This MNC Wednesday miniseries continues with a quick look at the history of Conference USA, formed in the aftermath of the old Southwest Conference’s demise after the 1995 season. In the 27 seasons since, this league has placed just 13 teams in the final Associated Press poll, and C-USA has just a 66-77 record in bowl games, as well. Just like last week with the Sun Belt, we’re only doing a Top 5 this time around … same idea.

5. 2004

Louisville won the league with an 8-0 conference mark and beat Boise State in the Liberty Bowl to finish 11-1 with a No. 6 ranking—quite impressive. Four other teams joins the Cardinals in bowling: UAB lost the Hawaii Bowl; Cincinnati won the Forth Worth Bowl; Memphis lost the GMAC Bowl; and Southern Mississippi won the New Orleans Bowl. The Tigers and the Golden Eagles each were ranked at one point.

4. 1998

Tulane put together a season for the ages, going undefeated and winning the Liberty Bowl to finish No. 7 in the nation. However, only two other schools managed to reach the postseason: Louisville lost the Motor City Bowl to Marshall, and Southern Miss lost the Humanitarian Bowl to Idaho—which ended up dropping down to the FCS in 2018. Ironically, the Golden Eagles had been ranked in the preseason Top 25. Go figure.

3. 2000

Louisville won the conference, but the Cards lost the Liberty Bowl to Colorado State to fall out of the rankings as they finished 9-3 on the year. The conference as a whole finished 53-50, which was a positive. Three other schools went bowling, too: East Carolina (Gallery Furniture, W); Cincinnati (Motor City, L); and Southern Miss (Mobile Alabama, W). UAB went 7-4, but it did not get a bowl invitation in the era’s climate.

2. 1999

With an even .500 record (51-51), C-USA broke even, despite Southern Miss finishing No. 14 in the AP poll, thanks to a league title, a 9-3 record overall, and a Liberty Bowl victory. The Pirates also ended up with a 9-3 record, even after losing the Mobile Alabama Bowl. Louisville was the only other bowl team, losing the Humanitarian Bowl to Boise State. Everyone in the league won at least 3 games, though, so that was good.

1.  1996

We’re not sure what it means when the first year of the conference was its best one ever, but there you have it; math be math. Southern Miss and Houston tied for the league title, but only Houston was invited to a bowl game, losing the Liberty Bowl. The Golden Eagles (8-3) got the shaft, and in a conference with just six teams, only Cincinnati also finished above .500 for the season. The OOC SOS carried this season to the top.