Original sentence: Not expected to do much after a 0-11 record in their last MAC season, they won their first conference game against Marshall 23-13, and finished 7-1 in Conference USA games, winning the East Division and hosting the first ever Conference USA Championship game, which they lost 44-27 to Tulsa
Edited sentence: Not expected to do much after a 0-11 record in their last MAC season, they won their first conference game against Marshall 23-13, and benefitted from a soft Conference USA schedule to finish 7-1, winning the East Division and hosting the first ever Conference USA Championship game, which they lost convincingly to Tulsa