When Conference USA decided to add Charlotte, Old Dominion, and UTSA they took a big chance on adding program who were still in their infancy stages as football programs.
Old Dominion was really competetive at the FCS level in the Colonial Athletic Association, making two appearances in the playoffs but when they joined C-USA they had only been playing football for five tears.
UTSA had been in the now-defunct Western Athletic Conference before going to C-USA but similar to the Monarchs they also joined while only fielding a program for two years.
Charlotte was the most ridiculed selection by Conference USA as the 49ers have only started playing football since 2013.