2024 Conference USA Championship Odds
Can Western Kentucky or Jacksonville State Challenge Liberty in Conference USA Race?
Liberty had quite the debut season in Conference USA going undefeated until falling to Oregon in the Fiesta College Football Bowl.
It should not be that surprising that the 2024 Conference USA championship odds begin with the Flames.
Depending on which sportsbook you wish to trust, either Western Kentucky or Jacksonville State has the second-shortest odds to win the Conference USA title.
There is quite a drop-off after those three teams.
The College Football Playoff field has expanded from four to 12 teams and that could benefit Conference USA.
In the past, one NCAAF team stats from the Group of Five conferences would earn a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl game. That team happened to be Liberty in 2023.
Under the new format, the champions from the top five conferences will earn spots in the CFP field. The mass exodus has left Pac-12 out of the picture leaving four power conferences so one of the Group of Five conferences is guaranteed to have a team in the College Football Playoff bracket.
When looking at the college football schedule, the first Conference USA team in action will be Jacksonville State as the Gamecocks face Coastal Carolina on Aug. 29 with Jacksonville State favored by 3.5 points.
Not counting Notre Dame, Liberty is vying with Boise State out of the Mountain West and James Madison from the Sun Belt Conference for the shortest NCAAF odds to make it into the College Football Playoff field among the teams outside the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC.
Kennesaw State joins Conference USA this season but will not be eligible for the Conference USA championship game. Delaware and Missouri State will join Conference USA in 2025.
● TE Spotlight ●
Sean Brown – Jacksonville State
• Brown is one of the top returning TEs in the #G5 in my opinion and last season he was amazing. In 2023 he caught 19 passes for 294 yards 5 Touchdowns averaging an impressive 15.5 yards per catch. pic.twitter.com/TDgrNwCb1u
— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) June 24, 2024
The Contenders
The question is whether anybody can challenge Liberty for the top spot.
The Flames got a huge boost when quarterback Kaidon Salter withdrew his name from the transfer portal. Can he top his brilliant 2023 season when he had 2,876 passing yards with 32 touchdown passes and just six interceptions?
The other transfer news wasn’t quite as positive with leading receiver CJ Daniels now at LSU. The defense took a hit with safety Preston Hodge landing at Colorado, defensive lineman Kendy Charles leaving for Duke, and cornerback Kobe Singleton heading off to Oregon State.
Perhaps Auburn edge rusher and defensive backs Jason Duclona, Alex Oliver, and Dominick Hill can make an immediate impact for a Liberty team that ranged from -160 to -250 to win the conference title according to the 2024 Conference USA championship odds.
Western Kentucky added Bowling Green’s leading rusher Ta’ron Keith, Texas State quarterback TJ Finley, and Alabama State receiver Kisean Johnson. They look to make a difference in the NCAA football results when the Hilltoppers play at Liberty on Nov. 23.
Sack leader Kendrick Simpkins will chase down quarterbacks for Baylor and that is bad news for a defense that allowed at least 38 points in three of its five losses last season. The Hilltoppers are currently going from +425 to +500 in the Conference USA odds.
Jacksonville State’s odds go anywhere from +375 to +550 to win the Conference USA. Running back Andrew Paul is a big addition through the transfer portal as he ran for 129 yards as a freshman at Georgia. Colorado receiver Tar’Varish Dawson is another key addition.
Ready to Put the Pressure On?
It looks like a three-game race in the Conference USA when looking at the 2024 Conference USA championship odds.
New Mexico State finished second in the Conference USA standings a season ago but the Aggies lost so many key players who transferred elsewhere. Starting quarterback Diego Pavia is now at Vanderbilt as is tight end Eli Stowers.
The top two receivers also left while the top seven tacklers also left as New Mexico State as first-year coach Tony Sanchez has his work cut out for him.
With all the departures, only Florida International has longer Conference USA odds than New Mexico State. Time will tell if that is how things shake out in the NCAAF football predictions.
Sam Houston looks to be the team best equipped to take a run at the top three teams.
Central Michigan quarterback Jase Bauer, Texas A&M tight end Fernando Garza, and Liberty safety Jaylon Jimmerson are among the newcomers to watch for the Bearkats who are priced at +2200 to win the conference title.
Middle Tennessee (+2500 in the Conference USA title odds) is another team hit hard by outgoing transfers with top tacklers Sam Brumfield and Jakobe Thomas among the departures.
The odds for Louisiana Tech and UTEP are all over the place.
Louisiana Tech rebuilt the offensive line through the transfer portal but also lost some key contributors.
UTEP hired Austin Peay’s Scotty Walden as the new head coach in December and he did not come alone.
Defensive backs Kory Chapman and Xavier Smith, running back Jevon Jackson, and receiver Trey Goodman transferred in from Austin Peay.
No Cupcakes Allowed in Conference USA
Conference USA teams aren’t shy about facing the big boys early in the season.
The 2024 season will be no different with Western Kentucky opening the season against Alabama, FIU playing at Indiana, and UTEP a 28-point underdog against Nebraska.
That is just Week 1. In the second week of the season, Jacksonville State hits the road to meet Louisville, Middle Tennessee State is at Ole Miss while Louisiana Tech meets up with North Carolina State the following week.
There aren’t any teams from the power conferences on Liberty’s schedule as Campbell, East Carolina, Appalachian State, and UMass are the non-conference teams that the Flames will meet during the 2024 season.
For NCAAF betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
