HOUSTON -- As strong suits go, geography doesn't hang in my closet along-side the double-breasted threads.

Despite that discrepancy, even I can navigate the landscape of Conference USA.

That's because it is as simple as East and West.

C-USA is a West-driven league, pardner. And not just because the conference offices are located in Dallas.

The power of the league is in the West Division.

When East Division teams play their West counter-parts, they usually lose. And when West Division clubs get to play home on the range games, it is not happy trails to you for East teams.

Just check the results this season.

The East Division is 5-9 against the West. When the East has to play at West venues, it is 3-5. And those three victories are courtesy of West doormats Tulane (losses to East Carolina and UAB) and SMU (a loss to Memphis).

But those geographical trends don't hold true when the scenario is flip-flopped.

Again, check the results this season.

The West Division has a commanding 9-5 record against the East. In fact, Tulsa, Rice and UTEP haven't lost to an East Division opponent, sharing 2-0 records. Houston is 3-1.

Four of the five West defeats belong to the doormats. SMU and Tulane are both 0-2.

And when West Division teams travel to play in Eastern locales? The West still is dominant, leading 4-2.

Those East vs. West statistics set a very telling stage for the end of Marshall's regular season.

First, the Herd (4-6, 3-3 C-USA) takes on Rice (7-3, 5-1) at 3:30 p.m. today here today at Rice Stadium.

Then, Marshall finishes the season at home against Tulsa, hosting the Golden Hurricane at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 29 in Edwards Stadium.

So, the Herd finishes up with two Western Division matchups -- first away, then at home. Which begs the question: Do the East vs. West results this season apply to Marshall?

Yes. And no.

A review of Marshall's four-year history against C-USA West Division competition reveals some extraordinary results.

For example, Marshall never has defeated a West team on its home field. The Herd is 0-4 in C-USA, losing at UTEP, 31-3, in 2005; at SMU, 31-21, in 2006; and at Tulsa, 38-31, in 2007; and at Houston, 35-28, in 2007.

That obviously doesn't bode well for today's game here.

Especially since Marshall's average road game score against a West team is 33.8 to 20.8 -- a fairly substantial 13-point losing margin.

But history is on Marshall's side for the Tulsa game.

Is it ever.

In four seasons, the Herd never -- I repeat, never -- has lost to a West Division opponent in Huntington, holding a stunning 5-0 record.

So, it's a good news/bad news scenario for the end of Marshall's season.

The good news is Marshall will be 5-0 against West Division opponents in Huntington when Tulsa blows into town for the season finale.

The bad news is the Herd is 0-4 against home-standing West competition heading into today's game at Rice.

Will those trends continue? Well, let's take it one week, one trend at a time.

Yes, I believe Marshall will remain winless in West Division venues.

Rice will defeat the Herd today, 41-27.

Chuck Landon is a sports columnist for The Herald-Dispatch. Call him at 526-2827. E-mail him at clandon@herald-dispatch.com.

AP Video