UPCOMING SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29
Alcorn State at UAB
Time: 8 p.m.
Series: UAB leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Sept. 15, 2007 (UAB, 22-0)
Southeastern Louisiana at Tulane
Time: 8 p.m.
Series: Tulane leads, 7-0
Last Meeting: Sept. 13, 2014 (Tulane, 35-20)
Northwestern State at Tulsa
Time: 8 p.m.
Series: Tulsa leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Sept. 17, 1983 (Tulsa, 26-19)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30
Lehigh at Army
Time: 6 p.m.
Series: Army leads, 8-2-1
Last Meeting: Sept. 9, 1995 (Army, 42-9)
Florida Atlantic at Michigan State
Time: 7 p.m.
Series: Michigan State leads, 3-0
Last Meeting: Sept. 10, 2011 (Michigan State, 44-0)
Temple at Oklahoma
Time: 7 p.m.
Series: Tied, 1-1
Last Meeting: Nov. 21, 1942 (Temple, 14-7)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 31
Bucknell at Navy
Time: Noon
Series: Navy leads, 9-4-1
Last Meeting: Nov. 14, 1925 (Navy, 13-7)
Kennesaw State at UTSA
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Series: First meeting
North Texas at South Alabama
Time: 5 p.m.
Series: North Texas leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Nov. 10, 2012 (North Texas, 24-14)
Norfolk State at East Carolina
Time: 6 p.m.
Series: First meeting
North Alabama at Memphis
Time: 7 p.m.
Series: Memphis leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Nov. 19, 2022 (Memphis, 59-0)
Sam Houston at Rice
Time: 7 p.m.
Series: Rice leads, 16-1
Last Meeting: Sept. 18, 1993 (Rice, 14-13)
Bethune-Cookman at South Florida
Time: 7 p.m.
Series: First meeting
James Madison at Charlotte
Time: 8 p.m.
Series: James Madison leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: Oct. 25, 2014 (James Madison, 48-40)
All times Eastern
THE AMERICAN TODAY
On one hand, the American Athletic Conference will once again have a new look for the coming college football season as Army plays its first season in the conference.
On the other hand, the league will otherwise be quite familiar to fans. The American will once again feature 14 teams, but only one head coach who is new to his institution (Tulane’s Jon Sumrall).
All 14 teams are in action in Week 1, beginning with Thursday-night home games against FCS opponents for UAB, Tulane and Tulsa on ESPN+.
Three more teams are in action Friday as Army hosts Lehigh on CBS Sports Network in the Black Nights’ AAC debut. Florida Atlantic opens at Michigan State on Big Ten Network, while Temple visits No. 16 Oklahoma on ESPN.
The remaining teams in The American begin play Saturday, starting with Navy’s matchup against Bucknell on CBS Sports Network.
ESPN+ will have six games with American Athletic Conference teams. UTSA welcomes FBS newcomer Kennesaw State to San Antonio, while Rice faces Sam Houston, which is in its second season as an FBS team. North Texas heads to South Alabama for the first of 11 games for American Athletic Conference teams against Sun Belt opponents.
East Carolina, Memphis and South Florida welcome FCS opponents to their home stadiums as the Pirates host Norfolk State, the Tigers entertain North Alabama and the Bulls take on Bethune-Cookman.
Charlotte caps The American’s Week 1 with a key nonconference game against James Madison, an 11-win team from a year ago, on ESPNU.
TALKING POINTS
UAB 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 29 vs. Alcorn State (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….450.0 …………………..5th
Total Defense………………………….435.1 …………………10th
Scoring Offense ……………………….29.9 …………………..6th
Scoring Defense ………………………36.9 …………………13th
• QB Jacob Zeno had 3,126 passing yards in 2023, good for second on the Blazers’ single-season chart, and set school records for completions (279) and completion percentage (73.6%).
• UAB went 4-2 at Protective Stadium, has gone 12-5 all-time at its new home facility and is 33-6 in Birmingham since the program returned in 2017.
• The Blazers have won their last eight season-openers.
ARMY 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 30 vs. Lehigh (CBSSN)
American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..310.8 ………………………..
Total Defense………………………… 364.2 ………………………..
Scoring Offense ………………………. 20.5 ………………………..
Scoring Defense ………………………..21.1 ………………………..
• Army plays its first game as an American Athletic Conference member with the season-opener against Lehigh.
• Army has won the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy four times in the last seven years, including in 2023.
• The Black Knights have been no worse than .500 at Michie Stadium each year since 2016. Army is 367-173-7 all-time at the venue.
CHARLOTTE 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 31 vs. James Madison (ESPNU)
American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..312.8 …………………12th
Total Defense………………………….374.2 ………………….. 7th
Scoring Offense …………………………17.5 …………………13th
Scoring Defense ………………………28.6 …………………..8th
• Charlotte begins its 12th season of intercollegiate football in 2024 and its 10th at the NCAA FBS level.
• The 49ers will have 45 new players on the Opening Day roster in 2024.
• CB Dontae Balfour set a school record with 11 pass breakups in 2023 and was named to the American Athletic Conference third team.
EAST CAROLINA 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 31 vs. Norfolk State (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense……………………………277.3 …………………14th
Total Defense………………………….341.3 …………………..3rd
Scoring Offense …………………………17.3 …………………14th
Scoring Defense ……………………….22.4 …………………..3rd
• QB Jake Garcia, a transfer from Missouri, was named as the Pirates’ starting quarterback for the season-opener against Norfolk State.
• East Carolina ranked third in The American in both total defense and scoring defense, but the Pirates were last in the conference in both offensive categories.
• The Pirates’ average attendance of 35,903 ranked second in The American.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 30 at Michigan State (BTN)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….330.8 ………………….11th
Total Defense………………………….397.3 …………………..8th
Scoring Offense ……………………….23.8 …………………..9th
Scoring Defense ……………………….25.5 …………………..6th
• The Owls won three of their first four American Athletic Conference games last season but closed the season with a four-game slide.
• The 2024 season is just the 24th season of intercollegiate football at Florida Atlantic.
• Florida Atlantic looks to get back to a bowl game for the first time since the 2020 season, when the Owls faced Memphis in the Montgomery Bowl.
MEMPHIS 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 31 vs. North Alabama (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………. 458.5 …………………. 2nd
Total Defense………………………….423.2 …………………..9th
Scoring Offense ……………………….39.4 ……………………1st
Scoring Defense ………………………28.8 …………………..9th
• Memphis has scored at least 20 points in 27 consecutive games, marking the longest active streak nationally.
• QB Seth Henigan enters the 2024 season ranked third among active FBS players with 10,764 passing yards. Henigan trails only Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel (14,865) and Washington’s Will Rogers (12,315) on the active career chart.
• Memphis was bowl-eligible for the 10th consecutive season in 2023.
NAVY 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 31 vs. Bucknell (CBSSN)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….300.3 …………………13th
Total Defense………………………….353.7 …………………..4th
Scoring Offense ………………………… 17.7 …………………12th
Scoring Defense ……………………….22.4 …………………..3rd
• Navy led all NCAA FBS teams with 14 fumble recoveries in 2023.
• The Midshipmen held four teams without a touchdown in 2023 (Wagner, Charlotte, UAB, East Carolina). Navy and Penn State were the only teams nationally with three shutouts last season.
• The Midshipmen have won their last 68 home games when leading after three quarters, marking the longest active streak nationally.
NORTH TEXAS 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 31 at South Alabama (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….495.8 ……………………1st
Total Defense………………………….476.6 …………………14th
Scoring Offense ……………………….34.5 …………………..3rd
Scoring Defense ………………………..37.1 …………………14th
• North Texas ranked sixth nationally in total offense in Eric Morris’ first season as head coach.
• The Mean Green leads all NCAA FBS programs with 74 newcomers on its 2024 roster. The new players include 39 freshmen and 35 transfers.
• North Texas played in eight one-score games last season, a program record. The Mean Green went 3-5 in those contests.
RICE 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 31 vs. Sam Houston (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..376.8 …………………..9th
Total Defense…………………………. 370.1 …………………..6th
Scoring Offense ……………………….30.3 …………………..6th
Scoring Defense ……………………….26.7 ………………….. 7th
• Rice is looking to make a third consecutive bowl appearance for the second time in program history (2012-14).
• The 2024 season is the 75th season for the Owls in Rice Stadium, which was built in 1950 and is one of only four on-campus stadiums to have hosted a Super Bowl.
• QB E.J. Warner, a transfer from Temple, would be the first player to start at quarterback at two American Athletic Conference schools.
SOUTH FLORIDA 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 31 vs. Bethune-Cookman (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..451.6 …………………..4th
Total Defense………………………….432.5 …………………10th
Scoring Offense ………………………..31.9 …………………..5th
Scoring Defense ……………………… 32.3 …………………10th
• QB Byrum Brown was one of two players nationally to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 800 yards last season. The other was Heisman Trophy-winner Jayden Daniels of LSU.
• The Bulls’ six-win improvement (from 1-11 to 7-6) was the second-best turnaround in college football last year, behind only Northwestern’s seven-win improvement.
• WR Sean Atkins set school records with 92 receptions and 1,054 receiving yards last year.
TEMPLE 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 30 at Oklahoma (ESPN)
American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..372.3 …………………..9th
Total Defense………………………….441.6 …………………12th
Scoring Offense …………………………21.1 ………………….11th
Scoring Defense ……………………….35.7 …………………12th
• For the first time since 2017, Temple does not have a quarterback on its roster who has started at least one game for the Owls.
• Temple’s roster includes players from seven countries, tied for the most among FBS programs. The Owls have players from Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Sweden and the U.S.
• Temple is the only team in The American to open the 2024 season with back-to-back road games.
UTSA 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 31 vs. Kennesaw State (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..421.6 …………………..6th
Total Defense………………………….369.1 …………………..5th
Scoring Offense ………………………..31.9 …………………..4th
Scoring Defense ……………………….24.1 …………………..5th
• The Roadrunners are 39-14 under head coach Jeff Traylor.
• UTSA had registered 17 consecutive wins against conference opponents before the Roadrunners fell to Tulane in the 2023 regular-season finale.
• UTSA’s game against Kennesaw State is the first of four contests for the Roadrunners against teams with Owls nicknames.
TULANE 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 29 vs. Southeastern Louisiana (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….. 370.1 …………………..9th
Total Defense………………………….341.3 …………………. 2nd
Scoring Offense ………………………. 26.4 …………………..8th
Scoring Defense ……………………… 20.5 …………………. 2nd
• Jon Sumrall, the former Troy coach, has taken over in New Orleans after Willie Fritz stepped down to take a similar position at Houston.
• Tulane went 8-0 in conference play for the second time in program history and the first time since 1934 in the SEC.
• The Green Wave is 23-5 in its last 27 games. Jon Sumrall went 23-4 in his two years as head coach at Troy
TULSA 0-0, 0-0 American
Next: Aug. 29 vs. Northwestern State (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………. 385.4 ………………….. 7th
Total Defense………………………….444.7 …………………13th
Scoring Offense ………………………. 23.4 …………………10th
Scoring Defense ………………………33.8 ………………….11th
• Tulsa has 53 new players on its 2024 roster. The Golden Hurricane has 27 scholarship freshmen, 15 transfers and 11 walk-on players.
• Only 33 letter-winners return from last season, though 19 of those players have starting experience. • RB Anthony Watkins had three 100-yard performances in Tulsa’s last four games of the 2023 season.
