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AAC Football Media Days: Mike Aresco pushes Power

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AAC Football is alive and well. That was the message from Commissioner Mike Aresco at media days who made his case for his new-look league.

Commissioner Mike Aresco has never been one to shy away from voicing his opinion. On Tuesday morning he kicked off AAC Football media days with his familiar candor, petitioning the gathered media and all who would listen to regard his new-look conference with respect.

“I want to remind everyone that follows college football what this conference has accomplished,” Aresco said. “It’s sometimes hard to understand how some in the media continue to call us non-Power. Some have even called us mid-major. Nothing could be farther from the truth.”

He went on to cite a lengthy list of wins AAC programs have had over Power 5 schools in recent years, and mentioned four ESPN College Game Days hosted by member institutions. He listed the accolades and national awards AAC players have claimed under his watch.

“Mid-major conferences simply don’t do that. And to call such powerful performances non-Power is utterly silly.”

Aresco did what he does best, advocate for the programs under his umbrella and while some of his assertations may have been a bit optimistic, much of what he did offer up was rooted in truth. For as long as this league has existed, it’s made an impact on the national stage. And for the six programs joining the conference in 2023, that’s what matters the most.

“We’re a battle-hardened, resolute group. We refuse to embrace the stereotype that our achievements have clearly put a lie to,” Aresco admonished.

No matter who you designate the AAC — power or non-power, P5 or G5, or something else entirely — this is a conference that has made an impact on the national stage time and time again.

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First Look: Rice Football, AAC Over/Under Odds

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Earlier this week Circa Sports posted early over/under odds for every FBS team. Here’s where Rice football and other AAC teams stack up.

AAC Teams

  • Charlotte – 3
  • Tulsa – 4.5
  • UAB – 4.5
  • USF – 4.5
  • Rice – 4.5
  • Temple – 5
  • East Carolina – 5.5
  • Navy – 6
  • North Texas – 6
  • FAU – 7.5
  • SMU – 8
  • UTSA – 8
  • Memphis – 8.5
  • Tulane – 9

Rice football nonconference opponents

  • Texas Southern – n/a
  • UConn – 4.5
  • Houston – 4.5
  • Texas – 9.5

Takeaways

On the AAC front, Tulane being projected as the front-runner in the league isn’t too much of a surprise, especially with the return of quarterback Michael Pratt, several other key players and some added reinforcements from the transfer portal.

What might be most compelling to watch is the race alongside them. Four additional schools (FAU, SMU, UTSA and Memphis) are within a game and a half of first. That means if the conference race seems fairly wide open to you, oddsmakers are feeling the same way and looking to hedge their bets.

Likewise, there’s a game and a half gap between the next teams (North Texas and Navy) and everyone else in the conference, save Charlotte. Vegas doesn’t have much faith in the 49ers and their new head coach, but it doesn’t seem confident in anyone else to be a surefire bowl team either. That’s the recipe for a chaotic and exciting season.

As for Rice football, the Owls are pegged to finish in the middle to bottom of the new-look AAC. After finishing around the four to five-win mark in recent years and the step up in some of the competition they’ll face, that doesn’t feel too surprising.

What is most intriguing, though, is the quality of the Owls’ opponents. Rice plays Charlotte, Tulsa, UAB, USF, ECU, UConn and Houston in 2023. Add in Texas Southern and that’s eight of 12 opponents projected to be either from the FCS ranks or projected to be at or below .500. There are hard games coming (UTSA, SMU, Tulane, Texas) but Rice won’t absolutely require a miraculous upset to reach bowl eligibility.

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2023 AAC Football: NFL Draft and UDFA Tracker

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There were several players selected in the NFL Draft from teams that will share a conference with Rice football next season and more have signed since.

Even without considering selections from outgoing members, AAC football was well represented in the 2023 NFL Draft, earning five selections from its 2023 membership through seven rounds. Once the draft ended, many other players latched on with NFL teams, signing as undrafted free agents. Those players will report to training camp and compete for a spot on rosters just the same.

2023 AAC Football NFL Draft Picks

2nd Round (No. 55) – WR Rashee Rice, SMU – Chiefs
3rd Round (No. 81) – RB Tyjae Spears, Tulane – Titans
3rd Round (No. 91) – LB Dorian Williams, Tulane – Bills
7th Round (No. 222) – RB Dwayne McBride, UAB – Vikings
7th Round (No. 255) – WR Grant DuBose, Charlotte – Packers

Undrafted Free Agents

Charlotte

None

East Carolina

  • RB Keaton Mitchell – Ravens
  • OT Noah Henderson – Bills
  • TE Ryan Jones – Giants
  • QB Holton Ahlers – Seahawks
  • WR CJ Johnson – Seahawks

FAU

None

Memphis

  • P Joe Dyle – Texans
  • SAF Quindell Johnson – Rams

Navy

None

North Texas

None

Rice

  • DE Ikenna Enechukwu – Falcons

UAB

  • CB Starling Thomas V – Lions
  • OT Kadeem Telfort – Packers

USF

  • OL Brad Cecil – Lions

UTSA

  • CB Corey Mayfield Jr. – Ravens

SMU

  • OG Jaylon Thomas – Ravens
  • LB Jimmy Phillips – Packers

Temple

  • WR Jose Barbon – Cowboys

Tulane

  • SAF Macon Clark – Bears
  • SAF Larry Brooks III – Bengals
  • WR Duece Watts – Packers
  • TE Trick James – Chiefs
  • LB Nick Anderson – Saints
  • WR Shae Wyatt – 49ers

Tulsa

  • RB Deneric Prince – Chiefs

Additional signings could continue to trickle in over the next few days. Training camps are still weeks away. For now, it’s safe to say there will be a new crop of AAC football players off to make their mark on the league. We’ll find out soon enough who will stick.

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Conference USA Football to the AAC: October Patreon Q&A

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Six Conference USA football programs are headed to the American Conference next year? Which of them is best positioned for success?

A little longer than one year ago, six schools jointly announced a big move. The six soon-to-be former Conference USA Football programs are heading to the American Athletic Conference in 2023. With half of the current season in the books, which of the programs are set to enter the AAC in the best shape? We tackle those themes in this month’s Patreon Q&A.

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Report: Rice Football expected to join the AAC

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BREAKING: Per a report by Yahoo!’s Pete Thamel, Rice football is expected to join the American Athletic Conference.

After flying almost entirely under the radar during the most recent round of realignment, Rice football and all Rice Athletics programs have found themselves in the spotlight. Per a report by Yahoo!’s Pete Thamel, the Owls are one six programs expect to apply to the American Athletic Conference, which is expected to accept all six applications.

Here’s Thamel’s report in its entirety:

“Sources: The American Athletic Conference is expected examine expansion this week, with six schools expected to send applications. The AAC is expected to receive an application from – FAU, Charlotte, North Texas, UTSA, Rice and UAB this week. The expectation is that they will be accepted and the AAC will grow to a 14-team football league. (Also 14 teams in hoops.)”

There might be smoke to this fire. The Athletic’s Chris Vannini echoed the report soon after, adding some additional color as well:

“Source confirms to The Athletic that the American Athletic Conference is expected to look at adding Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA.

Pete Thamel first reported.

Some in the AAC have wanted to go big and take Texas away from potential Mountain West expansion.”

Rice had received almost passive mentions in realignment discussions to this point. The Owls were connected to rumblings regarding the AAC late this summer and were eventually linked to the Mountain West.

If these most recent reports come to fruition—something that seems very probable, if not likely, at this point— months of wondering would come to an end and Rice would escape Conference USA. The Owls’ newfound conference might look something like this:

West: Rice, SMU, Tulsa, Tulane, Navy, North Texas, UTSA
East: USF, FAU, Temple, Memphis, UAB, Charlotte, ECU

Meanwhile, Conference USA would be left in pieces. The remaining teams would be UTEP, Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss, Western Kentucky, Marshall, FIU and Old Dominion. If the Sun Belt were to come calling, the league might very well cease to exist. Whether it was cunning or luck, or a mixture of both, Rice football might have found itself in the right place at the right time.

This is a developing story. Updates will follow.

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