A brave new USA: Conference USA has been around almost a decade, but its components have shifted far too much for any kind of tradition to take root. Next year, the league will get its biggest makeover—for better or worse

Sporting News, The, Nov 1, 2004 by Mike DeCourcy

When Jurich was hired in October 1997, all Louisville had that was Big East-caliber was its ambition. "My first year, we lost 20 in basketball and 10 in football," Jurich says. "We needed Conference USA a lot more than they needed us."

But Jurich left little doubt he was sprucing up the athletic program to make it attractive to a BCS league. Many nonrevenue sports got new facilities. The baskethall team got Rick Pitino. Jurich's football hires, John L. Smith and now Bobby Petrino, coached the Cardinals to six consecutive bowls.

Soon, Louisville will be where it always longed to be. The Cards play their final C-USA football game December 4 at Tulane. Don't expect tears.

C-USA'S defining moments

1 March 9, 2000. All-American Kenyon Marlin breaks his leg in the conference tournament, perhaps costing No. 1 Cincinnati an NCAA basketball title.

2 March 29, 2003. Behind Dwyane Wade's triple double, Marquette blows out Kentucky and reaches the Final Four.

3 December 31, 1998. Tulane's 41-27 Liberty Bowl victory against BYU completes an unbeaten season. The Wave is ranked seventh in the final Associated Press poll.

4 March 9, 1996. In Memphis, Cincinnati beats Marquette in an 85-84 overtime thriller in the first C-USA basketball championship.

5 November 20, 2003. Southern Miss' 40-28 home win ruins TCU's unbeaten run and BCS howl dreams.--M.D.