FAVORITE TEAMS

The assumption for the AAC is Cincinnati, Houston and UCF finishing in the Top 3. Who plays in the title game is the question. Cincinnati has the offense despite losing Desmond Ridder, Jerome Ford, and Alec Pierce. Houston has a shot at an AAC title return with their experienced quarterback, Clayton Tune. UCF has a loaded roster for a special season, but all they need is a quarterback to take them over the top.

How does the Big 3 fare this season?

Cincy lost key/important players to the NFL after last season’s run to the playoffs. A starting quarterback will thrive with talented receivers and five experienced offensive line. Defense should prosper despite losses of Myjai Sanders, Coby Bryant and Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. Don’t expect a playoff repeat though.

Houston has some lethal skilled players across the board that’ll threaten the conference and beyond. Defense should be fine after some time to mesh, but special teams must replace their best player in Marcus Jones. The schedule looks optimistic enough for a playoff chance and they don’t leave the Lone Star state until October, but the first two road games in-state against UTSA and Texas Tech will be tricky.

UCF improved quietly in depth and overall performance. They will challenge Cincy and Houston and could surprise the college football world again. If quarterback Mikey Keene and/or Ole Miss transfer quarterback John Rhys Plumlee impresses, watch out for the Knights! The Knights don’t leave Florida until the second half of their schedule. They also host Cincy while not having Houston on their schedule. They either surprise for a playoff run or at least make a run for an AAC title bid.

Who plays spoiler to the Big 3???

SMU has a new coach in Rhett Lashlee but their offense should still hum with plenty of returns on that side. They travel to UCF, but they host Cincinnati and Houston. Defense could make or break their season and the team must find a way to finish the second half of their season on a strong note.

Memphis has no choice but to rely on their offense cause their defense may continue struggling. However, they host Houston and UCF while Cincinnati is not on their schedule.

East Carolina could build on last season’s 7-win success and potentially scare AAC teams this season. They return enough experience from 2021 and host UCF and Houston, but they travel to Cincinnati.

Tulane’s defense picked up in the latter stages of the season. The offense goes as Michael Pratt goes if he stays healthy. They’re fortunate to host UCF, but they’re unfortunate to travel to Houston and Cincinnati.

As for the rest:

Tulsa’s offensive and defensive line could hinder their bowl bid chances. Better protection on offense and some added help on defense through the transfer portal are a must for Tulsa to contend for bowl-eligibility.

USF has depth, experience and important transfers to make a jump from a 2-win 2021 season. If Baylor transfer quarterback Gerry Bohanon comes through and defense makes decent improvement, they could ruin a team’s season. A Week 1 home game against #25 BYU will tell if the conference should watch out for the Bulls.

Navy’s defense is the strength of the team and QB Tai Lavatai could help Navy return to their old form as a triple-option team should. Their schedule is somewhat daunting, however.

Temple is on the fence with win total improvement in 2022. Apparently offensive consistency and improved quarterback play is a must.

How does it end in the regular season:

UCF could start 3-1 with one loss to Louisville, but anything can happen against them. The quarterback position ultimately tells how the team does. Again, they host Cincinnati while not Houston’s not on their schedule.

Houston could be there but the losses on defense and the replacements on the offensive line could say otherwise. Their schedule is favorable, so development in those areas could solidify in no time.

Cincinnati has a solid, foundational defense and offensive line to repeat as AAC title contenders. They must maintain momentum and leadership to carry on the consistency before heading to the Big 12 next season.

SMU and ECU will also battle for an AAC title appearance with experiences on their roster.

Watch out for Tulane, Memphis, Tulsa, and USF to surprise and/or play spoiler to the top three AAC teams. If Navy can put everything together, they could play spoiler to the AAC conference.