Conference USA has been exciting over the past few years but has been typically run by one school for a few years at a time. Right now, that team is the Liberty Flames, who had a great 2023 en route to the Conference USA title. Here, we break down the Conference USA championship betting odds as bettors look to the futures markets in this hidden gem in college football.
Conference USA Odds
| Team | Conference USA Championship Odds |
| Jacksonville State | +120 |
| Western Kentucky | +160 |
| Sam Houston State | +550 |
| Liberty | +800 |
Conference USA Odds Preview
There are just four teams left with a chance to win the Conference USA championship: Jacksonville State, Western Kentucky, Sam Houston, and Liberty. Jacksonville State is the favorite, as they have remained unbeaten in conference play longer than anyone else. The Gamecocks are one of the hottest teams in all of college football in the second half of the season and they will look to parlay their level of play into a conference title.
There are only three other teams being given a shot at upending Jacksonville State for the Conference USA championship. Those teams are Western Kentucky, Sam Houston State, and Liberty. Liberty was the favorite to win this conference early in the season. But they have struggled mightily since then, giving Kennesaw State their first win as an FBS football team. As a result, Liberty needs to win out and get some help to make the CUSA title game.
It was hard to get a good read on most of the teams in this conference during non-conference play. This is because most Conference USA teams take on some of the biggest schools in college football during their non-conference slates to get big checks from those elite programs. We have a better picture of who these teams are now and it is going to be a thrilling race to see who reaches the championship game in this conference.
Conference USA Betting & Handicapping
Conference USA has been a pretty top-heavy league for the last several years. But there is a lot of fresh blood in the league as well, as teams like Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State have recently joined from FCS. As those teams get more comfortable at the FBS level, we could see them rise up the ranks in this league and put themselves into a position to win the conference in the near future.
Keep in mind that this is not a neutral-site championship game. It is on the campus of the team with the better record or more of the tiebreakers if necessary, so there will be a home-field advantage element to deciding a winner. That means that you want to compare schedules and see where a team’s toughest games are in hopes of picking the team that will be at home in the title game.
Conference USA Football Championship History
| Year | Conference USA Champion |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Liberty |
| 2022 | UTSA |
| 2021 | UTSA |
| 2020 | UAB |
| 2019 | Florida Atlantic |
| 2018 | UAB |
| 2017 | Florida Atlantic |
| 2016 | Western Kentucky |
| 2015 | Western Kentucky |
| 2014 | Marshall |
| 2013 | Rice |
| 2012 | Tulsa |
Conference USA Football Championship Wins
| All Time Wins | Conference USA Team | Last Yr Won |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Southern Miss | 2011 |
| 3 | Louisville | 2004 |
| 2 | UAB | 2020 |
| 2 | Western Kentucky | 2016 |
| 2 | Tulsa | 2012 |
| 2 | UCF | 2010 |
| 2 | East Carolina | 2009 |
| 2 | Houston | 2006 |
| 2 | UTSA | 2022 |
| 1 | Liberty | 2023 |
| 1 | Florida Atlantic | 2019 |
| 1 | Marshall | 2014 |
| 1 | Rice | 2013 |
| 1 | TCU | 2002 |
| 1 | Cincinnati | 2002 |
| 1 | Tulane | 1998 |
