After a small slate of four games last week, the AAC returns with a full slate of seven games. Ranked AAC teams take the field, while a trio of top-performing teams look to cement their place in the conference and climb into the polls themselves. Other schools try to keep their bowl prospects alive as the season passes the midway mark.
Near-Perfect Teams Clash in Memphis
North Texas (5-1, 2-0 AAC) at Memphis (5-1, 1-1 AAC), 7:30 PM ET, ESPNU
While Army and Navy steal headlines from the national media, Memphis and North Texas remain at the top of the conference title race. Both teams enter Saturday’s game with 5-1 records and paths to the AAC Championship. North Texas is 2-0 in conference play and plays both Army and Tulane later in the season. That stretch of games will decide the Mean Green’s fate. However, some doubt their legitimacy after they needed a frantic fourth quarter comeback to escape Floria Atlantic (2-3, 0-2 in the AAC). Meanwhile, preseason AAC favorite Memphis has little room for error and must win this game to avoid falling two games behind Army, Navy, and Tulane.
Plus, two of the AAC’s best passers battle against one another in this game. QB Seth Hennigan helms the ship for Memphis with over 1500 yards in six games. North Texas QB Chandler Morris earned a spot on the Maxwell Award Midseason Watch List after averaging over 300 passing yards/game and throwing 20 touchdowns through six games.
Last year’s contest became an instant classic. Both schools traded touchdowns in the final 47 seconds in a game that saw nearly 1200 yards of combined offense. Memphis won that one, their first meeting since the 2004 New Orleans Bowl, 45-42. This sequel could be even better.
Ranked Navy Hosts Hot Charlotte Squad
Charlotte (3-3, 2-0 AAC) at #25 Navy (5-0, 3-0 AAC), 3:30 ET, CBS Sports
#25 Navy plays its first game as a ranked team since 2019 when it hosts Charlotte on Saturday. The Mids had a bye last week after a dominant 34-7 win against Air Force. Charlotte looks for its first win against an AP-ranked team in five tries. The 49ers lost their previous four matchups against ranked teams by an average score of 50-10.
Points came at a premium in last year’s matchup. Navy won a defensive battle, 14-0. This year’s rematch should be the complete opposite. Charlotte’s offense found its rhythm last week against East Carolina, scoring 55 points. Not to be outdone, Navy now boasts the fifth-best scoring offense in the entire country.
Charlotte could begin their bowl push with a win against Navy. On the other side, the Midshipmen must be careful not to look ahead to their game against Notre Dame the following week.
USF Continues Life Without Byrum Brown
UAB (1-5, 0-3 AAC) at USF (2-4, 0-2 AAC), 3:30 PM ET, ESPN+
USF has become one of the biggest disappointments in the AAC so far this season. The experts thought the Bulls would leap after earning their first bowl berth since 2018 last year, picking them to finish fourth in the conference preseason poll. Alas, injuries and a difficult non-conference schedule led to a 2-4 start.
Bulls QB Byrum Brown’s injury against Tulane proved devastating. The Bulls’ offense has struggled without Brown. They scored just three points against Memphis last week, and the Tigers defense prevented the Bullsโ running game from getting into a rhythm. Backup QB Bryce Archie completed barely half of his 41 passes, while the Bulls running game managed just 24 yards on the ground.
Perhaps the Bulls can show improvement under Archie’s leadership against UABโs awful defense. The Bulls will not have to rely on Archie’s arm against a defense that allowed 413 rushing yards to Army last week. Indeed, this UAB game starts a stretch of winnable games featuring FAU, Charlotte, Rice, and Tulsa to end the season.
Other Notes From Around the League
— Tulsa (2-4, 0-2 AAC) at Temple (1-5, 0-2 AAC), 12 PM ET, ESPN+
— FAU (2-4, 0-2 AAC) at UTSA (2-4, 0-2 AAC), 3:30 PM ET, ESPN+
— Rice (2-4, 0-2 AAC) at Tulane (4-2, 2-0 AAC), 3:30 PM ET, ESPN+
FAU and UTSA enter their game with matching 2-4 records. UTSA must win this game to reverse its disappointing start. The Roadrunners have games against North Texas, Memphis, and Army left, so their room for error for a bowl bid is already minuscule, but a loss to FAU makes it microscopic. By comparison, FAU has winnable games against East Carolina, Temple, Charlotte, and Tulsa ahead of it. A win against UTSA allows the Owls to lose one of those games and still hit the six-win plateau. FAU appears to have turned its season around with a near-upset over league frontrunner North Texas. Owl QB Cam Fancher had his first 300-yard passing game of the season against the Mean Green.
Tulane may not top its 71-point outburst from its last game against UAB, but they could come close against Rice. The Green Wave are 22-point favorites and had an extra week to prepare. Rice, by comparison, is coming off an emotional win against in-state rival UTSA. Two of the league’s best running backs square off in this one. Rice’s Dean Connors had over 100 receiving yards against UTSA last week. Tulane RB Makhi Hughes continues his race to back-to-back 1000-yard seasons, averaging 100 yards/game through the Green Wave’s first six games.
Temple hosts Tulsa in what might be a de facto bowl-elimination game. Both teams’ bowl hopes already look slim, but a loss in this winnable game makes them even slimmer. Both teams also have struggling defenses, allowing over 36 points/game each. However, WRs Kamdyn Benjamin of Tulsa and Dante Wright of Temple could continue their case for First Team All-AAC honors with outstanding performances.
This should be a great week in the American Athletic Contest. Let us know what youโre watching.
Go Army! Beat ECU!!!
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