C-USA splits 6 new teams evenly among 2 divisions

IRVING, Texas (AP) - The six new schools in Conference USA will be split evenly among the two divisions next football season.

Conference USA, which is expanding to 14 members even with four leaving for the Big East in 2013, announced its football schedule and new division alignments Wednesday.

League newcomers Louisiana Tech, North Texas and Texas-San Antonio will be in the West with returning teams Tulsa, Rice, UTEP and Tulane.

Middle Tennessee and Florida Atlantic, who will depart the Sun Belt early to join C-USA next season, will be with newcomer FIU in the East along with returnees East Carolina, Marshall, UAB and Southern Miss. SMU, Houston, UCF and Memphis are leaving.

Each team will play eight conference games, including two teams from the opposite division.