HUNTINGTON — Southern Miss and Middle Tennessee were picked by Athlon College Football magazine 2016 as the top two teams in the Conference USA race this coming season, with the Thundering Herd of Marshall picked as a close second to the Blue Raiders in the East. Southern Miss, under former USM and Marshall assistant Jay Hopson for the first time this season, is the pick to win C-USA.
Marshall placed 10 players on the four-deep preseason All-C-USA team picked by Athlon, including first team selections of offensive linemen Michael Selby and Clint Van Horn, defensive end Gary Thompson and safety Tiquan Lang.