Conference USA Power Rankings 2023: Western Kentucky sits atop the hill

With just nine teams, including two FBS newcomers, it might be easy to overlook our Conference USA Power Rankings, but there are plenty of reasons why you shouldn't. With a new media deal facilitating some inventive midweek scheduling, plus a plethora of talented playmakers on show, it should be extremely exciting to watch. Can anyone match the remaining powerhouse in the conference this year?

Conference USA Power Rankings 2023

Our Conference USA Power Rankings for the 2023 college football season take into account a number of factors. Overall roster, coaching staff changes, schedule, and predicted record all play a part in ranking the nine Conference USA programs from first to worst.

1. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

With North Texas and UTSA departing for the AAC, Western Kentucky stands alone as the remaining Conference USA power. In four seasons under Tyson Helton, they've had three nine-win campaigns, and three with six or more CUSA wins. Looking at their schedule, it's difficult to see anything other than a repeat -- with clear potential for a double-digit win season in 2023.

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It's easy to assume the Hilltoppers lead our Conference USA Power Rankings by default. However, they have the roster to compete in any Group of Five conference. In Austin Reed and Malachi Corley, they boast one of the best QB/WR pairings in the country, and their defense, Lee by OLB JaQues Evans and cornerback Upton Stout, should be strong. CUSA is theirs to lose.

2. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

If you're looking for a worst to first contender in the 2023 college football season, may I suggest looking no further than Ruston, LA and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs? Sonny Cumbie's team suffered a miserable 2022 campaign, finishing 3-9 overall and posting just two conference wins. However, a plundering of the transfer portal has filled the holes in the Bulldogs roster.

Former Boise State standout Hank Bachmeier comes across to lead an offense that featured six different players to attempt a pass last fall. Smoke Harris is the top WR in CUSA not named Corley, and their run game is both bark and bite. Cedric Woods returns from injury to form a formidable CB duo with Willie Roberts, while Myles Heard further solidifies the secondary.

3. Liberty Flames

Fresh from slaying Power Five programs as an FBS Independent, the Liberty Flames enter our Conference USA Power Rankings at number three. While there's an expectation that Hugh Freeze's former team can come in and immediately dominate the conference, it's worth tempering expectations of a roster that lost pieces and will take time to mold to Jamey Chadwell's system.

Chadwell turned to the portal to bolster depth, a key point of emphasis following spring practice. The Flames added much-needed pieces on the offensive line and have multiple transfer RBs to find a Dae-Dae Hunter replacement from. The defense has several playmakers, but Liberty's success will ultimately be dependent on which QB can run Chadwell's innovative offense.

4. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Middle Tennessee heads into the 2023 college football season with some momentum, after ending last season with four consecutive wins. Rick Stockstill's team famously defeated the Miami Hurricanes early in the year, too. Can they carry that form into 2023? There's reasons to believe success is possible, while they also avoid Western Kentucky on their schedule. There are also questions.

MTSU's chances of success rest with one of the best defenses in the conference. In Teldrick Ross and Tra Fluellen, they boast the best CB and safety in CUSA. Meanwhile, Zaylin Wood and Marley Cook have first-team all-CUSA potential. Frank Peasant's return at RB boosts the offense, and DJ England-Chisolm is a deep threat. But can Nicholas Vattiato lead the Blue Raiders at QB?

5. UTEP Miners

Dana Dimel's team hasn't won more than seven games since they joined the CUSA in 2005. With a nine-team conference, it's difficult to avoid the best teams, and clashes with Western Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Liberty, and MTSU make achieving over seven wins tricky in 2023 -- not to mention out-of-conference trips to Power Five opposition in Week 2 and Week 3.

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However, the Miners are a team with the roster to potentially cause an upset and soar up our Conference USA Power Rankings. The return of Tyrin Smith boosts an offense that boasts one of the best offensive lines in the conference. Praise Amaewhule leads the defensive standouts, with cornerback A.J. Odums set to be a difference-maker in the secondary following his transfer.

6. Sam Houston Bearkats

Welcome to the FBS, Sam Houston! After James Madison made the transition look easy last fall, it's worth tempering expectations for KC Keeler's Bearkats in 2023, especially as their schedule features two Power Five teams -- albeit newly anointed ones -- in BYU and Houston. Road games at La.Tech and Western Kentucky to round out the year will also be a severe test.

The addition of a quarterback with Power Five experience in Grant Gunnell is a great move for a Sam Houston offense that also features the best center in CUSA (Ethan Hagler) and a dangerous RB/WR duo in Zach Hrbacek and Ife Adeyi. Last year's plethora of redshirts unearthed a star in LB Kavian Gaither, and he'll lead a defense that will be tested early and often.

7. New Mexico State Aggies

In his first season in charge of the New Mexico State Aggies, Jerry Kill led the team to a bowl game and seven-win season for the first time since they left the Sun Belt in 2017. The Aggies winning that number of games is not a regular occurrence, with just three seasons of bowl eligibility in the last 20. The challenge for Kill is to prove that last season wasn't just a one-off.

The Aggies enter CUSA without many of the defensive pieces that helped the team finish in the top-50 nationally for scoring defense. That could prove to be a decisive factor in where they end up in our CUSA Power Rankings. There is plenty of excitement around the return of QB Diego Pavia, however, who proved to be a dynamic dual-threat for NMSU last fall.

8. Jacksonville State Gamecocks

Welcome to the FBS, Jacksonville State! The Gamecocks transition to CUSA play for 2023, and come armed with a recent history of overcoming the odds against FBS opposition as Florida State fans will surely recall. They've also compiled a staff led by Rich Rodriguez with substantial top-tier coaching experience -- some of whom played the game at the highest level.

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On the field, the Gamecocks received a welcome boost ahead of their first season in the FBS with the news that Zion Webb will line up under center. He forms the foundation of an explosive offense, weaponized by running back Anwar Lewis. Pass rushers Jaylen Swain and Chris Hardie should produce pressure, but can the rest of the unit hold up against a CUSA offense like WKU?

9. FIU Panthers

Florida International finished with just one overall win ahead of Louisiana Tech last fall, and finished with the same 2-6 record. Whereas La. Tech went out and bolstered their roster, addressing areas of need in the portal, not only has FIU lost their two best offensive playmakers, but they haven't made significant moves to replace them.

That's not to say that there aren't good players on this Panthers football team. CB Hezekiah Masses gets to show how good he is in Week 0 against Smoke Harris, while John Bock II and Jacob Peace make a formidable interior offensive line duo for Lexington Joseph and newcomer Shomari Lawrence to get behind. That, however, might not be enough to carry the Panthers too high in 2023.