Photo - WKU Athletics
If things go as predicted, Western Kentucky will again play for the Conference USA football championship. According to the 2017 Conference USA Preseason Media Poll, WKU was picked to win the East Division, with 20 of a possible 28 first-place votes. The Hilltoppers are aiming to become the first team in league history to win three consecutive C-USA titles.
The Hilltoppers begin their 2017 campaign at home against in-state rival Eastern Kentucky on September 2. Over the past two seasons, the Hilltoppers have gone 15-1 in regular season C-USA contests and then proceeded to win both the 2015 and 2016 conference titles at home on the home turf of Houchens-Smith Stadium.
Winners of the West Division in 2016, Louisiana Tech, also received 20 first-place votes to repeat as tops in the other half of the conference. The Hilltoppers defeated the Bulldogs by a score of 58-44 in the 2016 conference title game.
(Courtesy WKU Athletics)
C-USA MEDIA MEMBERS PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
EAST DIVISION
1. WKU (20)
2. Middle Tennessee (4)
3. Old Dominion (3)
4. Marshall (1)
5. Florida Atlantic
6. FIU
7. Charlotte
WEST DIVISION
1. Louisiana Tech (20)
2. UTSA (7)
3. Southern Miss (1)
4. North Texas
5. Rice
6. UTEP
7. UAB
