The Week Seven AAC schedule had just four games, but even so, we saw two of the most thrilling finishes of the year. Two games featured double-digit comebacks and last-minute finishes. Two programs might need to sound alarm bells, while two others may have turned their seasons around.

Memphis Defense Too Much For Byrum Brown-less USF

USF hoped that starting QB Byrum Brown would be ready for their crucial showdown against Memphis. However, Brown couldn’t play, and the Bulls offense missed his playmaking ability badly.

Memphis used a simple formula to beat USF: make Bulls backup QB Bryce Archie beat them. That worked; the Tigers won, 21-3. 

USF’s running game never got going. The Bulls ran for just 24 total yards with no runs longer than five yards. Archie had to throw the ball often and was inefficient, completing just 22/41 passes. From there, Memphis coasted after taking an insurmountable 14-point lead in the 4th quarter. QB Seth Henigan took the unfamiliar role of game manager, passing for just 208 yards but making few mistakes in order to prevent USF from getting scoring opportunities.

The Tigers offense must return to its explosive norms this week in their highly anticipated faceoff against North Texas (5-1, 2-0 in the AAC). A loss to the Mean Green puts the Tigers at two losses and could eliminate them from AAC Championship contention.

Meanwhile, USF has a chance to find their groove with Archie at the helm this week against a struggling UAB squad. Though the Bulls fell to 2-4, a light schedule awaits them with only one game against a conference contender still to come. Clinching back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time since 2017 and 2018 remains a realistic possibility.

Roll the action 📼#ALLIN | #GoTigersGo pic.twitter.com/h7wrNufu6S

— Memphis Football (@MemphisFB) October 13, 2024

North Texas Comes Back, Fends Off FAU Upset Bid

The AAC’s dark horse contender nearly established itself as a pretender Saturday night in Boca Raton. North Texas trailed FAU by ten with just 4:21 remaining. But then UNT scored two touchdowns in less than three minutes to escape Boca Raton with a 41-37 victory.

The Mean Green defense showed major liabilities again, allowing the Owls to put up more than 500 yards of total offense, including 351 yards passing by FAU QB Cam Fancher. Fancher had not thrown for more than 200 yards all year and had only two passing touchdowns on the season. He threw for three touchdowns against North Texas. 

The Mean Green must figure out their defensive issues quickly. They face the Tigers in Memphis this week, and Memphis has one of the best quarterbacks in the country in QB Seth Henigan. 

On the other side, this game might mark the turning point in the Owls’ season. FAU has plenty of winnable games ahead of them, starting this week with a game against UTSA, arguably the biggest disappointment in the entire league. After that, the Owls face USF, ECU, Temple, Charlotte, and Tulsa. Surely they can find four wins somewhere in their next six games.

MEAN GREEN TAKE THE LEAD!#AmericanWay x @MeanGreenFB pic.twitter.com/DjcQbZ6OJY

— The American (@American_Conf) October 13, 2024

Rice Wins Lone Star State Showdown

As we suggested in the opening, now might be the time to start panicking in San Antonio. After losing a winnable game against now East Carolina (3-3, 1-1 in the AAC), UTSA regressed further and lost to hapless Rice (1-4, 1-2). Owls QB E.J. Warner finally showed his Temple form by throwing for 347 yards and two touchdowns. Not coincidentally, RB Dean Connors proved he can be one of the nation’s best receiving running backs with a 109-yard performance.

Not that any of this was easy. Like FAU, the Owls nearly blew a ten-point fourth quarter lead. However, Warner drove the Owls 65 yards in the final two minutes to retake the lead and secure a 29-27 victory. Warner’s 18-yard pass to WR Matt Sykes put Rice ahead with just four seconds left in regulation.

Friends, UTSA needed this game. At 2-4, the Roadrunners are in danger of missing a bowl for the first time since 2019, and they still have Memphis, North Texas, and Army on their schedule. Rice might have turned its season around like FAU, but they face a much more difficult conference slate over the back half of the year. The Owls have Tulane, UConn, Navy, and Memphis remaining on the schedule this year.

We thought it was worthy, and @ESPN agrees! pic.twitter.com/sNI67Fw8eD

— Rice Football (@RiceFootball) October 13, 2024

Go Army! Beat ECU!!!

Cover image via @MeanGreenFB.