Athlon projects C-USA's best for 2014.
The 2014 college football season kicks off on Aug. 27 and concludes in Dallas with the first four-team playoff in the FBS ranks on January 12, 2015. Since it’s never too early to start thinking about the upcoming college football season, Athlon Sports has already released its projected rankings for 2014, as well as conference predictions.
With the predictions released, it’s time to take a look at the best players by conference.
Athlon Sports continues its release of preseason all-conference teams with a look at our first, second and third All-Conference USA teams for 2014.
Related Content: Conference USA 2014 Conference Predictions
An important note on the all-conference teams: These are based on how players will perform in 2014. Career statistics and awards matter in the evaluation, but choosing players for the 2014 all-conference team is largely based on predicting and projecting the best for the upcoming year.
2014 C-USA Team Previews | |||||||||||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| National Rank: | 91 | 127 | 112 | 40 | 90 | 86 | 116 | 87 | 115 | 109 | 117 | 89 | 92 |
Athlon's 2014 All-Conference USA Team
| First-Team Offense | Second-Team Offense | Third-Team Offense | |
| QB | Rakeem Cato Marshall ________________ | Taylor Heinicke Old Dominion ________________ | Jaquez Johnson FAU ________________ |
| RB | Kenneth Dixon Louisiana Tech | Aaron Jones UTEP | Leon Allen WKU |
| RB | Jordan Howard UAB ________________ | Jordan Parker MTSU ________________ | Antoinne Jimmerson North Texas ________________ |
| WR | Tommy Shuler Marshall | William Dukes FAU | Kam Jones UTSA |
| WR | Jordan Taylor Rice | Jamarcus Nelson UAB | Antonio Vaughan Old Dominion |
| TE | Jonnu Smith FIU ________________ | Eric Tomlinson UTEP ________________ | Mitchell Henry WKU ________________ |
| C | Chris Jasperse Marshall | Nate Leonard UTSA | Josh Mann Old Dominion |
| G | Scott Inskeep UTSA | Nico Carlson Rice | Jordan Budwig FIU |
| G | Cyril Lemon North Texas | Mason Y'Barbo North Texas | Sebastian Johansson Marshall |
| T | Cameron Clemmons WKU | Darius Johnson MTSU | Antonio Johnson North Texas |
| T | Cody Harris UTSA | Caleb Williams Rice | Clint Van Horn Marshall |
| First-Team Defense | Second-Team Defense | Third-Team Defense | |
| DE | Houston Bates Louisiana Tech | Ra'Shawde Myers Marshall | Vontarrius Dora Louisiana Tech |
| DE | Robert Singletary UTSA | Diaheem Watkins UAB | Gavin Rocker WKU |
| DT | Christian Covington Rice | Brandin Bryant FAU | Trevon Coley FAU |
| DT | James Rouse Marshall ________________ | Ashaad Mabry UTSA ________________ | Rakeem Nunez-Roches Southern Miss ________________ |
| LB | Derek Akunne North Texas | Alan Howze Southern Miss | Stefan Houston Marshall |
| LB | T.T. Barber MTSU | Andrae Kirk FAU | Jake Ganus UAB |
| LB | Jermaine Holmes Marshall ________________ | Evan McKelvey Marshall ________________ | James Radcliffe Rice ________________ |
| CB | D'Joun Smith FAU | Bryce Callahan Rice | Le'Vander Liggins Louisiana Tech |
| CB | Cam Thomas WKU | Bennett Okotcha UTSA | Daryl Roberts Marshall |
| S | Kevin Byard MTSU | Lairamie Lee North Texas | A.J. Leggett Marshall |
| S | Triston Wade UTSA | Damian Parms FAU | Xavier Woods Louisiana Tech |
| First-Team Specialists | Second-Team Specialists | Third-Team Specialists | |
| K | Ty Long UAB | Kyle Fischer Louisiana Tech | Garrett Schwettman WKU |
| P | Hunter Mullins UAB | Tyler Williams Marshall | James Farrimond Rice |
| KR | Autrey Golden UTEP | Deandre Reaves Marshall | Reggie Whatley MTSU |
| PR | Deandre Reaves Marshall | Bryce Callahan Rice | Jalen Richard Southern Miss |
Related Content: 2014 Conference USA Predictions
Team-by-Team Breakdown of Athlon's 2014 All C-USA Team
| First | Second | Third | |
| FAU | Offense: 0 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 3 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 |
| FIU | Offense: 1 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 |
| Louisiana Tech | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 1 | Offense: 0 Defense: 3 Sp. Teams: 0 |
| Marshall | Offense: 3 Defense: 2 Sp. Teams: 1 | Offense: 0 Defense: 2 Sp. Teams: 2 | Offense: 2 Defense: 3 Sp. Teams: 0 |
| MTSU | Offense: 0 Defense: 2 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 2 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 1 |
| North Texas | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 2 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 |
| Old Dominion | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 2 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 |
| Rice | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 2 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 1 | Offense: 0 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 1 |
| Southern Miss | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 1 |
| UAB | Offense: 1 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 2 | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 |
| UTEP | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 1 | Offense: 2 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 |
| UTSA | Offense: 2 Defense: 2 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 2 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 1 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 |
| WKU | Offense: 1 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 0 Defense: 0 Sp. Teams: 0 | Offense: 2 Defense: 1 Sp. Teams: 1 |
