As the 2025 college football season approaches, the American Athletic Conference (AAC) is poised for another compelling campaign. Building on a successful 2024 season, where the conference sent eight teams to bowl games and captured the Bowl Challenge Cup with a 6–2 postseason record, the AAC will look to solidify themselves as the best Conference in the entire Group of Five from a depth perspective.
It also represents one of the more stable conferences in college football right now as well as 2025 marks the second year in a row that the AAC's current 14-team configuration was maintained.
However, that same depth also prevented the American Conference from potentially reaching the CFP since teams like Tulane, Memphis, and even Army were all cannibalized during the conference portion of the College Football Season and ultimately opening the door for a Boise State to become the G5 Representative.
And the thing is? This year will be just as if not more difficult because not only do teams have to navigate a relatively deep conference for G5 Standards, but also the nonconference schedule is equally ambitious, featuring matchups against teams from the SEC, ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and Mountain West, among others. Notably, Teams in the American Conference will not only face off against seven teams that were included in the final Top 25 AP Poll, but four such matchups will include teams that were part of the inaugural 12 Team Playoff Field as well.
With a blend of returning talent, new coaching strategies, and challenging nonconference games, the 2025 AAC football season promises to be one of the most exciting yet.
So with that being said, let’s look at where each American Conference Team stands entering the season:
14) Tulsa
Tre Lamb shouldn’t have any problems with generating offense based on his experience at Gardner-Webb and East Tennessee State. However, can the young offensive mind figure out how to overhaul a defense that gave up over 42 points per game last season?
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 129
- Potential Toss-Up Games: AT New Mexico State, Temple, UAB
- Record Prediction: 3-9
- Best Case Scenario: 4-8
- Worst Case Scenario: 1-11
13) Temple
The KC Keeler hire from Sam Houston stands out as one of the best coaching hires of the entire off season! However, after being in the basement for so long… it might take a year to reset the culture of Temple Football.
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 127
- Potential Toss-Up Games: AT UMass, AT Charlotte, AT Tulsa
- Record Prediction: 2-10
- Best Case Scenario: 4-8
- Worst Case Scenario: 1-11
12) Charlotte
Tim Albin has the potential to do amazing things at Charlotte based on his last few years at Ohio. However, it might not show right away with 2025 being a transitional year for the program. While they have former P4 Quarterbacks in Duke Transfer Grayson Loftis and North Carolina Transfer Conner Harrell competing for the starting job, they’ll have to deal with significant turnover for the skill positions and offensive line.
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 126
- Potential Toss-Up Games: Rice, Temple
- Record Prediction: 3-9
- Best Case Scenario: 3-9
- Worst Case Scenario: 1-11
11) UAB
It’s a make-or-break year for Trent Dilfer who enter 2025 with just a 7-17 overall record at UAB. In order to keep his job, the transfer portal class and reassembled coaching staff will need to improve a defense that gave up over 6 yards per play during conference action.
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 119
- Potential Toss-Up Games: AT Tulsa
- Record Prediction: 2-10
- Best Case Scenario: 3-9
- Worst Case Scenario: 2-10
10) Rice
The Scott Abell Era begins at Rice after successful stints at both Washington & Lee and Davidson. Can he lead Rice to their first winning season since the release of NCAA Football 14?
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 115
- Potential Toss-Up Games: AT Charlotte, FAU
- Record Prediction: 2-10
- Best Case Scenario: 4-8
- Worst Case Scenario: 2-10
9) Florida Atlantic
After convincing both Caden Veltkamp and Easton Messer to leave Western Kentucky for Boca Raton, New Head Coach Zach Kittley just have the pieces necessary to install his offensive scheme immediately in Boca Raton.
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 104
- Potential Toss-Up Games: AT FIU, AT Rice, Eastern Carolina
- Record Prediction: 5-7
- Best Case Scenario: 6-6
- Worst Case Scenario: 3-9
8) East Carolina
Talk about carrying momentum into 2025 with how they finished last season after winning five of their final six games! Katin Houser returns for another season which could propel East Carolina into one of the top offenses in the conference. Let’s see how Blake Harrell does in his first full year as the head coach though.
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 91
- Potential Toss-Up Games: AT Coastal Carolina, Army, AT FAU
- Record Prediction: 6-6
- Best Case Scenario: 7-5
- Worst Case Scenario: 4-8
7) North Texas
Although Chandler Morris left the Program to join Virginia, I still expect Eric Morris to generate offense. However, the upside of this team will be determined by how improved a defense that gave up over 34 points per game last fall improves by.
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 83
- Potential Toss-Up Games: USF
- Record Prediction: 8-4
- Best Case Scenario: 9-3
- Worst Case Scenario: 8-4
6) Army
Losing Bryson Daily definitely hurts, but there’s still plenty to like about this team! 8 Defensive Starters return and one of the most underrated offensive linemen in the country in Brady Small is still there too.
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 73
- Potential Toss-Up Games: AT East Carolina
- Record Prediction: 8-4
- Best Case Scenario: 8-4
- Worst Case Scenario: 7-5
5) USF
While the defense must improve this upcoming season, Byrum Brown does return after missing most of last season due to injury. They’ll be written off because of their non-conference strength of schedule, but they are a serious threat to win the American.
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 70
- Potential Toss-Up Games: AT North Texas, UTSA
- Record Prediction: 7-5
- Best Case Scenario: 7-5
- Worst Case Scenario: 5-7
4) UTSA
While the Transfer Portal wasn’t kind to the UTSA Defense as multiple starters left for Power Conference Programs, the Offense under Head Coach Jeff Traylor looks to be one of the most dynamic in the entire G5 with Owen McCown, Robert Henry, and Willie McCoy coming back.
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 63
- Potential Toss-Up Games: AT USF
- Record Prediction: 9-3
- Best Case Scenario: 10-2
- Worst Case Scenario: 9-3
3) Memphis
While Ryan Silverfield has proven to be one of the best coaches in the G5, he’ll have his work cut out for him with a talented by inexperienced roster. True Freshman Antwann Hill looks to replace longtime starter Seth Henigan at Quarterback. In addition, the Top 4 Receiving Targets from last year are no longer with the program and only 1 starter returns from the defensive side of the ball.
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 62
- Potential Toss-Up Games: Tulane, Navy
- Record Prediction: 10-2
- Best Case Scenario: 11-1
- Worst Case Scenario: 9-3
2) Navy
The Midshipmen are coming off of their first double digit win season since before Covid. With Blake Horvath returning to lead one of the more unique offenses in the country that’s still potent, Brian Newberry’s Team has a legit shot to win the American.
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 60
- Potential Toss-Up Games: AT Memphis
- Record Prediction: 10-2
- Best Case Scenario: 11-1
- Worst Case Scenario: 10-2
1) Tulane
The Green Wave took some tough losses in the transfer portal with Darian Mensah and Makhi Hughes both leaving for Power Conference programs. However, Jon Sumrall has done an admirable job in replenishing the roster with transfer portal additions of his own with multiple viable options to start at Quarterback as well as several promising skill players
- National Preseason Power Ranking: 40
- Potential Toss-Up Games: AT Memphis
- Record Prediction: 11-1
- Best Case Scenario: 11-1
- Worst Case Scenario: 10-2
