College Football Outpost's G5 Top 10 Rankings (10/30/17): #1 Goes Down!!!

By breezy421 from Orlando - originally posted to Flickr as IMG_2923.jpg, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9104204

Apparently nothing can go according to schedule this season. South Florida looked to be in control after San Diego State failed to hold the top spot. That didn't last for long as the Bulls fell in devastating fashion to Houston on Saturday. 

The Bulls were not the only top 10 team to fall as Colorado State and Fresno State also fell, opening spots for Arkansas State and San Diego State to join the party. 

Others Receiving Votes: SMU 14, Ohio 7, Troy 6, Houston 6, Army 5, Colorado State 5, North Texas 4, Marshall 3, Florida International 3, Fresno State 2. 

Voters This Week: @TheJayBir, @Sports4Heretics, @AStateFanRules, @meangreennation, @LaTechReport, @NorthCoastBias, @cfoutpost, @HuskieUnleashed, @warriorboutit, @TheTowelRackWKU.

Which Teams Are Most Likely Heading To The AAC Title Game?

By Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, httpscommons.wikimedia.orgwindex.phpcurid=52623792

We are at a point in the season where clarity in division races starts to take shape. For the most part, the AAC is falling into place with teams like UConn, Tulane and East Carolina falling to the wayside. Realistically, only six teams have a chance at winning a division with only four looking likely.

What is great about college football is the fact that we will likely not know which teams are heading to the title game until the end of Thanksgiving weekend. With that said, let's take a look at the AAC and which teams are in position to win the conference.

AAC East Division:

Contenders: UCF, USF

Pretenders: Connecticut, Temple, East Carolina.

• USF (7-1, 4-1 AAC): Despite falling in brutal fashion to Houston, the Bulls still hold destiny in their own hands. If they win the AAC, they will almost assuredly go to a NY6 bowl and have a chance on a national stage to beat a traditional power. The road to that goal is through Orlando versus rival UCF. No matter what, this was going to be a game they had to win to win the division and it will be even more important as UCF will likely (maybe?) head into this matchup undefeated. Chance of winning the division: 30%.
• UCF (7-0, 4-0 AAC): Sure it was FCS program Austin Peay, but the Knights continue to blow the doors off of everyone in their paths. Navy was the only team to hang within 10 points of UCF this season and the schedule is set up for a 10-0 record when they face USF. SMU is a tough matchup, but do not match up well in the November 4 matchup. Even if they do fall, a win over USF in the finale would seal the division. Basically, take care of business versus the Bulls and they are golden. Chance of winning the division: 70%.

AAC West Division:

Contenders: Memphis, SMU, Navy, Houston.

Pretenders: Tulane, Tulsa.

• Memphis (7-1, 4-1 AAC): This division is still very much up for grabs, but the Tigers are in the driver’s seat down the stretch. They have wins over Houston and Navy, while facing SMU later in the season. Memphis should have no trouble with Tulsa or ECU, making the SMU game the only real chance for anyone to catch up to the Tigers. For the reading impaired, Memphis would need to lose two times down the stretch for Navy or Houston to win, but would give up the division if SMU wins out. Pretty simple route. Chance of winning the division: 75%.
• SMU (6-2, 3-1 AAC): I wouldn’t have thought that the Mustangs would be in the running for an AAC title at this point in the season, but here they are. The problem moving forward is the difficulty of schedule. They have UCF, Navy, and Memphis in a three week stretch before hosting Tulane in the season finale. While running the table is possible, it is unlikely. Outside of going 3-1 in their final four games with one win being over Memphis, we could be looking at chaos. Chance of winning the division: 15%.
• Navy (5-2, 3-2 AAC): The Midshipmen are in a tough spot, but can get back into the race if a few things go their way. Either way, they will need two Memphis losses to jump ahead in the standings, while also beating Temple, SMU, and Houston. Otherwise, too many things would have to happen for Navy to realistically win the division. Chance of winning the division: 4%.
• Houston (5-3, 3-2 AAC): The Cougars were on the edge of elimination, but came through with an almost miracle win over South Florida to stay in the race. They hold a tiebreaker over SMU, but lost to Memphis, necessitating two losses by Memphis down the stretch to get the win. That perplexing loss to Tulsa will likely be the main reason that Houston misses out on a chance at winning the AAC West Division. Chance of winning the division: 6%. 

Projected AAC Title Game: Memphis at Central Florida. 

College Football Outpost's G5 Top 10 Rankings (10/23/17): Fresno State Joins The Party

It is amazing just what two weeks can do to a program. San Diego State went from undefeated and #1 in the poll to unranked with two straight losses. The most recent loss was a complete drubbing at the hands of Fresno State, our newest member of the rankings. Along with Fresno State hitting the top 10, we have a season-high 20 teams receiving votes in this week's poll. 

Others Receiving Votes: San Diego State 11, Troy 6, Arkansas State 6, SMU, 5, Appalachian State 4, Florida International 4, Florida Atlantic 3, Houston 2, Army 1, Ohio 3. 

Voters This Week: @TheJayBir, @Sports4Heretics, @AStateFanRules, @meangreennation, @LaTechReport, @NorthCoastBias, @BenMoore247, @cfoutpost, @HuskieUnleashed, @The_DailyDragon, @HerdNation.

College Football Outpost's G5 Top 10 Rankings (10/16/17): South Florida Leads The Way

1874 College Football

After one of the wildest weekends of college football that we have seen in a very long time, we have a new #1 along with two new entries to the top 10. In total, 19 different teams received votes among the 11 members that took part in the weekly poll. That is a jump from 17 teams receiving votes last week.

Let's take a look at the Post Week Seven Top 10.

Others Receiving Votes: Appalachian State 12, Houston 8, Fresno State 5, Army 4, Troy 3, Ohio 3, North Texas 1, Arkansas State 1, SMU 1. 

Voters This Week: @TheJayBir, @Sports4Heretics, @AStateFanRules, @meangreennation, @LaTechReport, @NorthCoastBias, @BenMoore247, @cfoutpost, @HuskieUnleashed, @warriorboutit, @HerdNation.  

College Football Outpost's G5 Top 10 Rankings (10/9/17): The Aztecs Hold Firm

By Sean Hobson - http://www.flickr.com/photos/seanhobson/4247269000/in/photostream/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12530200

This week, we have three tiers forming in the top ten poll. First, SDSU, USF, and UCF have pulled away as the big three of the poll. UCF, in third, leads fourth-place Navy by 27 points which is a higher total than teams eight, nine, and ten.

Tier two includes teams four through seven with Navy, Troy, Houston, and Memphis all within 18 points of one another and 20+ points ahead of the next tier of the poll.

Finally, the bottom three teams of the top ten are a long way from moving up the poll. It is nice to see NIU actually get into the top ten, albeit only two voters chose the Huskies on the ballot. We are still looking for more voters, specifically from the north and west to get the MAC and MW represented more in the future. Contact me (@cfoutpost) on Twitter if you are interested. 

Let's get to this week's poll.

Others Receiving Votes: Marshall 10, Western Michigan 10, Boise State 6, Appalachian State 5, UTSA 3, SMU 1, Fresno State 1. 

Voters: @TheJayBir, @Sports4Heretics, @AStateFanRules, @meangreennation, @LaTechReport, @NorthCoastBias, @BenMoore247, @cfoutpost, @TheTowelRackWKU, @warriorboutit, @HerdNation. 

What Would A Hypothetical G5 Tournament Look Like?: AAC Rules The Roost

Remember a few months ago when there was chatter of an interest in eventually forming a G5 playoff? Of course, it was shot down, first from Navy and then from a majority of the G5 with the playoff seen as admitting that the G5 programs should not be allowed to compete with the P5.

The thought behind a fight against a G5 playoff makes sense and it looks extremely unlikely that it would ever come to fruition. That is probably for the best as sooner or later a G5 program will break through into a playoff for the national title, certainly when the playoff eventually moves from four to eight teams.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t say “what if?”

With non-conference play virtually over for most of the G5, now is as good of a time as ever to imagine what a G5 playoff would look like. Remember, I am not advocating for a G5 playoff. Instead, I am just offering a “what if” scenario to break up a lazy week and give you reading material as you watch Georgia Southern and Arkansas State face off in Funbelt Wednesdays.

*****AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A "WHAT IF" AND I IN NO WAY WANT OR EXPECT TO SEE A G5 TOURNAMENT NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. JUST FOR FUN.******

Format:

Eight-team single elimination tournament.

How teams are chosen:

In what would be an eight-team tournament, all five conferences would get an automatic bid with three teams getting an at-large invite.

• American Athletic Conference Champion
• Mid-American Conference Champion
• Conference USA Champion
• Mountain West Champion
• Sun Belt Champion
• At-large
• At-large
• At-large

Sites:

The quarterfinals and semifinals would be at the higher seed’s home field like playoffs in the FCS. The title game would be in a neutral site that makes sense for the entire G5. New Orleans, Dallas, Atlanta, Tempe, Los Angeles, and Miami are too entrenched with the P5 playoff system and would make little sense as a piggyback location for the G5 tournament final. I would love to hear from you which location would make sense as a championship location. Be creative.

Now, let’s move on to the biggest argument piece of this article—the eight teams that make the cut. This is based only on the current outlook five weeks into the season. Please try to understand that I am not counting a hypothetical win over Toledo or Boise State in the future, only current work on the field. I am basing the teams selected and seeding on the CFO G5 Top 10 Poll.

• San Diego State (MW Champion)
• South Florida (At-large)
• Central Florida (AAC Champion)
• Troy (Sun Belt Champion)
• Toledo (MAC Champion)
• Navy (At-large)
• Houston (At-large)
• UTSA (CUSA Champion)

Yes, I know. That is a lot of AAC in the tournament. I never said every conference would be equally distributed, but it is a bit wild that four of the eight teams would be from a single conference. It happens.

The Bracket:

College Football Outpost's G5 Top 10 Rankings (10/2/17): Meet The New Committee

We are trying something new at College Football Outpost and reaching out to fellow “media” members for a more conclusive G5 Top 10 poll. Several took to the cause in the inaugural week so that you are subjected to a more varied top 10 than if I did it on my own.

Enough of my jabbering, let’s take a look at the CFO G5 Top 10.

1. San Diego State (5 First Place Votes): 95 votes.

2. South Florida (4 First Place Votes): 91 votes.

3. Central Florida (1 First Place Vote): 82 votes.

4. Troy: 48 votes. 

5. Navy 46 votes.

6. Houston: 37 votes.

7. Toledo: 24 votes.

8. Memphis: 24 votes.

9. SMU: 19 votes.

T-10. UTSA: 16 votes.

T-10. Ohio: 16 votes.

Others considered: Northern Illinois 10, Western Michigan 9, Appalachian State 9, Colorado State 9, Boise State 7, Louisiana Tech 7, Marshall 1.

Voters: @TheJayBir, @Sports4Heretics, @scottwatkinsTU, @AlexFunderburke, @AStateFanRules, @meangreennation, @LaTechReport, @NorthCoastBias, @BenMoore247, @cfoutpost. 

Go follow the voting committee on Twitter as soon as possible. 

Which G5 Team Has The Best Shot At Going Undefeated?

By Brian Reading - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35620815

We are nearly at the end of the early portion non-conference slate of the college football season. Some conferences, like the MAC, tend to play four early and then end the season with eight games from conference foes. Others, like the Sun Belt, tend to save a later date for a meeting with a member of a P5 conference (mostly the SEC).

By this point in the season, it becomes clear that a handful of teams have a legitimate shot and running the table and heading to an NY6 bowl with an undefeated record. Last season, it was Western Michigan. Other years, it has been Houston, Boise State, and even Utah back before they were a part of the Pac-12.

This year, we have a whole new crop of teams looking to accomplish that feat with each team holding a differing level of difficulty along the way. Let’s take a look at the remaining G5 undefeated teams and their chances at going undefeated.

• #22 San Diego State (3-0, 0-0 MWC): Not many of the national pundits gave the Aztecs a realistic shot of taking out Arizona State and Stanford in back to back weeks. Many of those same pundits picked Stanford to win the Pac-12 outright. Instead, SDSU is sitting at 3-0 with a real chance to run the table this year. The schedule is front-loaded with every one of their tough games coming before the 15^th of October. Coming up is a stretch that includes at Air Force, Northern Illinois, and Boise State. If they can get by a tough NIU squad and break their streak of losing at least one bad non-conference game, they could be the front-runners for an NY6 bowl. Assuming they can beat most likely Boise State in the MWC title game. Chance at undefeated: 60%.

.@Chargers It’s feels like San Diego has comfortably moved on without you. Good luck to you, wherever you end up. #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/0OVdJxNtRI

— SDCCU Stadium (@SDCCUstadium) September 17, 2017

• #21 South Florida (3-0, 0-0 AAC): Until last week, the Bulls were playing below their level and struggled to win games they should have easily won. The game versus Illinois was a showing of just how good they can be if things are rolling. There is no marquee P5 game on the schedule and they miss out on Memphis and Navy in the regular season, making their strength of schedule weaker than SDSU. If Houston can get to the October 28^th matchup undefeated as well, then that could be the national coming up party for USF. Also, watch out for the season finale at UCF. Chance at undefeated: 62.5%.
• Navy (2-0, 1-0 AAC): Still early in the season for the Midshipmen, they have yet to meet the meat of their schedule. No offense to Tulane, but they are not yet among the elite of the AAC and Navy had quite a bit of trouble putting them away. September 30 starts a streak of at Tulsa, Air Force, at Memphis, and UCF. That doesn’t even factor in SMU, at Notre Dame, at Houston, or the season finale versus Army. You could easily make a case that Navy has the toughest G5 schedule in the nation left to play. Chance at undefeated: 3%.
• Houston (2-0, 0-0 AAC): The Cougars look to be back after a disappointing season last fall. They took out an improving Arizona on the road and destroyed Rice last week. They have their toughest test of the season on Saturday as the high-flying offense of Texas Tech comes to town. If they are able to get by that game, they still have SMU, at Tulsa, Memphis, at South Florida, and Navy left on the schedule. It is possible but tough to go through that streak without a letdown. Chance at undefeated: 20%.
• Memphis (2-0, 0-0 AAC): Just pump the breaks a little bit right now. The Tigers were in a very similar situation not all that long ago when they beat a highly ranked Ole Miss squad. After a win over Southern Illinois, they have a tough matchup at UCF before facing Navy, Houston, Tulsa, and SMU down the stretch. Chance at undefeated: 45%.
• Toledo (3-0, 0-0 MAC): There is no real use at talking about the Rockets running the table until they play on Saturday. Beating #14 Miami would legitimize them to the national media and put them on course to an undefeated season. If they get by Miami, facing Ball State on the road, NIU at home, and Ohio on the road in a three-week stretch is no joke. Add in a season finale versus WMU and the road to perfection is tough for Toledo. Chance at undefeated: 18%.
• Eastern Michigan (2-0, 0-0 MAC): Nothing against the Eagles, but beating Rutgers and Charlotte is not going to get very many people talking about a perfect season. Luckily, they have Ohio, Kentucky, Toledo, Army, and WMU in the next five weeks. If they are sitting at 7-0, then let’s talk. Chance at undefeated: 3%.
• UTSA (2-0, 0-0): There is quite a bit of talk coming from Texas that the Roadrunners could actually run the table this fall. They got a win over the P5 by defeating Baylor and easily handled Southern. It hurts that they will miss out on a visit from Houston, a game that would surely legitimize them in the minds of many. Instead, they will have to prove themselves in tough CUSA games like Southern Miss, North Texas, Marshall, and Louisiana Tech. Then, beating WKU, MTSU, or Old Dominion in the CUSA title game is asking a lot of a team that played in their first bowl game only last year. Chance at undefeated: 33.3%.
• UCF (1-0, 0-0): Of the teams that were hurt most from hurricane season, the Knights took a brunt of the effects. They are sitting at 1-0, but haven’t played since a season-opening blowout win over FIU on August 31. Unless they are able to add a game on October 28, they are looking at a 10-game schedule. Still, they have trips to Maryland, Navy, and SMU while Memphis and South Florida come to town. Chance at undefeated: 5%. 

American Athletic Conference Power Rankings (9/4/17)

Week one is done, so it is only fair to take a look at the AAC and how the conference shakes out with one game in the books (two for USF). 

1. South Florida (2-0, 0-0): The Bulls barely hold on after two lackluster games to start the season. A trip to UConn should be no problem and the Bulls are expected to be undefeated heading into November for a visit from Houston. Let’s see if they can play four quarters this week.
2. Memphis (1-0, 0-0): The Tigers did enough to take care of ULM on a rainy night in Memphis. There is no time to enjoy the win as they have to visit a talented UCF squad for a week two AAC battle. Now is not the time to be looking forward to UCLA.
3. Houston (0-0, 0-0): Not much to say about the Cougars as they were the only AAC team not to play in week one due to Harvey. The expectations are high and there is a ton of talent on the roster, but Arizona on the road isn’t exactly the debut Major Applewhite wanted to make as a head coach.
4. Central Florida (1-0, 0-0): Scott Frost has done an incredible job in turning UCF from the laughingstock of the AAC to a bowl team in 2016 to one of the top four teams in the conference by week two of the 2017 season. Time to find out if McKenzie Milton and company are for real as Memphis heads to town for a week two clash.
5. Navy (1-0, 0-0): The Midshipmen just keep on rolling. With Zach Abey at quarterback, they rolled up 416 yards on the ground and were never really challenged by FAU. Tulane should give them a tougher opponent and a fun game to watch in week two.
6. Tulsa (0-1, 0-0): I vouched for the Golden Hurricane heading into the season. The offense wasn’t terrible versus a very good Oklahoma State team, but the defense looked lost and out of place. It seemed like every time OK State had the ball, they were hitting a 40+ yard play. Expect lots of points to be scored in week two when they face a Louisiana team that gave up 48 to Southeastern Louisiana.
7. SMU (1-0, 0-0): What can you say about SMU in week one? They put up 58 and won easily over a vastly inferior opponent. There is a lot of talent on the roster and we will find out if the Mustangs are ready to go bowling this fall as their next three opponents went bowling in 2016.
8. Tulane (1-0, 0-0): The Green Wave with a capable quarterback is a team on the rise. They played a good Grambling team and dominated from the opening kickoff. We will learn a lot about them in the next three weeks as they face Navy, Oklahoma, and Army to end the month of September.
9. Temple (0-1, 0-0): The Owls are likely a better team than Tulane, but that was a disappointing performance at Notre Dame. Let’s just say the rush defense needs some work and move on.
10. Cincinnati (1-0, 0-0): In multiple aspects of the game, the Bearcats were dominated by an Austin Peay team that has won a single game in the last four seasons. With #11 Michigan, Miami OH, and Navy in the next three weeks, we could be looking at a 1-3 Cincinnati squad.
11. Connecticut (1-0, 0-0): You can take Diaco out of UConn, but that does not make them a good team. The Huskies deserved to lose this game and only the effort of Bryant Shirreffs saved the day. I guess we know who won the starting quarterback job to face South Florida in week two.
12. East Carolina (0-1, 0-0): Do you hear that noise coming from Greenville? That is a fanbase collectively wishing for the days of Ruffin McNeill once again. The Pirates faced an excellent FCS team and were down 34-7 with just over two minutes left. They could only manage 14 points despite JMU ending the night with 172 penalty yards.

Ten AAC Out of Conference Games To Watch:

By Brian Reading - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.

As usual, the AAC is among the best in the G5 as playing the big boys of the P5. This year has some very interesting matchup that includes a trip to MAC country for what could be one of the best games of the year. 

Let's take a look at ten of the most tantalizing AAC non-conference games heading into the 2017 season. 

• UCLA at Memphis (September 16): There are fewer more marquee games for the Tigers in the Liberty Bowl. They are facing off versus a UCLA squad that has one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation in Josh Rosen. Memphis is predicted to have a great season and have lots of talent all over the offensive side of the ball, led by the Ferguson to Miller connection. A win here would be great for the Tigers and all of the AAC as they attempt to gain traction on their ill-fated P6 campaign. Expect lots of points with a few standout defensive plays deciding this game.

• Tulsa at Toledo (September 16): Why do we not get games like this every year? Two quality G5 teams playing one another rather than wasting it with a lower quality opponent. The Golden Hurricane will have time to recover from the Oklahoma State game to start the season and should be able to control the line of scrimmage in the run game. Toledo could be in a position to make some noise nationally if they can get through Elon, Nevada, Tulsa, and Miami (Fl.) to start the season. This game could be the toughest of the season for the Rockets.

• Tulsa at #11 Oklahoma State (August 31): The Cowboys have been one of the most consistent teams in the Big 12 lately with back to back 10-win seasons. They are still smarting from a controversial loss to Central Michigan in their last game versus the G5. Tulsa is starting to surge in the AAC under Montgomery and have one of the best run blocking lines in the nation. It is still weird associating Tulsa with the run game. This is a fun in-state game that Tulsa could steal if they do not get too caught up in the moment.

• Illinois at South Florida (September 15): This is a game that should put the Bulls on the national radar even though they will be heavy favorites. USF will likely head into this game 3-0 and this is their one regular season shot to knock off a Power 5 program. This game would be much higher on the list, but Illinois is not expected to be one of the best teams in the Big 10 and South Florida is a dark horse pick to finish the season in the top 10 nationally.

• Texas Tech at Houston (September 23): Maybe one day we can get the Herman bowl with Texas traveling to Houston to face the Cougars. Until then, we will be happy to watch the pride of Lubbock and that high-powered offense take on newly minted head coach Major Applewhite and company. The Red Raiders will look to nullify the effect of Oliver by getting rid of the ball early, so the secondary better come ready to play. This game is a toss-up at this point.

• Navy at Army (neutral site) (December 9): It would not be a list without the inclusion of the annual Army-Navy game. This year’s game will be played in Philadelphia and should be a fun game to watch. Army has high hopes to regain the Commander-In-Chief trophy for the first time since 1996 with this game possibly deciding the winner. Of course, Navy has a say in it, but this year feels like an Army-Navy game for everything.

• Houston at Arizona (September 9): If the Cougars want to be known as the kings of G5 football, this is a game they must win. Arizona is a mess after going 3-9 and continually getting worse under Rich Rodriguez. Houston is replacing several stars and a head coach, but has the best G5 player in the nation and arguably one of the top 5 players in the nation as a whole in Ed Oliver. This is the type of game that Oliver dominates. The Cougars should leave Tuscon with a win and the nation again talking about Oliver.

• Temple at Notre Dame (September 2): Two teams seemingly headed in different directions since that College Gameday matchup two years ago, this should be an interesting game. The Irish are in make or break mode under Brian Kelly and cannot afford to lose to a slightly rebuilding Temple squad. The Owls are heading into 2017 looking to continue their streak of AAC title game appearances, but have quite a bit to replace. If they can get good production from whoever wins the QB battle, Temple will give the Irish all they can handle.

• Cincinnati at #9 Michigan (September 9): Do not expect the Bearcats to win this game. The only real hope is that they look better than last season. Luke Fickell and company are rebuilding the mess left by Tommy Tuberville the right way and that means taking their time. Michigan is expected to compete for the playoff this season, but the Bearcats’ head coach is very familiar with the Wolverines from his time at Ohio State.

• #22 Virginia Tech at East Carolina (September 16): Though the Hokies rolled ECU last season, this has been a spirited rivalry in recent years with the Pirates winning in 2014 and 2015. This is a bit of a homecoming of sorts for quarterback Thomas Sirk as he faces off versus an ACC opponent for the first time since leaving Duke. ECU is a wild card this season with so many working parts and transfers that it is almost impossible to get a good read on the program. The Hokies should win, but it will be closer than last year’s 54-17 pummeling.

Just missed the cut: ECU at West Virginia, Houston at UTSA, Louisiana at Tulsa, SMU at TCU, Tulane at Oklahoma, Georgia Tech at UCF, Arkansas State at SMU, Marshall at Cincinnati, Air Force at Navy.

2017 AAC Top Returning Defensive Players

The 2017 season is only two weeks away and it is time to talk defense. The AAC has a love/hate relationship with the defensive side of the ball. Sometimes, defenses take over and give us an old fashioned 13-9 type of game. Other times, the defense is nowhere to be found with teams like Memphis and South Florida putting up basketball game scores.

Individually, the 2016 season was a high-water point for the AAC with Haason Reddick of Temple and Obi Melifonwu of UConn both going in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft. Both are very talented, but neither has quite the upside of this new group led by defensive lineman Ed Oliver of Houston.

Let's take a look at who else is back in 2017.

Tackles:

1. Auggie Sanchez, USF: 119 tackles. 9.2 tpg.
2. Micah Thomas, Navy: 107 tackles, 7.6 tpg.
3. Jonathan Cook, Memphis: 88 tackles, 6.8 tpg.
4. Matthew Adams, Houston: 82 tackles, 7.5 tpg.
5. Vontae Diggs, UConn: 84 tackles, 7.0 tpg.
6. Junior Joseph, UConn: 81 tackles, 6.8 tpg.
7. Jarrod Franklin, Tulane: 78 tackles, 6.5 tpg.
8. Jordan Williams, ECU: 77 tackles, 6.4 tpg.
9. Genard Avery, Memphis: 80 tackles, 6.2 tpg.

It seems like Auggie Sanchez has been at USF for six years, but this is finally his final year in Tampa. He, along with Memphis linebacker Genard Avery, are among the defensive players of the AAC looking at futures in the NFL. Props have to go to Jordan Williams of East Carolina for going from redshirting at Shaw University as a freshman to starting multiple years at ECU. 

Diggs and Joseph of UConn could easily lead the league in tackles this fall unless something is done to fix that dreadful offense. 

Sacks:

1. Petera Wilson, Tulsa: 6.5 sacks.
2. Justin Lawler, SMU: 6.0 sacks.
3. DJ Palmore, Navy: 6.0 sacks.
4. Auggie Sanchez, USF: 6.0 sacks.
5. Bruce Hector, USF: 6.0 sacks.
6. Jesse Brubaker, Tulsa: 5.5 sacks.
7. Ed Oliver, Houston: 5.0 sacks.
8. Ade Aruna, Tulane: 5.0 sacks.
9. Genard Avery, Memphis: 5.0 sacks.

It will be a new day for rushing the passer this year as the top five sack artists from 2016 are gone to the NFL. A player to watch this season is defensive lineman Justin Lawler of SMU. Despite being a bit undersized, Lawler has 11 career sacks and lived in the backfield with 15 tackles for loss last season.

One other thing to note is a number of linebackers getting in the action. Sanchez of USF and Avery of Memphis both had 5+ sacks along with Petera Wilson's 6.5 sacks last fall. Wilson had a total of 16 tackles last season with nearly half for loss. 

Tackles for loss:

1. Ed Oliver, Houston: 23.0 tfl.
2. Justin Lawler, SMU: 15.0 tfl.
3. Jesse Brubaker, Tulsa: 13.5 tfl.
4. DJ Palmore, Navy: 11.5 tfl.
5. Luke Carrezola, UConn: 11.0 tfl.
6. Genard Avery, Memphis: 11.0 tfl.
7. Ade Aruna, Tulane: 10.0 tfl.
8. Tony Guerad, UCF: 10.0 tfl.
9. Kevin Mouhon, Cincinnati: 9.5 tfl.

So many expected Ed Oliver to make some noise heading into the fall. Few had him pegged for the ridiculous numbers he put up this fall. 290-pound defensive tackles do not do this.

And just for good measure...

Interceptions (4 or more):

1. Parry Nickerson, Tulane: 4 INT.
2. Jordan Wyatt, SMU: 4 INT.
3. Deatrick Nichols, USF: 4 INT.

Forced Fumbles (3 or more):

1. Jordan Wyatt, SMU: 4 FF.
2. Ed Oliver, Houston: 3 FF.

AAC News And Notes: 8/7/17

By Brian Reading - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8337359

Navy:

Offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper is taking some time away from the program to handle a medical situation involving his youngest son Jarren. The program has chosen to keep private the actual medical condition while allowing Jasper to take as long as needed to be with his son. The 18-year assistant will be replaced during his hiatus by run game and offensive line coach Ashley Ingram.

Family is much more important than football and we wish Jasper and his family all the best wishes and a full recovery.

http://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/navy_sports/ph-ac-cs-ivin-jasper-out-0806-20170805-story.html

Tulsa:

The Golden Hurricane have new turf on H.A Chapman Stadium installed in anticipation of the 2017 season. Take a look at the new turf here.

Moving quickly on install of new turf at #TulsaFB H.A. Chapman Stadium. #ForOurCIty pic.twitter.com/7Qay3dCDYe

— Tulsa Football (@TulsaFootball) August 6, 2017

Memphis:

2017 Auburn signee Carlito Gonzalez has chosen a new home with the Tigers after failing to report to the SEC program last week. Gonzalez is a three-star safety, ranked #28 overall in the Class of 2017 by 247 Sports. He will be forced to take a redshirt season this fall before becoming eligible to play in 2018.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/college/memphis-tigers/football/2017/08/03/memphis-football-adds-former-auburn-signee-carlito-gonzalez/532469001/

SMU:

There is a quarterback battle taking place in fall camp for the Mustangs??? Even though Ben Hicks looked downright impressive at times last fall, he is being pushed by former Arkansas quarterback Rafe Peavey. Between the quarterback battle and the rise of redshirt freshmen in starting roles, SMU is still in the process of building a true two-deep.

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college-sports/smumustangs/2017/08/04/three-things-watch-smus-open-football-practice-saturday

Tulane:

Being the true college football team of New Orleans, the Green Wave are very close with the Saints of the NFL. Building on that relationship, the Saints spent Sunday night hosting an open practice at Yulman Stadium with many Tulane players in attendance.

Ready for Saint's practice at #YulmanStadium #RollWave pic.twitter.com/sNVC2TOY7l

— Tulane Athletics (@TulaneAthletics) August 6, 2017

Temple:

The Owls are going straight up NASCAR this season in allowing donors to “sponsor” one of nine player numbers on the 2017 roster. Among the benefits of sponsoring a players, number are a ride on the team plane to an away game, a custom jersey, and interaction with the student-athlete throughout the year. This seems like something the NCAA will soon outlaw.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2017/08/02/temple-donors-can-sponsor-football-jersey-numbers-50-000/533526001/

South Florida:

Expectations are at a peak heading into the 2017 season for the Bulls as they were recently ranked #21 in the preseason Coaches’ Poll. This is the first time since 2008 for USF to earn a preseason top 25 ranking. The Bulls are the only G5 team to earn a spot in the preseason top 25.

https://www.thedailystampede.com/2017/8/3/16090496/usf-football-ranked-21st-in-preseason-espn-usa-today-coaches-poll

Central Florida:

Following the lead of Shawn Burgess-Becker, Alabama defensive back Aaron Robinson is leaving the Crimson Tide and headed to Orlando. The Deerfield Beach native spent one season at Alabama with five tackles, including a tackle for loss versus Mississippi State. Robinson, the #41 ranked cornerback of the 2016 class, will have to sit out the 2017 season but will have three years of eligibility left after that.

https://www.seccountry.com/alabama/alabama-db-aaron-robinson-transferring-central-florida

Cincinnati:

The Bearcats will open the 2017 season with a brand new video board, replacing the current board that was erected in 2005. It is nearly four times larger than the current board and measures 31’X114’ and is the same model and quality of the board installed at the Great American Ballpark in 2015 before the All-Star Game.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/college/university-of-cincinnati/2017/08/03/ucs-nippert-stadium-getting-new-video-board/537663001/

East Carolina:

Lots of news in Greenville as senior running back Anthony Scott and junior linebacker Yannis Bowden have been ruled academically ineligible for the upcoming season. While both are casualties to the roster, the Pirates added another graduate transfer in Eastern Michigan punter Austin Barnes. The transfer was a second team All-MAC selection as a junior and shores up a hole in the roster after the graduation of Worth Gregory. Barnes is one of five graduate transfers expected to play a significant role with the Pirates this fall.

http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/aac/east-carolina-university/article165684492.html

Connecticut:

The Huskies have opened up pretty much every position for the taking heading into the 2017 season. From quarterback to kicker, it will be a battle to see which Huskies player steps out with the starters this fall.

http://www.nhregister.com/sports/article/UConn-football-team-s-preseason-camp-features-11729468.php

Houston:

Major Applewhite’s biggest goal for the 2017 season is repairing a run game that struggled for a majority of the 2016 season. When Greg Ward Jr. wasn’t handling the football, no one seemed to be able to take the reins and pressure away from the senior quarterback. Duke Catalon looked at times like a star in the making, but injuries took away his effectiveness. He, along with Mulbah Car, will be expected to take significant steps forward this fall.

http://www.chron.com/sports/cougars/article/What-to-watch-as-UH-opens-football-camp-11719152.php

AAC Week Five Review

Another week is in the books for the 2015 college football season with the American Athletic Conference going 7-5. The AAC kicked into gear with four conference games. Let's take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of week five AAC football action.

AAC Week Four Review

Another week is in the books for the 2015 college football season with American Athletic Conference going 4-4 with two conference games taking place, Memphis-Cincinnati and Navy-Connecticut. Let's take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of week four AAC football action.

AAC Week Four Preview

Week four of the college football season get underway tomorrow with Cincinnati and Memphis getting a seat on the big stage. The Conference play is finally kicking into gear with the Cincy-Memphis game one of two conference games on the slate. Navy-UConn is the other.

American Athletic Conference Week One Review

With one week in the books, who were the biggest winners and losers of the opening week?

AAC Football Week One Preview

All 12 teams in the AAC are in action during week one with all 12 hosting their opponents including three Power Five Conference programs (Baylor, Duke, Penn State). Let's take a look at the games.

MWC Non-Conference Games to Watch

Non-Conference Games to watch:

2015 AAC predictions

Here are my American Athletic Conference Predictions.

AAC players to watch in 2015

Not sure who to look out for in the AAC this fall? Here is a handy guide of approximately 5-7 players to watch for on every AAC team: