UPCOMING SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, AUGUST 26
Navy vs. Notre Dame
Aer Lingus Football Classic | Dublin, Ireland
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Series: Notre Dame leads, 81-13-1
Last Meeting: Nov. 12, 2012 (Notre Dame, 35-32)
New Era, Same Power
The American Athletic Conference plays its first season under its new 14-team configuration in 2023. The American’s six new members are UAB, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice and UTSA.
One And Only
The American Athletic Conference is the only conference that has a 2023 New Year’s Six bowl winner (Tulane) and an NCAA Men’s Final Four participant (Florida Atlantic) in its ranks for the 2023-24 academic year.
The Champs Are Here
The American is the only FBS conference that has two conference champions from last season among its membership. Tulane won the 2022 American title, while UTSA won the Conference USA crown.
Welcome Wagon
Seven of The American’s 14 teams have new head coaches
for the 2023 season.
New Head Coaches in The American
UAB Trent Dilfer
Charlotte Biff Poggi
Florida Atlantic Tom Herman
Navy Brian Newberry
North Texas Eric Morris
South Florida Alex Golesh
Tulsa Kevin Wilson
Auld Lang Syne
The American Athletic Conference has sent its champion to a New Year’s Six bowl game in eight of the conference’s first 10 seasons after Tulane was chosen for the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
The American in CFP/New Year’s Six Bowls
2013 UCF 52, Baylor 42 (Fiesta Bowl)
2015 Houston 38, Florida State 24 (Peach Bowl)
2017 UCF 34, Auburn 27 (Peach Bowl)
2018 LSU 40, UCF 32 (Fiesta Bowl)
2019 Penn State 53, Memphis 39 (Cotton Bowl)
2020 Georgia 24, Cincinnati 21 (Peach Bowl)
2021 Alabama 27, Cincinnati 6 (CFP Semifinal/Cotton Bowl)
2022 Tulane 46, USC 45 (Cotton Bowl)
Top 10
Tulane’s finish at No. 9 in the 2022 national polls marked the third consecutive season, and the sixth time in The American’s 10-year history that the conference has had a top-10 team in the final polls. Four schools have accounted for The American’s top-10 finishes (UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, Tulane).
Conference Call
The American finished the 2022 season with a combined 12-3 record against non-autonomous FBS conference opponents in 2022.
Variety Show
Since The American began playing a championship game in the 2015 season, eight different teams have played in the game at least once, while six schools have hosted the championship game.
Play On
The American Athletic Conference had seven teams in Bowl Season last year and finished 4-3 in postseason play. The American has had at least seven bowl-eligible teams seven times in the last eight seasons.
Reversal Of Fortune
Tulane’s 9.5-game improvement from 2021 (when the Green Wave went 2-10) marked the NCAA FBS record for a one-year turnaround. The previous mark was held by Hawaii, which went 0-12 in 1998 and was 9-4 in 1999.
Tigers’ Tale
Memphis was selected for a bowl game for the ninth consecutive season, a streak that ranks ninth among NCAA FBS institutions.
Anytime, Anyplace
American Athletic Conference teams will play a combined 12 nonconference games against teams ranked in the preseason top 25 polls in the 2023 season. That ledger includes games against three of the top four teams, five of the top 10 and eight of the top 13 teams.
Opening Draws
The combined Week 0 and Week 1 schedules have three games for American Athletic Conference teams against top-25 opponents: Navy vs. No. 13 Notre Dame, East Carolina at No. 2 Michigan and Rice at No. 11 Texas.
Battle Tested
Teams from The American will play three of the four teams that reached the 2022-23 College Football Playoff. East Carolina faces Michigan Sept. 2., while UAB visits Georgia and SMU is at TCU on Sept. 23.
The Front Line
Navy returns nine defensive starters from a unit that ranked second nationally in rushing defense in 2022 (88.9 ypg).
A Lot To A Little
UTSA is a combined 22-5 in the last two seasons.
Veteran Presence
UTSA QB Frank Harris enters his seventh season with the Roadrunner program. Harris was the 2022 Conference USA Most Valuable Player.
Fresh Faces
Charlotte has overhauled its roster with 52 transfers from 2022 to 2023.
Reunited
The Oct. 7 game between UAB and South Florida could feature a pair of former teammates as opposing quarterbacks. UAB QB Jacob Zeno and South Florida QB Gerry Bohanon were teammates at Baylor before transferring to their current institutions.
Chart-Topper
Florida Atlantic coach Tom Herman enters the 2023 season with the best winning percentage by an American Athletic Conference head coach. Herman went 22-4 as
an American Athletic Conference coach at Houston from 2015-16 (.846).
People-Watching
Entering the 2023 season, The American has 36 games that are already slotted for linear television coverage, including games on ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN and Fox. By
the end of the season, The American will have at least 40 conference-controlled games (either conference games or nonconference home games) on ESPN’s linear platforms (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU).
Market Share
Under its reconfigured membership, American Athletic Conference schools are located in four of the nation’s top 10 Nielsen media markets. The American has a presence in 11 of the top 50 markets, while all 14 football-playing schools are situated among the top 103 markets.
Black Friday
Two late-season American Athletic Conference games will move to Friday, Nov. 24 for national television opportunities on either ABC or ESPN. The Black Friday selections will come from Tulsa-East Carolina, Memphis-Temple, UAB-North Texas and UTSA-Tulane. The selections will be made by Oct. 9
Championship Week
The 2023 American Athletic Conference Football Championship, which has been broadcast on ABC in each of the last eight years, is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 2, and
will be televised either on ABC or ESPN.
TALKING POINTS
UAB
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 31 vs. North Carolina A&T (ESPN+)
2022 Conference USA Ranks
Total Offense…………………………. 438.2 …………………..4th
Total Defense…………………………360.9 …………………. 2nd
Scoring Offense ………………………..30.1 …………………..4th
Scoring Defense ……………………… 23.2 ……………………1st
- Trent Dilfer makes his collegiate head coaching debut in the Blazers’ season-opener against North Carolina A&T.
- UAB led Conference USA in scoring defense (23.4 ppg) and was second in total defense (360.9 ypg) last year.
- RB Jermaine Brown Jr. ranked fourth in Conference USA in rushing in 2022, averaging 72.9 yards per game.
CHARLOTTE
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Sept. 2 vs. South Carolina State (ESPN+)
2022 Conference USA Ranks
Total Offense……………………………387.1 ………………….. 7th
Total Defense…………………………483.8 ………………….11th
Scoring Offense ………………………..24.4 …………………..9th
Scoring Defense ………………………39.4 ………………….11th
- The 49ers are led by first-year head coach Biff Poggi in 2023. Poggi most recently was associate head coach at Michigan, helping the Wolverines reach the 2022 College Football Playoff.
- Charlotte has 52 transfers on its roster to start the 2023 season.
- The 2023 season will be Charlotte’s 11th as a Division I football program.
EAST CAROLINA
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Sept. 2 at Michigan (Peacock)
2022 American Ranks
Total Offense……………………………461.1 …………………..3rd
Total Defense…………………………404.3 ………………….. 7th
Scoring Offense ………………………. 32.5 …………………..6th
Scoring Defense ………………………..27.1 …………………..6th
- East Carolina capped an 8-5 season with a 53- 29 win against Coastal Carolina in last year’s Birmingham Bowl.
- The Pirates return 10 of 22 positional starters from last year, but will be without their leading passer, rusher and receiver from 2022.
- East Carolina’s first two opponents this season (Michigan, Marshall) were a combined 22-5 last year.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Sept. 2 vs. Monmouth (ESPN+)
2022 Conference USA Ranks
Total Offense……………………………411.5 …………………..5th
Total Defense………………………… 424.8 ………………….. 7th
Scoring Offense ……………………….29.8 …………………..5th
Scoring Defense ………………………26.6 …………………..4th
- Florida Atlantic head coach Tom Herman makes his debut with the Owls in the season-opener against Monmouth.
- Herman enters the season with the best winning percentage as an American Athletic Conference head coach. Herman went 22-4 at Houston in 2015-16 (.846).
- RB Larry McCammon rushed for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns last year and is the top returning rusher in The American.
NORTH TEXAS
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Sept. 2 vs. California (ESPNU)
2022 Conference USA Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..461.8 …………………..3rd
Total Defense…………………………459.9 …………………..9th
Scoring Offense ……………………….33.8 …………………..3rd
Scoring Defense ………………………..31.7 ………………….. 7th
- Head coach Eric Morris, the former offensive coordinator at Washington State, makes his debut on the Mean Green sideline with the season-opener against California.
- North Texas went 7-7 last season and played in the Conference USA Championship Game.
- The Mean Green ranked third in Conference USA in both scoring offense (33.8 ppg) and total offense (461.8 ypg) in 2022.
MEMPHIS
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Sept. 2 vs. Bethune-Cookman (ESPN+)
2022 American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….. 421.4 …………………..6th
Total Defense………………………… 363.4 …………………..4th
Scoring Offense ……………………….35.3 …………………..4th
Scoring Defense ………………………26.0 …………………..5th
- The Tigers gained bowl eligibility for the ninth consecutive season in 2022. Memphis has the ninth-longest active bowl streak among NCAA FBS teams.
- Memphis has won 78 games since 2014, the most among American Athletic Conference teams.
- QB Seth Henigan is on the preseason watch lists for the Maxwell Award, the Davey O’Brien Award and the Manning Award.
RICE
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Sept. 2 at Texas (Fox)
2022 Conference USA Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..374.4 …………………..9th
Total Defense………………………….390.7 …………………..5th
Scoring Offense ………………………..25.2 …………………..8th
Scoring Defense ……………………… 34.2 …………………..8th
- Rice will play five of its first six games in the state of Texas and will have nine of their 12 games in the Lone Star State.
- LB Josh Pearcy was named to the Lombardi Award watch list. Pearcy registered 6.5 sacks and 10.0 tackles for loss last season.
- The Owls will face Texas for the 97th time when the schools meet in the season-opener. Rice is looking for its first win against the Longhorns since 1995 and its first in Austin since 1965.
NAVY
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 26 vs. Notre Dame (NBC)
2022 American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….326.8 ………………….11th
Total Defense…………………………339.0 …………………. 2nd
Scoring Offense ………………………..21.9 ………………….11th
Scoring Defense ……………………… 24.3 …………………..4th
- Navy begins what is considered the longest regular season in the nation with the Week 0 matchup against Notre Dame. The Midshipmen close the regular season Dec. 9 against Army.
- Brian Newberry makes his head coaching debut at Navy after serving as defensive coordinator for the previous four seasons.
- The Midshipmen are looking for their first win in a season-opener since the 2019 season.
SOUTH FLORIDA
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Sept. 2 at Western Kentucky (CBSSN)
2022 American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….390.8 …………………..8th
Total Defense………………………….516.6 ………………….11th
Scoring Offense ……………………….28.0 …………………..9th
Scoring Defense ……………………….41.2 ………………….11th
- Alex Golesh makes his head coaching debut when the Bulls visit Western Kentucky in the season-opener. Golesh was most recently the offensive coordinator at Tennessee.
- Following the road game against Western Kentucky, South Florida has three straight at home, including a Sept. 16 matchup against Alabama.
- South Florida added 38 new scholarship players and 49 total players to the roster for 2023.
2022
4
SMU
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Sept. 2 vs. Louisiana Tech (ESPN+)
2022 American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..472.9 ……………………1st
Total Defense………………………….431.2 …………………10th
Scoring Offense ………………………..37.2 ……………………1st
Scoring Defense ………………………33.9 …………………10th
- SMU led The American in total offense (472.9 ypg) and scoring offense (37.2 ppg) in Rhett Lashlee’s first year as head coach.
- The Mustangs have earned bowl eligibility in four consecutive seasons and five of the last six years.
- SMU’s eight-game conference schedule does not include Tulane or UTSA, the top two teams in the league’s preseason media poll.
TEMPLE
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Sept. 2 vs. Akron (ESPN+)
2022 American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………. 350.5 …………………10th
Total Defense………………………….391.2 …………………..6th
Scoring Offense ………………………..21.9 …………………10th
Scoring Defense ………………………29.3 ………………….. 7th
- QB EJ Warner was chosen as the 2022 American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year after he threw for 3,028 yards and 18 touchdowns last season.
- Warner, who set a school record with 527 passing yards against East Carolina in the 2022 season finale, was fourth in The American in passing at 275.3 yards per game.
- LB Layton Jordan scored three defensive touchdowns last season.
UTSA
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Sept. 2 at Houston (FS1)
2022 Conference USA Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..476.0 ……………………1st
Total Defense………………………….387.3 …………………..4th
Scoring Offense ……………………….36.8 ……………………1st
Scoring Defense ……………………… 25.9 …………………..3rd
- UTSA, which won back-to-back Conference USA titles in 2021 and 2022, was tabbed for second in The American’s preseason media poll.
- QB Frank Harris, who holds more than 30 school records, has been named to the preseason watch lists for the Davey O’Brien Award, the Manning Award, the Walter Camp Award and the Manning Award among others.
- UTSA has won its last 11 games against unranked opponents.
TULSA
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 31 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (ESPN+)
2022 American Ranks
Total Offense……………………………411.8 ………………….. 7th
Total Defense………………………….414.3 …………………..8th
Scoring Offense ……………………….30.6 ………………….. 7th
Scoring Defense ……………………….33.1 …………………..9th
- Head coach Kevin Wilson makes his debut on the Tulsa sideline in the season-opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Wilson was most recently the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.
- Tulsa returns nine starters and 43 letter-winners from last year.
- Following the season-opener, the Golden Hurricane’s next two games will be against preseason top-25 teams (No. 10 Washington, No. 20 Oklahoma).
TULANE
0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Sept. 2 vs. South Alabama (ESPNU)
2022 American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..441.4 …………………..5th
Total Defense…………………………360.4 …………………..3rd
Scoring Offense ……………………….36.0 …………………..3rd
Scoring Defense ……………………….22.2 …………………. 2nd
- Tulane was chosen as the American Athletic Conference favorite in the league’s preseason media poll after a 12-2 campaign in 2022.
- QB Michael Pratt has been named to the preseason watch lists for the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O’Brien Award, the Maxwell Award and the Manning Trophy, among others.
- The Green Wave, which is ranked No. 23 in the preseason coaches’ poll, hosts No. 22 Ole Miss in Week 2.
American Athletic Conference: Week 0 Preview
SATURDAY, AUG. 26 • 2 P.M. • NBC
NAVY vs. NOTRE DAME
Aviva Stadium (51,700/Natural Grass)
Dublin, Ireland
Television: NBC
Jac Collinsworth, Jason Garrett and Zora Stephenson
Radio: WBAL-AM 1090 (Navy flagship)
THE GAME • THE AER LINGUS CLASSIC
Saturday’s game will be the 96th meeting between Navy and Notre Dame in a series that dates to 1927 … Notre Dame holds an 81-13-1 series lead and has won the last five meetings, most recently a 35-32 decision in Baltimore last season … The teams have met twice previously in Ireland (1996, 2012).
NAVY
0-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach – Brian Newberry (Baylor ’98) 0-0, first season
Notes
Navy went 4-8 last for the second consecutive season in 2022, resulting in a head coaching change that has former Midshipmen defensive coordinator Brian Newberry in the top spot … Newberry had been at Navy for four years before the promotion … Navy ranked second in the American Athletic Conference in total defense (339.1 ypg)
and fourth in scoring defense (24.3 ppg) last season, while the Midshipmen led the league against the run (88.9 ypg) … Navy has nine returning starters from that defense … Navy has dropped its last three season-openers … The Midshipmen went 1-1 against top-25 opponents last season, dropping a 35-32 decision to then-No. 20 Notre Dame and defeating then-No. 17 UCF 17-14 the following week … FB Daba Fofana rushed for 819 yards and six touchdowns last season.
13/13 NOTRE DAME
0-0
Head Coach – Marcus Freeman (Ohio State ’07) 9-5, second season
Notes
Notre Dame returns 14 starters from last year’s team, which went 9-4 and defeated South Carolina in the Gator Bowl … The Fighting Irish finished No. 18 in both final national polls … Two of the four losses were to top-five opponents (No. 2 Ohio State in the season-opener, No. 5 USC in the regular-season finale), while the Irish were stunned by unranked Marshall and Stanford … Notre Dame has six transfers on the roster, including QB Sam Hartman, who registered an ACC-record 21 career 300-yard games while at Wake Forest … Hartman passed for 3,701 yards and 38 touchdowns with 12 interceptions with the Demon Deacons last season … RB Audric Estime rushed for 11 touchdowns and 920 yards last year … OT Joe Alt was an AP First-Team All-America selection and has made 21 consecutive starts at left tackle.
