Conference USA is not better than Mountain West

November is a month for politicking for positioning for college football coaches and athletic directors to get their team in the voters mind and hopefully that will help them improve their stock. Most remember when former Texas head coach Mack Brown took to any and every media opportunity to pimp the Longhorns, and it worked and got his team into a BCS bowl game.

Well, politicking is back once again. Marshall athletic director Mike Hamrick did his best to pump up Conference USA to help his undefeated Thundering Herd football team get into a New Year's Day bowl game.

.@TheHerdAD: The Mountain West is a good league, but I don't think it's better than @Conference_USA. I just don't think it is. #HDRadio

— Marshall Athletics (@HerdZone) November 20, 2014

I get it, Hamrick is doing his due diligence to help out Marshall and Conference USA, but if that was true then Marshall's strength of schedule would not be one of the worst in all of FBS.

Lets head to BCF Toys to take a look at the strength of schedule of these two leagues. First up is Conference USA in the dark blue. The Mountain West is in purple, but the second chart makes it more clear.

Then go over and look at Football Outsiders F/+ rankings and it gets even more clear as to what league is better.

Conference USA

EAST	F/+	RECORD
Marshall	18	10-0
Middle Tennessee	83	5-5
UAB	87	5-5
Florida International	98	4-7
Western Kentucky	82	5-5
Old Dominion	109	4-6
Florida Atlantic	106	3-7
WEST	F/+	RECORD
Louisiana Tech	58	7-3
Rice	92	6-4
UTEP	94	6-4
UTSA	91	3-7
North Texas	123	3-7
Southern Miss	127	3-8

Mountain West

WEST	F/+	RECORD
Nevada	58	6-4
San Diego State	80	5-5
Fresno State	114	4-6
Hawaii	96	3-8
San Jose State	97	3-7
UNLV	121	2-9
MOUNTAIN	F/+	OVERALL
Colorado State	31	9-1
Boise State	36	8-2
Utah State	51	8-3
Air Force	44	8-2
Wyoming	104	4-6
New Mexico	84	3-7

The Mountain West has three teams ranked 100 or lower while Conference USA has four, Marshall is the only top 50 team in its league while the Mountain West has three and Utah State and Nevada are in the 50s. The average F/+ rating for Conference USA is 83.43, and the Mountain West average rating is 76.33.

From these metrics the Mountain West is a better league but Conference USA has the better team in Marshall. Also, it is reasonable close overall for these two leagues, but the Mountain West is more top heavy with better teams. There is no disrespect to Marshall's Hamrick for trying to prop up his league and in return his Thundering Herd team, but odds are that the playoff committee are buying that statement, and if they even see it.