American Athletic Conference/ Ben Solomon Football 11.26.16 Temple to Face Navy in 2016 American Athletic Conference Football Championship

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference will crown its 2016 champion Saturday as Temple and Navy meet for the league title in the American Athletic Conference Football Championship at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland.



The American Championship is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 3, at noon ET and will be televised nationally on ABC for the second consecutive year.



Temple finished tied with USF for first place in The American's East Division standings as the Owls completed their regular season with a 37-10 win against East Carolina in Philadelphia. Temple won the tiebreaker against the Bulls based on a 46-30 victory against USF Oct. 21. Saturday's win lifted Temple to 9-3 overall and 7-1 in conference play and gave the Owls a chance to compete for its second conference title in program history and their first since the 1967 Mid-American Conference title. The Owls bring a six-game winning streak into The American Championship.



Navy won the outright West Division title after the Midshipmen took a 75-31 victory at SMU Saturday to complete a 7-1 season in American Athletic Conference play. Navy is 9-2 overall, was ranked No. 25 in last Tuesday's College Football Playoff ranking, and takes a four-game winning streak into The American Championship. The Midshipmen have won 15 consecutive games at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, which is the longest active home field winning streak in FBS football. Navy will be looking for its first conference title in program history; the Midshipmen competed as an independent for 134 years before joining The American in 2015.



The winner of the The American Championship will be eligible to be chosen for the Goodyear Cotton Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff selection process.



Temple and Navy did not meet during the 2016 regular season, though the teams have 11 previous meetings on the gridiron. Navy holds a 6-5 series lead after a 31-24 win in Philadelphia in 2014. Navy is 4-3 against the Owls in Annapolis.



Last year's inaugural American Athletic Conference Football Championship saw Houston take a 24-13 win against Temple as part of the Cougars' 13-1 2015 season.

