It’s that time again. The grass has been painted, practices have been had, recruits have been brought in. The season is just on the brink of the horizon. All that is left is speculation about how the season will unfold.

So with that, I bring you the AAC Power Rankings, voted on by coaches within the league as well as a couple respected outside coaches. Without further ado, here they are:

1.Navy (Last season: 12-3, Projected: 1st in West, Conference Champ)

No surprise at the top of the list, as the defending conference champs come in as the pre-season favorites. Navy went 12-3 last year, ultimately falling to the national champ WKU (enemy of the AAC) in the playoff semi-final. Their biggest threat in the West, former SMU coach Cannibal Johnson, has moved on to Arkansas, leaving a clear path for the Midshipmen to the Conference Championship game and beyond.

2.Temple (Last Season: 3-9, Projected: 1st in East, Conference Runner-Up)

A newcomer to the AAC, but with a great pedigree of past success. After taking New Mexico State to the playoff in season one, head coach Zen Sunshine took a year away from the game. He is back now, more motivated than ever, in a tough AAC East. He will have to fight UConn, a playoff team last year, and UCF, a top 25 team last year, to earn his spot.

3.UConn (Last Season: 10-3, Projected: 2nd in East)

Speaking of UConn, they check in at third in the ranking. A 10-3 record and a playoff berth last year speak it for itself. Last year’s AAC East champ USF lost coach Mark Longball, so UConn will look to fill that gap and cement its status as a contender. They will look to win their second AAC championship, as Coach Lattimore Island lead them to the the inaugural Fake AAC championship.

4.UCF (Last Season: 10-3, Projected: 3rd in East)

A team that last year had a chance to win the AAC East before ultimately falling to in-state rival USF, the Knights should now be the best school in Fake Florida. Last year saw a 10-3 record with an Orange Bowl win over Boston College. Expectations will be higher this season, as any improvement could lead to a playoff berth.

5.ECU (Last Season: 7-6, Projected: 4th in East)

After a 6-7 debut, Coach Lighthail once again managed to make a bowl game out of the brutal East, and finished the year 7-6. The Pirate faithful hope their team will come out on top of the power vacuum created by the departure of Longball.

6.Memphis (Last Season: 4-9, Projected: 2nd in West)

We finally reach our 2nd West team, Memphis. The original Tigers coach resigned last year after week 3, and coach True Pierce took over from there. He went 4-6 the rest of the way, losing in the opening round of the Antarctica Bowl. While it was a rough season, there were a couple bright spots, namely a dominant win over national runner-up UMass.

7.SMU (Last Season: 8-5, Projected: 3rd in West)

The defending FCS champ has big shoes to fill, and slots in third in the West. If SMU is able to overcome Navy and the rest of the conference, does that prove that the myth FCS > FBS is actually true? I’ll believe it when I see it.

8.Cincinnati (Last Season: 6-8, Projected: 5th in East)

The new conference commissioner joined late last season, so there wasn’t much to go off of data wise. A real go either way candidate, this one you could pick to outperform their ranking. Also winner of the prestigious Antarctica Bowl.

9.USF (Last Season: 10-4, Projected: 6th in East)

New coach Hans will take over a playoff team from last year, but his record in a weaker conference suggests he may struggle in the stacked AAC. Time will tell.

10.Houston (Last Season: 2-10, Projected: 4th in West)

Coach James Pablano of Acadia Peregrines fame takes over a team that struggled mightily last year, and will look to turn things around this season. Nowhere to go but up.

11.Tulsa (Last Season: 8-5, Projected: 5th in West)

A headscratcher here. Tulsa made a bowl last year with a winning record, but apparently weren’t highly thought of in coaches’ circles. They come in second to last, which should serve as a chip on their shoulder.

12.Tulane (Last Season: 4-8, Projected: 6th in West)

In last, we have Tulane. A 4-8 finish last year left them on the outside looking in on postseason play, and doesn’t bode well for the future. Will they escape the basement?



So there they are. Any thoughts, comments, or questions can go below. Thanks for reading!

