American Conference Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron this week.
| Team | Record | This Week | Result | Up Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USF | 2-0 (1-0) | at Army | W, 28-24 | vs Delaware State |
| FAU | 1-1 (1-0) | vs Navy | W, 38-30 | vs FIU |
| Tulsa | 2-0 (0-0) | at Sam Houston | W, 23-17 | vs East Texas A&M |
| UTSA | 2-0 (0-0) | at Texas State | W, 31-26 | at Texas |
| Memphis | 2-1 (0-0) | at Boise State | L, 38-20 | vs UT Martin |
| North Texas | 1-1 (0-0) | vs UNLV | W, 44-6 | at Texas State |
| Tulane | 1-1 (0-0) | vs South Alabama | W, 28-24 | at Kansas State |
| UAB | 1-1 (0-0) | vs ULM | W, 26-20 | at Louisiana |
| Rice | 1-1 (0-0) | at Notre Dame | L, 56-7 | vs Western Michigan |
| Temple | 1-1 (0-0) | vs Penn State | L, 27-9 | at Toledo |
| Army | 1-1 (0-1) | vs USF | L, 28-24 | at Temple (FRI) |
| Navy | 1-1 (0-1) | at FAU | L, 38-30 | — OFF — |
| Charlotte | 0-2 (0-0) | at Ole Miss | L, 41-9 | at App State |
| ECU | 0-2 (0-0) | vs App State | L, 27-24 | at Old Dominion |
Storylines // Standings // Preseason Poll
West Point Thriller
It doesn’t get much more dramatic than a fourth down heave with seconds to go. That’s the scenario South Florida faced and subsequently overcame to earn a 1-0 start in conference play. Army was able to control the game and limit the Bulls offense but came up one play short.
Memphis Loses Ground in Playoff Race
After posting a big win over UNLV in Week 1, Memphis had the chance to secure victories over the prospective favorites in each of the Mountain West and the Pac-12 and thus secure its spot in the catbird seat as the likely highest-ranked Group of 6 team in the College Football Playoff hunt. For some of this game, it looked like they might pull it off, but the Tigers were outscored 21-0 in the second half.
North Texas Makes Statement
Memphis’ win over UNLV isn’t looking nearly as impressive anymore after North Texas throttled the Rebels in Week 2. The Mean Green took out some frustrations from their season-opening loss to the defending national champions at Indiana and dropped 44 points, all but putting the game out of reach with a 20-3 halftime advantage. It’s a potential signature win for new head coach Neal Brown.
Looking Ahead
Another Lone Star Showdown
UTSA notched a rivalry win over Texas State on Saturday, but the Bobcats won’t have time to wallow. They’ve got to get ready to host a red-hot North Texas team in San Marcos. In addition to the stakes for the Mean Green themselves, this upcoming matchup serves as another touchpoint between the American and the Pac-12, which could very well be fighting for a postseason berth.
The Real Green Wave
Head coach Will Hall’s debut game against Duke was disappointing, but his Week 2 showing against South Alabama was much better. If he can lead Tulane to a Power 4 win at Kansas State next weekend, he’ll secure a 2-1 start to nonconference play. Given the rigorous schedule and the questions surrounding his prior coaching record, that’s a start most Tulane fans would probably have taken if offered. That requires a win next weekend, though.
Pirates in Peril
It was always going to be tough with a season-opening game against Alabama. And while a loss to rival Appalachian State is far from disqualifying, it puts East Carolina on the verge of a possible 0-3 start if things go south against Old Dominion. That would be a sour pill to swallow after many of the media tabbed the Pirates as a potential conference title contender in the preseason.