Bringing you news and notes from the American Athletic Conference from both the football field and the classroom

Eight American Athletic Conference Teams Will Be Bowling

The American’s opponents in Bowl Season will include two SEC teams, an ACC team and a Big 12 team as well as a Mountain West squad, and three Sun Belt teams, including the SBC champion.

Army (11-1), which was ranked No. 22 in the final College Football Playoff rankings of the season after winning its first American Athletic Conference title last Friday, will face Sun Belt champion Marshall (10-3) Dec. 28 in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Army will make its 11th bowl appearance, its second trip to the Independence Bowl and its first trip to Shreveport since 1996. The Black Knights are 7-3 in bowl games and have won five of their last six. It will be the third meeting between Army and a 10-win Marshall team that will bring a seven-game winning streak into Bowl Season. The matchup will be the first meeting between conference champions in the Independence Bowl since 1976.

Memphis (10-2), which is ranked No. 25 in the final College Football Playoff rankings, will head to the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl Dec. 17 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, where the Tigers will face West Virginia. Memphis is bowl-eligible for the 11th consecutive season - the seventh-longest active streak nationally - and will make its 15th appearance in Bowl Season. It will be the first meeting between Memphis and West Virginia.

Tulane (9-4) will make its 17th bowl appearance as the Green Wave plays in Bowl Season for the sixth time in seven years with this year’s trip to the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl against Florida (7-5). It will be Tulane’s first appearance in the Gasparilla Bowl, which is played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Tulane and Florida have played 21 times previously and will meet for the first time since 1984.

Navy (8-3) returns to Bowl Season for the first time since 2019 as the Midshipmen face Oklahoma (6-6) in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Dec. 27 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. It will be Navy’s third appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl and its 25th bowl appearance overall as the Midshipmen have won five of their last six bowl games. The only previous meeting between the Midshipmen and Sooners was in 1965, when Navy scored a 10-0 win.

East Carolina (7-5) returns to Bowl Season for the 19th time as the Pirates await a Dec. 28 matchup against NC State in the Go Bowling Military Bowl at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland. East Carolina, which won four of its last five games to close the regular season, previously played in the Military Bowl in 2010 and will face the Wolfpack for the 33rd meeting between the in-state rivals.

South Florida (6-6) will make its second straight bowl appearance as the Bulls head to the Hawai’i Bowl for a Christmas Eve matchup against San Jose State (7-5). South Florida will make its 12th appearance in Bowl Season as the Bulls look for their eighth postseason win. South Florida and San Jose State will meet for just the second time overall and the first time since 2017.

UTSA (6-6) will make its sixth bowl appearance in program history when the Roadrunners face Coastal Carolina (6-6) in the Myrtle Beach Bowl at the Chanticleers’ Brooks Stadium in Conway, South Carolina. It will be the first meeting between the programs as the Roadrunners look for a second consecutive bowl victory.

North Texas (6-6) will make the short road trip to Dallas for its bowl destination as the Mean Green faces Texas State in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl Jan. 3 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. It will be the 40th meeting between the Mean Green and Bobcats, North Texas’ first bowl appearance since 2022, and the Mean Green’s first appearance in the First Responder Bowl.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TEAMS IN BOWL SEASON

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl | Dec. 17

Toyota Stadium | Frisco, Texas

West Virginia (6-6) vs. Memphis (10-2), 9 p.m. ET

Television: ESPN

Series: First meeting

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl | Dec. 20

Raymond James Stadium | Tampa, Florida

Florida (7-5) vs. Tulane (9-4), 3:30 p.m. ET

Television: ESPN

Series: Florida leads, 13-6-2

Last Meeting: Sept. 15, 1984 (Florida, 63-21)

Myrtle Beach Bowl | Dec. 23

Brooks Stadium | Conway, South Carolina

Coastal Carolina (6-6) vs. UTSA (6-6), 11 a.m.

Television: ESPN

Series: First meeting

Hawaii Bowl | Dec. 24

Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex | Honolulu, Hawaii

San Jose State (7-5) vs. South Florida (6-6), 8 p.m. ET

Television: ESPN

Series: South Florida leads, 1-0

Last Meeting: Aug. 26, 2017 (South Florida, 42-22)

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl | Dec. 27

Amon G. Carter Stadium | Fort Worth, Texas

Oklahoma (6-6) vs. Navy (8-3), Noon

Television: ESPN

Series: Navy leads, 1-0

Last Meeting: Oct. 2, 1965 (Navy, 10-0)

Go Bowling Military Bowl | Dec. 28

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium | Annapolis, Md.

NC State (6-6) vs. East Carolina (7-5), 5:45 p.m.

Television: ESPN

Series: NC State leads, 19-13

Last Meeting: Sept. 3, 2022 (NC State, 21-20)

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl | Dec. 28

Independence Stadium | Shreveport, Louisiana

Marshall (10-3) vs. Army (11-1), 9:15 p.m. ET

Television: ESPN

Series: Tied, 1-1

Last Meeting: Sept. 6, 1997 (Marshall, 35-25)

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl | Jan. 3

Gerald J. Ford Stadium | Dallas, Texas

Texas State (7-5) vs. North Texas (6-6), 4 p.m.

Television: ESPN

Series: North Texas leads, 29-7-3

Last Meeting: Oct. 8, 1994 (North Texas, 27-14)

American Athletic End of Season Individual Awards and All Conference Team

Army quarterback Bryson Daily was chosen as The American’s Offensive Player of the Year, while Black Knight head coach Jeff Monken was selected by his peers as Coach of the Year. UTSA linebacker Jimmori Robinson was named as Defensive Player of the Year, while UAB kicker Jonah Delange was chosen as Special Teams Player of the Year. Tulsa wide receiver Joesph Williams was tabbed as Freshman of the Year.

Daily enjoyed a record-setting year in Army’s first year in the American Athletic Conference has he finished the regular season with a conference-record 25 rushing touchdowns and a league-leading 1,354 rushing yards in only 10 games. Daily enters the American Athletic Conference Championship game ranked fourth in FBS in rushing at 135.4 yards per game, while his 25 touchdowns trails only Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty on the national list.

Robinson becomes the second consecutive UTSA player to win The American’s Defensive Player of the Year honor, joining 2023 winner Trey Moore. Robinson leads the conference with 10.5 sacks (ninth nationally) and 17.0 tackles for loss (sixth nationally).

Delange becomes the first UAB player to win a postseason individual honor in The American. Delange was the leading scorer among American Athletic Conference kickers, averaging 7.8 points per game, and was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top kicker. Delange went 21-of-24 on field goal attempts and 31-of-31 on PATs in his sophomore season.

Williams is the first Tulsa player to be named as The American Freshman of the Year as he emerged as a big-play threat during his rookie season. Williams finished the year with 30 receptions for 588 yards and five touchdowns, averaging a team-leading 19.6 yards per reception (12th nationally).

Monken took American Coach of the Year honors after he led Army to an 8-0 record in conference games and a 10-1 overall mark in the Black Knights’ first year in The American. Army has been ranked in the national polls in eight consecutive weeks to close the season, took a 13-game winning streak into late November and will host the American Athletic Conference Championship Game Presented by USAA Friday.

Four players were repeat selections from the 2023 first team - Tulane running back Makhi Hughes, Tulane defensive lineman Patrick Johnson, Memphis linebacker Chandler Martin and Navy linebacker Colin Ramos.


2024 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FOOTBALL AWARDS

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Bryson Daily, QB, Army

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Jimmori Robinson, LB, UTSA

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Jonah Delange, K, UAB

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Joseph Williams, WR, Tulsa

COACH OF THE YEAR

Jeff Monken, Army

ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

WR Roc Taylor Memphis

WR DT Sheffield North Texas

WR Dante Wright Temple

OT Xavier Hill Memphis

OT Derrick Graham Tulane

OG Bill Katsigiannis Army

OG Shadre Hurst Tulane

C Brady Small Army

TE Anthony Landphere Memphis

QB Bryson Daily Army

RB Mario Anderson Jr. Memphis

RB Makhi Hughes Tulane

DL Desmond Little UAB

DL William Whitlow Memphis

DL Landon Robinson Navy

DL Patrick Jenkins Tulane

LB Chandler Martin Memphis

LB Colin Ramos Navy

LB Tyquan King Temple

LB Jimmori Robinson UTSA

CB Davion Ross Memphis

CB Zah Frazier UTSA

S Max DiDomenico Army

S Rayuan Lane Navy

K Jonah Delange UAB

P Andrew Stokes South Florida

RS Kam Shanks UAB

ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM

WR O’Mega Blake Charlotte

WR Chase Sowell East Carolina

WR Mario Williams Tulane

OT Connor Finucane Army

OT Lucas Scott Army

OG Paolo Gennarelli Army

OG Josh Remetich Tulane

C Vincent Murphy Tulane

TE Oscar Cardenas UTSA

QB Chandler Morris North Texas

RB Kanye Udoh Army

RB Rahjai Harris East Carolina

DL Kyle Lewis Army

DL Justin Reed Navy

DL Decarius Hawthorne South Florida

DL Diwun Black Temple

LB Zakye Barker East Carolina

LB D.J. Woodbury Temple

LB Martavius French UTSA

LB Tyler Grubbs Tulane

LB Sam Howard Tulane

CB Dashaun Peele Navy

CB Micah Robinson Tulane

S Gabriel Taylor Rice

S Bailey Despanie Tulane

K Maddux Trujillo Temple

P Riley Riethman Navy

RS Rayshawn Pleasant Tulane

American Athletic Conference Offensive Players of the Year

2013 Blake Bortles, QB, UCF

2014 Shane Carden, QB, East Carolina

2015 Keenan Reynolds, QB, Navy

2016 Quinton Flowers, QB, USF

2017 McKenzie Milton, QB, UCF

2018 McKenzie Milton, QB, UCF

2019 Malcolm Perry, QB, Navy

2020 Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati

2021 Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati

2022 Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane

2023 Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane

2024 Bryson Daily, QB, Army

American Athletic Conference Defensive Players of the Year

2013 Marcus Smith, DE, Louisville

2014 Jacoby Glenn, CB, UCF

Tank Jakes, LB, Memphis

2015 Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple

2016 Shaquem Griffin, LB, UCF

2017 Ed Oliver, DT, Houston

2018 Nate Harvey, DE, East Carolina

2019 Quincy Roche, DE, Temple

2020 Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa *

2021 Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati *

2022 Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Cincinnati

2023 Trey Moore, LB, UTSA

2024 Jimmori Robinson, LB, UTSA

American Athletic Conference Special Teams Players of the Year

2013 Demarcus Ayers, WR/KR, Houston

Tom Hornsey, P, Memphis

2014 Jake Elliott, K, Memphis

2015 Jake Elliott, K, Memphis

2016 Tony Pollard, WR/RS, Memphis

2017 Tony Pollard, WR/RS, Memphis

2018 Isaiah Wright, WR/RS, Temple

2019 Dane Roy, P, Houston

Antonio Gibson, WR/RS, Memphis

2020 Chris Naggar, K, SMU

2021 Marcus Jones, CB/RS, Houston

2022 Mason Fletcher, P, Cincinnati

2023 LaJohntay Wester, WR/RS, Florida Atlantic

2024 Jonah Delange, K, UAB

American Athletic Conference Rookies/Freshmen of the Year

2013 John O’Korn, QB, Houston

2014 Marlon Mack, RB, USF

2015 Tre’Quan Smith, WR, UCF

2016 Ed Oliver, DT, Houston

2017 T.J. Carter, CB, Memphis

2018 Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati

2019 Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis

2020 Rahjai Harris, RB, East Carolina

Ulysses Bentley IV, RB, SMU

2021 Alton McCaskill, RB, Houston

2022 E.J. Warner, QB, Temple

2023 Makhi Hughes, RB, Tulane

2024 Joseph Williams, WR, Tulsa

American Athletic Conference Coaches of the Year

2013 George O’Leary, UCF *

2014 Justin Fuente, Memphis *

2015 Tom Herman, Houston

Ken Niumatalolo, Navy

2016 Ken Niumatalolo, Navy

2017 Scott Frost, UCF *

2018 Luke Fickell, Cincinnati

2019 Ken Niumatalolo, Navy

2020 Luke Fickell, Cincinnati

2021 Luke Fickell, Cincinnati

2022 Willie Fritz, Tulane *

2023 Willie Fritz, Tulane

2024 Jeff Monken, Army

* unanimous selection

American Athletic Pre Season View


By George D’Alessandro


Taking a look ahead for the upcoming American Athletic Conference Football season here is my take


First let's look at each team’s strengths and weaknesses.

Returning were last year starters


School Strength Weakness


Army Running back, offensive line 3 of 11 offensive and defensive players return
Charlotte 2 of 3 WR return 2 of 11 on defense return ,all new offensive backfield

East Carolina 4 of 5 offensive line returns 1 of 3 WR return

FAU all linebackers return new offensive backfield, 2 of 11 defensive player return

Memphis quarterback, all WR’s return 4 of 11 defensive players return 2 of 5 offensive line return

Navy All defensive backs 1 of 4 offensive backfield return 3 of 5 offensive linemen

North Texas 3 of 4 defensive line 0 of 3 WR’s return new offensive 2 of 3 linebackers backfield

Rice 3 of 5 offensive line All new offense backfield and WR’s 2 of 3 linebacker, 4 of 5 DB’s

Temple 2 of 3 WR 2 of 4 defensive line 1 of 5 offensive line, 2 of 11 on defense returns

Tulane 4 of 5 offensive line, all linebackers 1 0f 4 DB’s no WR’s receivers returns

Tulsa 2 of 5 DB’s return 2 of 11 offensive and 4 of 11 defensive players return

UAB 4 of 5 offensive line QB no DB’s return, 2 of 11 offensive players return

USF 4 of 5 offensive line 8 of 11 defense 1 of 3 WR’s return, 2 of 5 DB’s return

entire offensive backfield

UTSA 3 of 5 offensive line, linebackers no WR’s, 1 0f 4 DB’s return



Let's see what the crystal ball predicts as far as records for the upcoming AAC season

School Wins Conference Non Total Loses Conference Non Total Final record

Army 5 2 7 4 1 5 7-5
Charlotte 2 1 3 6 3 9 3-9

East Carolina 4 2 6 4 2 6 6-6

FAU 4 3 7 4 1 5 7-5

Memphis 7 3 10 1 1 2 10-2

Navy 3 2 5 6 1 7 5-7

North Texas 5 3 8 3 1 4 8-4

Rice 2 3 5 6 1 7 5-7

Temple 0 2 2 8 2 10 2-10

Tulane 7 2 9 1 2 3 9-3

Tulsa 1 2 3 7 2 9 3-9

UAB 3 3 6 5 1 6 6-6

USF 6 2 8 2 2 4 8-4

UTSA 8 3 11 0 1 1 11-1




Game to circle on the calendar :

Army vs FAU 9/7

North Texas vs Tulane 9/28

UTSA vs Tulane 10/5

North Texas vs Memphis 10/19

Army vs Navy 12/14



Teams to watch

North Texas if the can win one game against either UTSA, Tulane Memphis they may just take off to be a force in the AAC

USF if they can knock off either Tulane or Memphis their season will propel them to the top of the league.


ASJ College Football Pre Season All League Team


First Team Second Team


Offense

QB Seth Hennigan, Memphis Jacob Zeno UAB

RB Makhi Hughes, Tulane Alex Tacza, Navy

Anthony Watkins, Tulsa Nay’Quan Wright USF

WR Sean Atkins, USF Kamdyn Benjamin, Tulsa

Demeer Blankumsee, Memphis Mario Williams, Tulane

Roc Taylor Memphis Amare Thomas UAB

TE Oscar Cardenas UTSA Alex Bauman, Tulane

C Federico Margnes, FAU Brady Small, Army


G Xavier Hill Memphis Zane Herring USF

Gabe Blair North Texas Jonah Gambill, Memphis

T Rashad Green, Tulsa Ethan Onianwa, Rice

DJ Jones, UAB Connor McMahon, Navy

Defense

DE Justin Reed, Navy Josh Pearce, Rice

Chad Stephens East Carolina Desmond LIttle, UAB


DT Rashad Chenney, USF Patrick Jenkins, Tulane

Kevin Penn, UAB D’Anta Johnson, East Carolina

LB Jhayln Shuler, USF Jackson Ambush, FAU

Colin Ramos, Navy Jesus Machado, Tulane

Chandler Martin, Memphis Jordan Brown, North Texas

CB Shavon Revel, East Carolina Ridge Texada, North Texas

Dontae Balfour, Charlotte Dashaun Peele, Navy

S Rayuan Lane,Navy Gabe Taylor, Rice

Plae Wyatt, Rice Bailey Despanie, Tulane

K Chase Allen, UTSA Andrew Conrad, East Carolina


P Riley Riethman, Navy Logan Lupo, FAU

KR Sutton Smith Memphis Quinton Jackson, Rice

PR Henry Rutledge Charlotte Koby Drake, Memphis


Player of the Year

Offense Seth Hennigan, Memphis Defense Rayuan Lane, Navy