THIS WEEK
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
Louisville at UCF
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Series: Louisville leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: Sept. 17, 2021 (Louisville, 42-35)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
Lafayette at Temple
Time: 2 p.m.
Series: Temple leads, 8-4-1
Last Meeting: Oct. 16, 1965 (Temple, 27-12)
Kennesaw State at Cincinnati
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Series: First meeting
Memphis at Navy *
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Series: Memphis leads, 4-3
Last Meeting: Oct. 14, 2021 (Memphis, 35-17)
Houston at Texas Tech
Time: 4 p.m.
Series: Houston leads, 18-14-1
Last Meeting: Sept. 14, 2021 (Texas Tech, 38-21)
Old Dominion at East Carolina
Time: 6 p.m.
Series: East Carolina leads, 6-3-1
Last Meeting: Sept. 28, 2019 (East Carolina, 24-21)
Howard at South Florida
Time: 7 p.m.
Series: First meeting
Lamar at SMU
Time: 7 p.m.
Series: First meeting
Alcorn State at Tulane
Time: 7 p.m.
Series: First meeting
Northern Illinois at Tulsa
Time: 7 p.m.
Series: First meeting
All times Eastern
WEEKLY HONORS
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Clayton Tune • Sr. • QB • Houston
Tune completed 22 of 32 passes for 206 yards and helped Houston overcome a 21-7 deficit entering the fourth quarter in a 37-35 double-overtime win at UTSA. Tune threw two \fourth-quarter touchdown passes, had a touchdown run and a two-point conversion pass in the second overtime, and accounted for the game-winning points with a diving two-point rush in the third OT period.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Macon Clark • Sr. • S • Tulane
Clark led a Tulane defense that limited Massachusetts to 17 passing yards and 217 total yards in a 42-10 win against the Minutemen. He had seven tackles to go with a forced fumble and a key interception that set up the Green Wave’s third touchdown of the game.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Bubba Baxa • Sr. • K • Houston
Baxa scored nine points, including a pair of go-ahead field goals after the start of the fourth quarter, to help Houston to a 37-35 triple-overtime win at UTSA.
HONOR ROLL
John Rhys Plumlee • Sr. • QB • UCF
Completed 20 of 31 passes for 308 yards and four touchdowns and had 100 rushing yards with a TD in a 56-10 win against South Carolina State.
Ivan Pace Jr. • Sr. • LB • Cincinnati
Had 12 tackles with a sack and 3.5 tackles for loss in a 34-21 loss at No. 19 Arkansas
Tanner Mordecai • Sr. • QB • SMU
Completed 22 of 32 passes for a career-high 432 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-10 win at North Texas.
Tyjae Spears • Jr. • RB • Tulane
Rushed for three first-half touchdowns in a 42-10 win against Massachusetts. Had 57 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Davis Brin • Sr. • QB • Tulsa
Completed 30 of 52 passes for a career-high 460 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-37 loss at Wyoming.
AMERICAN NOTEBOOK
Glass Ceiling
Cincinnati became the first American Athletic Conference team to reach the College Football Playoff when the Bearcats were No. 4 in the final CFP ranking.
One And Only …
Cincinnati finished the 2021 regular season as the nation’s only unbeaten team (13-0). The Bearcats’ only loss in 2021 came to Alabama in the CFP Semifinals.
… But Not The Only One
The American Athletic Conference has had an undefeated team entering Bowl Season in four of the last five seasons (UCF in 2017 and 2018; Cincinnati in 2020 and 2021).
Variety Show
The American Athletic Conference was the only Division I conference that had a team in the 2021 NCAA Men’s Final Four (Houston) and in the 2021-22 College Football Playoff (Cincinnati).
Guess Who’s Back
Nine of The American’s 11 teams return their regular starting quarterback from last season. The only teams in The American to not return its starting signal-caller are Cincinnati (Desmond Ridder) and South Florida (Timmy McClain).
The American’s Returning Starting Quarterbacks
UCF Mikey Keene
East Carolina Holton Ahlers
Houston Clayton Tune
Memphis Seth Henigan
Navy Tai Lavatai
SMU Tanner Mordecai
Temple D’wan Mathis
Tulane Michael Pratt
Tulsa Davis Brin
Draft Cards
The American matched its best showing in the NFL Draft with 19 players selected in 2022. Two American players — Cincinnati CB Ahmad Gardner at No. 4 and Tulsa OT Tyler Smith at No. 24 — were chosen in the first round, while The American had 10 players taken in the first two days of the draft, surpassing the league’s previous high of six players.
Magnificent Seven
Seven of The American’s 11 teams were selected for Bowl Season in 2021. American Athletic Conference teams were 3-1 in bowl games that were played (three games were canceled)
Mark Your Calendars
Cincinnati’s selection to the CFP Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl marked the seventh time in the nine-year history of The American that the league has had a team in a Bowl Championship Series or CFP New Year’s Six bowl.
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)
Variety Show
Nine of the 11 American Athletic Conference schools have been ranked in the top 25 since the 2018 season.
Murderers’ Row
Navy played the third-toughest schedule nationally according to the NCAA’s strength-of-schedule rating. Eleven of the Midshipmen’s 12 opponents in 2021 are playing in bowl games.
You’re The Best Around
Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell was chosen as the 2021 national coach of the year by seven different organizations.
Within Reach
East Carolina QB Holton Ahlers enters this weekend needing 296 yards to tie The American’s career passing yards record, set by Tulsa’s Dane Evans from 2014-16. Ahlers has 10,486 career passing yards, good for fourth on The American’s career chart.
Career Passing Yards
- 10,782 Dane Evans, Tulsa (2014-16)
- 10,690 Brady White, Memphis (2018-20)
- 10,668 Phillip Walker, Temple (2013-16)
- 10,486 Holton Ahlers, East Carolina (2018-)
Career Total Offense
- 12,418 Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati (2018-21)
- 11,807 Holton Ahlers, East Carolina (2018-)
We Must Defend This House
Cincinnati has won 27 consecutive games at Nippert Stadium, trailing only Clemson (31) for the nation’s longest active home field winning streak. UCF has won 31 of its last 33 home games, while Memphis has gone 31-4 at home since 2017.
Point Production
SMU QB Tanner Mordecai set the American Athletic Conference’s single-season record with 39 touchdown passes in 2021. Mordecai threw four touchdown passes in the Week 1 win at North Texas.
People Watching
East Carolina’s season-opener against NC State was played in front of a record crowd of 51,711 at DowdyFicklen Stadium.
Career Day
Five American Athletic Conference quarterbacks eclipsed their respective career highs in passing yards in Week 1. Tulsa QB Davis Brin threw for 460 yards — the most of any NCAA FBS player — against Wyoming. SMU QB Tanner Mordecai had 432 passing yards against North Texas. Cincinnati’s Ben Bryant had 325 yards against No. 19 Arkansas. UCF QB John Rhys Plumlee had 308 passing yards against South Carolina State. Navy QB Tai Lavatai had 135 passing yards against Delaware.
Working Overtime
Saturday was the second day since the formation of the American Athletic Conference that had two multiple-overtime games (Houston-UTSA in three OTs and Tulane-Wyoming in two OTs). The only other day that produced two multiple-overtime games was Sept. 24, 2016 (Tulane-Louisiana in four OTs and Tulsa-Fresno State in two OTs).
Trifecta
Tulsa had three 100-yard receivers in the same game for the first time in program history in the 40-37 double-OT loss at Wyoming. WR Keylon Stokes (169 yards), WR Malachai Jones (103) and WR Juan-Carlos Santana (102) all hit triple digits against the Cowboys.
Consistency
Tulane QB Michael Pratt has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 21 of his 22 career games after his two-TD performance in a 42-10 win against Massachusetts.
House Calls
South Florida has had four kickoff returns for touchdowns in its last eight games. Jimmy Horn Jr. returned the opening kickoff of the second half 89 yards for a TD against No. 25 BYU Saturday.
Nice To Meet You
Five of the 11 American Athletic Conference teams will be playing a first-time opponent this week.
Familiar Confines
Nine of the 11 teams in The American play at home in Week 2. The only teams on the road are Memphis (which begins conference play at Navy) and Houston (which is at Texas Tech).
TALKING POINTS
UCF
1-0, 0-0 American
@UCF_Football
Last: Defeated South Carolina State, 56-10
Next: Sept. 9 vs. Louisville (ESPN2)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….600.0 ……………………1st
Total Defense…………………………….91.0 ……………………1st
Scoring Offense ……………………….56.0 ……………………1st
Scoring Defense ……………………….10.0 ……………………1st
• QB John Rhys Plumlee passed for 308 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 100 yards and a TD against South Carolina State in his UCF debut.
• UCF went 7-0 at home in 2021 and has gone 31-2 at FBC Mortgage Stadium since the start of the 2017 season.
• The Knights are 50-12 in their last 60 games, trailing only Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Georgia and Clemson in that stretch.
• RB Isaiah Bowser rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns against South Carolina State.
• The Knights held a 600-91 advantage in total yards against the Bulldogs.
CINCINNATI
0-1, 0-0 American
@BearcatsFB
Last: Lost at Arkansas, 31-24
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Kennesaw State (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….438.0 …………………..4th
Total Defense………………………….447.0 …………………..8th
Scoring Offense ……………………….24.0 …………………..6th
Scoring Defense ……………………….31.0 ………………….. 7th
• QB Ben Bryant passed for a career-high 325 yards and two touchdowns, but Cincinnati was unable to get past Arkansas in a battle of top-25 teams.
• Cincinnati takes a 27-game winning streak at Nippert Stadium into Saturday’s home-opener against Kennesaw State. Only Clemson (31) has a longer active home field winning streak.
• LB Ivan Pace Jr., a transfer from Miami (Ohio) had 12 tackles with a sack and 3.5 tackles for loss in his Cincinnati debut.
• The Bearcats have been ranked in an American Athletic Conference-record 45 consecutive national polls.
• Cincinnati lost its first regular-season game since the final contest of the 2019 regular season.
EAST CAROLINA
0-1, 0-0 American
@ECUPiratesFB
Last: Lost to NC State, 21-20
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Old Dominion (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….364.0 …………………..5th
Total Defense…………………………344.0 …………………..4th
Scoring Offense ……………………….20.0 …………………..9th
Scoring Defense ……………………….21.0 …………………..5th
• QB Holton Ahlers threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions in the season-opening loss to No. 13 NC State.
• The Pirates missed what would have been the go-ahead field goal with five seconds left in regulation against the Wolfpack.
• East Carolina’s defense held NC State scoreless on two fourth-quarter drives that ended inside the Pirate 2-yard line.
• Ahlers became the American Athletic Conference’s career completions leader during the game (836). Ahlers passed former Temple QB Phillip Walker, who had 830 completions from 2013-16.
• Ahlers passed Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder for fourth place on The American’s career passing yards chart (10,414).
HOUSTON
1-0, 0-0 American
@UHCougarFB
Last: Won at UTSA, 37-35 (3ot)
Next: Sept. 10 at Texas Tech (FS1)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….346.0 ………………….. 7th
Total Defense………………………….441.0 ………………….. 7th
Scoring Offense ………………………..37.0 …………………..4th
Scoring Defense ………………………35.0 …………………..8th
• QB Clayton Tune threw three touchdown passes, added a rushing TD and had the go-ahead two-point try in the third overtime period to lead Houston past UTSA.
• Houston snapped UTSA’s 10-game home field winning streak. The Roadrunners had not lost at the Alamodome since a 28-16 setback to Army Oct. 17, 2020.
• Tune completed 22 of 32 passes for 206 yards and three TDs and was Houston’s leading rusher with 51 yards and a score on 15 carries.
• WR Nathaniel Dell had five receptions for 50 yards and two touchdowns against UTSA.
• The Cougars scored on their last three possessions of regulation to overcome a 21-7 deficit after three quarters.
MEMPHIS
0-1, 0-0 American
@TigersAthletics
Last: Lost at Mississippi State, 49-23
Next: Sept. 10 at Navy (CBSSN)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….294.0 …………………..9th
Total Defense………………………….547.0 …………………10th
Scoring Offense ……………………….23.0 ………………….. 7th
Scoring Defense ………………………49.0 …………………10th
• Memphis fell behind 35-3 to Mississippi State and was unable to come back in the second half against the Bulldogs.
• QB Seth Henigan completed 19 of 30 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown and added a rushing TD against Mississippi State.
• Henigan has 26 career touchdown passes, ranking ninth in program history just one game into his sophomore season.
• DE Jaylon Allen registered a career-high 12 tackles with a sack to lead Memphis’ defense against Mississippi State.
• The Tigers visit Navy for the second of back-to-back road games to start the season. Memphis is 2-8 in road games and 11-2 at home since
the start of the 2020 season.
NAVY
0-1, 0-0 American
@NavyAthletics
Last: Lost to Delaware, 14-7
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Memphis (CBSSN)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….329.0 …………………..8th
Total Defense………………………… 202.0 …………………. 2nd
Scoring Offense …………………………..7.0 …………………10th
Scoring Defense ……………………….14.0 …………………..4th
• Navy, which committed only eight turnovers in the 2021 season, was undone by three first-half giveaways in the loss to Delaware.
• Navy limited Delaware to 202 total yards and only 13 rushing yards, holding the Blue Hens to 0.4 yards per rush.
• QB Tai Lavatai went 5-for-13 for 135 yards and added 44 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
• LB John Marshall had seven tackles, 2.0 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss against the Blue Hens.
• The Midshipmen begin American Athletic Conference play with Saturday’s game against Memphis in Annapolis.
SOUTH FLORIDA
0-1, 0-0 American
@USFFootball
Last: Lost to BYU, 50-21
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Howard (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….293.0 …………………10th
Total Defense………………………….573.0 ………………….11th
Scoring Offense ………………………..21.0 …………………..8th
Scoring Defense ………………………50.0 ………………….11th
• South Florida played No. 25 BYU almost even through the final three quarters (22-21), but the Bulls could not overcome an early 28-0 deficit.
• QB Gerry Bohanon, a transfer from Baylor, went 17-for-30 for 172 yards and an interception in his first start with South Florida.
• WR Xavier Weaver turned in his second career 100-yard game with five receptions for a game career-high 113 yards against BYU.
• WR Jimmy Horn Jr. returned the opening kickoff of the second half 89 yards for a touchdown, giving the Bulls four TDs on kickoff returns in their last eight games.
• The Bulls have dropped 12 consecutive games to top-25 opponents.
SMU
1-0, 0-0 American
@SMU_Football
Last: Won at North Texas, 48-10
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Lamar (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..576.0 …………………. 2nd
Total Defense………………………….422.0 …………………..6th
Scoring Offense ……………………….48.0 …………………. 2nd
Scoring Defense ……………………….10.0 ……………………1st
• QB Tanner Mordecai, who had an American Athletic Conference-record 39 touchdown passes in 2021, threw four TD passes in Saturday’s win against North Texas.
• Mordecai completed 23 of 32 passes for a career-high 432 yards against the Mean Green.
• WR Rashee Rice (8 rec., 166 yards) and WR Jordan Kerley (4 rec., 103 yards) topped the 100-yard mark against North Texas.
• Rhett Lashlee became the first SMU head coach since Bobby Collins in 1982 to win in his debut on the Mustang sideline.
• SMU wore ‘PL’ helmet decals against North Texas to honor Paul Layne, who had attended 542 consecutive SMU games before missing Saturday’s contest due to a medical issue.
TEMPLE
0-1, 0-0 American
@Temple_FB
Last: Lost at Duke, 30-0
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Lafayette (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….. 179.0 ………………….11th
Total Defense…………………………500.0 …………………..9th
Scoring Offense ………………………….0.0 ………………….11th
Scoring Defense ………………………30.0 …………………..6th
• Temple struggled on the road in the season-opener against Duke, falling in Stan Drayton’s first game as the Owls’ head coach.
• The Owls started the 2021 season with three wins in their first five games, but dropped their last seven games, all by at least 20 points.
• Temple had been bowl-eligible in six consecutive seasons prior to the 2020 COVID-affected season.
• More than half of Temple’s 2022 roster has four years of eligibility remaining.
• The Owls look to snap an eight-game slide with Saturday’s home-opener against Lafayette.
TULANE
1-0, 0-0 American
@GreenWaveFB
Last: Defeated Massachusetts, 42-10
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Alcorn State (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense………………………….369.0 …………………..8th
Total Defense…………………………..217.0 …………………..3rd
Scoring Offense ……………………….42.0 …………………..3rd
Scoring Defense ……………………….10.0 ……………………1st
• RB Tyjae Spears had three rushing touchdowns, scoring on three of Tulane’s first four possessions in the win against Massachusetts.
• QB Michael Pratt threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score against UMass. Pratt has thrown at least one TD pass in 21 of his 22 career games.
• Tulane has won five of seven season-openers under head coach Willie Fritz.
• The Green Wave scored touchdowns on six of its first seven full possessions (excluding a kneel down at the end of the first half) against
Massachusetts.
• Tulane plays Alcorn State Saturday in the second of back-to-back home games to start the season.
TULSA
0-1, 0-0 American
@TulsaFootball
Last: Lost at Wyoming, 40-37 (2ot)
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Northern Illinois (ESPN+)
American Ranks
Total Offense…………………………..521.0 …………………..3rd
Total Defense…………………………399.0 …………………..5th
Scoring Offense ………………………..37.0 …………………..4th
Scoring Defense ………………………40.0 …………………..9th
• QB Davis Brin passed for a career-high 460 yards and three touchdowns, but the Golden Hurricane fell on the road to Wyoming in two overtime periods.
• Brin surpassed his previous career high of 428 passing yards, set last season against Ohio State.
• WR Keylon Stokes (169 yards), WR Malachai Jones (103) and WR JuanCarlos Santana (102) all surpassed 100 receiving yards against
Wyoming.
• Tulsa saw a four-game winning streak come to an end.
• The Golden Hurricane had a 521-399 advantage in total offense and a 25-17 edge in first downs against Wyoming.
