Three Things We Learned In Week Five of Conference USA Football

Charlie Partridge Is Officially On the Hot Seat

Entering this season Partridge’s record was 6-18 with a 1-1 record against FIU. After back-to-back 3-9 seasons in which many fans expected a bowl game, I asked what should the expectations be for FAU given how the roster is loaded with talented young players and will go up against fairly easy schedule.

The verdict was a season that would show some tangible evidence in the win column that FAU was headed in the right direction. S&P+ projected FAU to go 6-6 this year and I agreed, as a 6-6 year was feasible and would be a great sign of progress.

Five games into the season it’s evident FAU isn’t going to go 6-6 as they are definitely going in the wrong direction as the Owls are 1-4 after losing the conference opener 33-31 to a previously winless FIU team.

The same FIU team that got blown out by UCF 53-14 and promoted Ron Cooper to head coach after dismissing Ron Turner a day later.

Despite wins on the recruiting trail, FAU has not had any signature victories on the field under Partridge. Since the coaching gaffe against Wyoming in his first season, FAU is 4-10 in one-posession games and have now lost to one of the worst teams in FBS.

Typically the third year is where we see football programs take a major jump under a coach but FAU seems to be treading water with Partridge at the helm as he is 7-22 now as FAU’s head coach.

Southern Miss Rewrites the Record Books

Southern Miss defeated Rice 44-28 to go 4-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play. Golden Eagles fans got to witness history as Nick Mullens threw for 591 yards, a school record that was previously held by Austin Davis’ 461 yards in a game against Rice.

Southern Miss gained 702 yards which was also a school record. Allenzae Staggers also broke the school record for receiving yards in a game as he finished with 292 yards, breaking the previous record of 260. Staggers’ 93 yard touchdown reception was the third longest in school history.

Jay Hopson and Shannon Dawson have picked up right where Todd Monken left off as the Golden Eagles continue to put up staggering numbers on offense.

Old Dominion Is In the Hunt For A C-USA East Title

ODU took care of business against Charlotte winning 52-17 as they are now 3-2 overall, and more importantly 2-0 in conference play.

Next week they go out of conference and host a 1-4 UMass team but right after that they welcome Western Kentucky.

C-USA East has been established as a three-team race between WKU, Marshall, and Middle Tennessee but Old Dominion has a chance to insert their names into the discussion should they take down the Hilltoppers at home.

Bobby Wilder was upset at the amount of disrespect ODU was receiving at Conference USA Media Days as the Monarchs were picked to finish sixth in C-USA East and his team will have a chance to silence all the doubters in two weeks.