The Bulls were considered an afterthought in the MAC race during the preseason, but now they are tied for first place with Western Michigan and Ohio at 2-0 in conference play. 

To demonstrate how crazy the early portion of the schedule has played out, Ohio was predicted to finish fifth in the MAC Coaches Preseason Poll while Western Michigan was seventh and Buffalo was 10th.

Now, it’s still very possible that defending MAC champion and preseason favorite Miami (Ohio) will be a major contender along with Toledo and Northern Illinois, which are all 1-1. Nobody should count out Bowling Green (1-1), which lost one-score games to Penn State and Texas A&M but is coming off a 17-7 home loss to Northern Illinois. 

Miami was the preseason pick, while Toledo was picked second and Northern Illinois was tied for third with Bowling Green. 

Yet Buffalo being listed among the contenders, even after two conference games, is one of the most improbable stories in college football.

Consider that the Bulls (4-2) have already exceeded their win total from last year when they went 3-9.

It was a daunting task facing first-year Buffalo head coach Pete Lembo, who was hired on Jan. 21. Lembo went 112-65 in his previous three head coaching stints at Lehigh, Elon, and Ball State, and now he has brought his winning ways to Buffalo. 

On paper, it doesn’t make sense to see Buffalo on top, especially since the Bulls have lost two games by a combined 82 points.

Sure, one was 38-0 against No. 19 Missouri, but on Sept. 28, the Bulls lost 47-3 at UConn. While UConn (4-2) is enjoying a strong year, the Huskies struggled mightily to defeat Temple 29-20 the week after beating Buffalo. Temple is just 1-5 this year. 

Buffalo had a week off after the UConn loss and then won this past weekend 30-15 at home against Toledo.

The Bulls’ other MAC win was 23-20 in overtime at Northern Illinois. That is the same Northern Illinois team that won at Notre Dame in its previous contest before meeting Buffalo. 

As for how impressive the Toledo win was, even after playing Buffalo, the Rockets are the MAC’s leading scoring team, averaging 32.3 points per game, so the Bulls held them to less than half their average. 

Northern Illinois leads the MAC in scoring defense (17.2 points per game). The only team other than Buffalo that has scored more points against NIU is NC State, which beat the Huskies 24-17.

Buffalo is ninth in the MAC in scoring (20 points per game) and is 11th in total offense, averaging just 270 yards per game. The saving grace has been the defense. The Bulls are fourth in the MAC in scoring defense (22.7 points per game), even though they are seventh in yards allowed (374.7 per game). 

The offense has surely had its moments, and last week against Toledo was arguably its best performance of the season, especially considering the opposition. It was the third time that Buffalo scored 30 or more points, but the other two occasions were against FCS Lafayette and a UMass team that is 1-6. 

Against Toledo, the Bulls rushed for a season-high 230 yards. Al-Jay Henderson, who entered the game with 135 yards rushing on 39 attempts, rushed for 142 yards on 18 carries. 

Quarterback CJ Ogbonna has done a good job running the offense and limiting mistakes. He has thrown five touchdown passes and just one interception and has gone four straight games without throwing a pick. He has also scored three touchdowns on the ground.

If the Bulls don’t make many mistakes, then their defense should usually keep them in games, especially with two tackling machines at linebacker, Shaun Dolac and Red Murdock, who had 15 and 11 tackles respectively against Toledo. Dolac leads the MAC in tackles per game (14.5) while Murdock is second (11).

Who would have thought that this week’s home game with Western Michigan would be a mid-season showdown between 2-0 MAC teams? Not all 2-0 records are alike. Western Michigan’s two MAC wins are over Ball State and Akron, which are a combined 1-5 in the MAC this season. 

That doesn’t mean that it will be easy this week for Buffalo. The last time the Bulls had a huge win (over NIU), they were trounced the next week by UConn. 

Still, the Bulls have put themselves in a good position entering the second half of the season. They have clearly been the surprise team in the MAC. How they handle this prosperity will determine whether they can contend for a conference title in what promises to be a wild race. 

The post Buffalo Bulls Among The Biggest Group of Five Football Surprises This Season appeared first on HERO Sports.

North Texas is coming off a 41-37 win at Florida Atlantic that included a wild comeback. 

Memphis was the preseason pick by the media to win the AAC, but the Tigers dug themselves in an early hole with a 56-44 loss to Navy, so the margin of error is small.

The loser of the Memphis-UNT game would still be in the AAC race, although a Memphis loss could be more damaging since the Tigers have already one league loss. 

North Texas-Memphis How To Watch

North Texas (5-1, 2-0 AAC) at Memphis (5-1, 1-1), 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday

TV: ESPNU

North Texas-Memphis Betting Line

Memphis is a 12.5-point favorite with a -400 moneyline. The Over/Under for the game is 66.5 total points.

North Texas-Memphis Coaches

North Texas: Eric Morris (10-8 at North Texas, 34-26 overall)

Memphis: Ryan Silverfield (36-19)

Last meeting: Oct. 28, 2023 – Memphis won 45-42 at North Texas

Seth Henigan fired a 36-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Scates with 10 seconds left to give Memphis the comeback win. 

North Texas trailed 38-21 early in the fourth quarter before scoring three touchdowns to take a 42-38 lead. Henigan completed 22 of 28 passes for 330 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Chandler Rogers threw for 411 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions for North Texas. 

Why The North Texas-Memphis Game Is Important

A second AAC loss by Memphis would be disastrous for the Tigers, while North Texas is in the beginning of a three-game stretch that will determine whether the Mean Green will contend for a league title. After Memphis, North Texas visits Tulane and then hosts Army. Those two teams are a combined 7-0 in the AAC.

North Texas-Memphis Preview

For North Texas

The Mean Green have won three in a row since losing 66-21 at Texas Tech. North Texas needed an impressive comeback during last week’s 41-37 win at FAU. The Mean Green went down 37-27 when FAU kicked a field goal with 4:21 left. DT Sheffield would then catch two touchdown passes from Chandler Morris, the second with 58 seconds remaining.

Morris completed 27 of 45 passes for 336 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. Sheffield caught 11 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns. 

The Mean Green have been a second-half team, outscoring opponents 135-63 after intermission this season. 

Morris has completed 64.3% of his passes for 1,979 yards, 20 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Four UNT players have rushed for between 100 and 220 yards. Sheffield has 34 receptions for 443 yards and seven touchdowns. Safety Jayden Hill, who spent the previous four seasons at Division II Ohio Dominican, leads the team with 43 tackles. 

The Mean Green are third in the AAC in scoring (40.8 points per game) but 11th in scoring defense, allowing 33 PPG.

For Memphis

The Tigers have won two in a row since the aforementioned loss to Navy. Memphis is coming off last week’s 21-3 win over South Florida in Orlando. Memphis held USF to just 24 rushing yards on 19 attempts and forced three turnovers. USF was 1 for 13 on third downs. Henigan completed 28 of 40 passes for 208 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. The Tigers had possession for 41 minutes, 38 seconds. 

Henigan is now tied with Brady White for the most wins at Memphis by a starting quarterback with 28. 

The Tigers have now scored at least 20 points in 33 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak in the nation. 

Henigan has been efficient, but he hasn’t enjoyed the breakout season that many expected. He has completed 65.1% of his passes for 1,547 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions. 

South Carolina transfer Mario Anderson Jr. has rushed for 456 yards and eight touchdowns. Seven different players have caught at least one touchdown pass in the Tigers’ balanced passing attack.

Roc Taylor has 26 receptions for 375 yards and a touchdown. 

Linebacker Chandler Morris leads the Tigers in both tackles (42) and sacks (four).

Memphis is second in the AAC in scoring defense, allowing 15.8 points per game, and is fifth in scoring offense (31.2 points per game). 

North Texas-Memphis Prediction

I like Memphis giving the points. North Texas has a prolific offense, but the Mean Green can also give up points in bundles. A key stat is penalties. North Texas is the second-worst team in the AAC, averaging 77 penalty yards per game. Memphis is the fourth-best team, averaging 44 per contest. 

Another key stat is that North Texas has thrown 20 touchdown passes, but Memphis has allowed just two scoring passes. North Texas hasn’t faced a defense like this, and while the Mean Green should still be able to score, I don’t think it will be at the same pace as the first six games.

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The post AAC Game of The Week: North Texas at Memphis Prediction & Preview appeared first on HERO Sports.

Memphis, the preseason favorite, lost its first AAC game 56-44 at Navy while USF lost its AAC opener 45-10 at Tulane. Both teams were idle this past week. With the emergence of Army and Navy, a team with two losses could have a difficult time earning a berth in the AAC title game.

Both USF and Memphis have been disappointing, especially on the defensive side of the ball. USF has played arguably the toughest schedule of any AAC team to this point, with the other losses at Alabama (42-16) and at home against Miami (50-15). 

With urgency facing both teams, this could have a playoff feel to it. 

Memphis-USF How To Watch

Memphis will play USF at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

TV: ESPN+ (The game was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday but was moved due to the forecasted impact of Hurricane Milton on the Tampa Bay area and throughout Florida.)

Memphis & USF Records

Memphis (4-1, 0-1 AAC); South Florida (2-3, 0-1)

Memphis-USF Betting Line

Memphis -7.5 (-110)

Over/Under: 60.5

Memphis-USF Coaches

Memphis: Ryan Silverfield (35-19)

South Florida: Alex Golesh (9-9)

Last meeting: Nov. 4, 2023; Memphis won 59-50 at home.

Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan completed 23 of 40 passes for 349 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. He also rushed for 42 yards and one touchdown on eight carries. 

USF quarterback Byrum Brown was spectacular in defeat. He completed 31 of 39 passes for 357 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception. Brown also rushed for 100 yards on 18 carries. 

Why The Memphis-USF Game Is Important

As outlined earlier, the loser will have a difficult time earning a spot in the AAC title game. The other expected contenders – Army, Navy, and Tulane – are already a combined 9-0 in AAC play. Plus, North Texas is considered an outside contender. It wouldn’t be impossible for the loser of this game to earn a title game berth, but it would be difficult. 

Memphis-USF Preview

For Memphis

It looked as if beating Florida State would be a signature win for Memphis. The Tigers did win 20-12 at Florida State, but the Seminoles have been among the most disappointing teams in college football with a 1-5 record.

On paper, the stats don’t look too bad. Memphis is averaging 33.2 points per game and allowing 18.4, but the Tigers’ defense was shredded by Navy. The Midshipmen rushed for 361 yards and five touchdowns against Memphis. What really hurt was that Navy also passed for 205 yards and two touchdowns. 

The defensive numbers were helped by a shutout win over North Alabama and a 24-7 victory in the Tigers’ last outing over Middle Tennessee. 

Henigan, who had some preseason Heisman buzz, has been less than spectacular. He has completed 64.1% of his passes for 1,349 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions while rushing for 60 yards and no touchdowns.

South Carolina transfer Mario Anderson Jr. has rushed for 438 yards and eight touchdowns. Roc Taylor has a team-high 23 receptions for 333 yards and one score.

Chandler Martin, among the top linebackers in the AAC, has 35 tackles and three sacks. 

For USF

USF had some moments against both Alabama and Miami. The Bulls trailed Alabama 14-13 entering the fourth quarter before being outscored 28-3 in the final period. The Bulls were down just 22-15 to Miami at halftime before being outscored 28-0 in the second half. There was nothing competitive about the loss to Tulane, where the Green Wave scored the first 31 points of the game. 

What’s worse, Brown left early in the third quarter due to injury against Tulane. Bryce Archie finished the game, completing 4 of 10 passes for 41 yards. No doubt, Memphis will prepare to face both quarterbacks. 

Brown is the leading rusher for USF with 269 yards and three TDs. Graduate student Kelley Joiner, who has appeared in 39 games for USF, is second on the team in rushing with 248 yards. He is averaging 6.5 yards per carry and has scored four touchdowns.

Veteran Sean Atkins has 27 receptions for 309 yards but no touchdowns. USF has just two receiving touchdowns. 

Graduate student linebacker Mac Harris leads the Bulls in tackles (30) and tackles for loss (four). The Bulls average 27.8 points per game but are allowing 32.8, which is 118th nationally.  In their three losses, they are allowing 45.6 points per contest. 

Memphis-USF Prediction

I like Memphis giving the points, regardless of who will be at quarterback for USF. It appears as if the Miami loss affected the Bulls, which led to their sluggish loss to Tulane.

Memphis, it can be argued, has been just as disappointing as USF, but the Tigers’ schedule hasn’t been as difficult. This is still a talented Memphis team, and the next two games against USF and North Texas will be tests to show if the Tigers are indeed the serious contender they were expected to be. 

The post AAC Game of The Week: Memphis at USF Preview appeared first on HERO Sports.

While true freshman receivers such as Ryan Williams of Alabama and Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State have justifiably earned plenty of headlines, there have been many Group of Five receivers and tight ends among the nation’s top statistical leaders. 

Here are just a few of the G5 receivers and tight ends (listed alphabetically) who have been at or near the top of the receiving charts. 

Pofele Ashlock, Hawaii

Ashlock is seventh nationally with eight receptions per game – 40 receptions for 428 yards and four touchdowns. In a loss to UCLA, he had nine receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown. Ashlock has scored a touchdown in each of his last four games. This comes after having a big year last season with 83 receptions for 832 yards and nine scores. 

Skyler Bell, UConn

A Wisconsin transfer, Bell has 22 receptions for 508 yards and four touchdowns. He is fifth nationally with 23.09 yards per reception. In a 47-3 win over Buffalo, he had six receptions for 153 yards and three touchdowns. Bell had just one reception for eight yards in last week’s 29-20 win over Temple, leaving the game with an injury.

Mac Dalena, Fresno State

Dalena is one of 10 players nationally averaging at least 100 receiving yards per game (100.2). He has 22 receptions for 501 yards and four touchdowns. Dalena averages 22.7 yards per reception, which is sixth nationally. Last season, he had 47 receptions for 509 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games. 

Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green

Fannin has 46 receptions for 676 yards and four touchdowns in five games. Fannin is second nationally with 9.2 receptions per game and third with 135.2 receiving yards per game. He has already exceeded last year’s receiving output in 11 games when he had 44 receptions for 623 yards (along with six touchdowns). In this year’s 34-27 loss to Penn State, he had 11 receptions for 137 yards and one touchdown. 

Tanner Koziol, Ball State

Koziol is tied for eighth nationally with 7.6 receptions per game. Koziol has 38 catches for 391 yards and three touchdowns in five games. He has twice gone over the 100-yard receiving mark this year. Last season in 12 games he had 34 receptions for 295 yards and three scores. 

Nick Nash, San Jose State

A converted quarterback, Nash has exploded during his second full season playing wide receiver. He leads the nation in receptions (55) and touchdown receptions (nine) in five games. Nash is second nationally with 712 receiving yards. His average of 11 receptions per game also leads the nation. In a wild 54-52 double overtime loss to Washington State, he had 16 receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns. As a bonus, he hasn’t forgotten his quarterback skills. This past week, Nash threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Jabari Bates with 50 seconds left in San Jose State’s 35-31 home win over Nevada.

Jamaal Pritchett, South Alabama

Pritchett has 36 receptions for 532 yards and six touchdowns. He is tied for fifth nationally with his six TD receptions. He has also returned eight punts for 196 yards and a touchdown. Last season, he recorded 57 receptions for 883 yards and eight touchdowns. This is his third season at South Alabama after beginning his career and spending one season at Tuskegee. This past week, he had seven receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns in an 18-16 loss at Arkansas State. 

Devonte Ross, Troy

The Trojans have struggled with a 1-5 record, but Ross has been a consistent performer. He has 31 receptions for 556 yards and seven touchdowns. He is tied for third nationally with seven touchdown receptions. Ross also has three punt returns for 108 yards and a touchdown. He has improved greatly from last year when he had 40 receptions for 428 yards and three touchdowns. 

Ricky White III, UNLV

White is tied for fifth nationally with six touchdown receptions in five games. White is coming off an impressive performance with 10 receptions for 135 yards in last week’s 44-41 overtime loss against Syracuse. This season, he has 30 receptions for 388 yards in addition to the six scores. Last season, he had 80 receptions for 1,314 yards and seven touchdowns. This is his third season at UNLV after spending his first two years at Michigan State

The post The Best College Football Wide Receivers & Tight Ends In The Group of Five From A Statistical Standpoint appeared first on HERO Sports.

The big question is whether Army can challenge for an American Athletic Conference title.

Last week, I posed the possibility of Army and Navy meeting in the AAC title game and then playing each other the following week in their traditional Army-Navy matchup. 

Keep in mind that the Army-Navy game doesn’t count as a conference contest in the AAC because it is played after the league championship. 

Army and Navy are both 4-0 for the first time since 1945. 

Both Missouri and Army have won eight consecutive games, the longest current streak among FBS teams. 

Reasons To Believe In Army

• The Black Knights haven’t wasted any time early on in games. Army is the only team in the FBS that has scored a touchdown on every first offensive drive of every game this season. 
• To show that isn’t a fluke, Army has scored touchdowns on its first two possessions in each game. 
• The Black Knights’ point differential of plus-103 is its most through four games since 1985. 

• It’s not surprising that Army leads the nation in rushing offense. The Black Knights are averaging 371.2 yards per game and 6.5 yards per carry. How dominant has that been? The No. 2 team in the nation is UCF with an average of 326 rushing yards per game.
• Quarterback Bryson Daily has been impressive as a rusher and efficient as a passer. He has completed just 50% of his passes but is averaging 20 yards per completion and has thrown three touchdown passes and no interceptions. It’s running the ball where he has truly excelled with 492 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. 

• Not surprisingly, Daily is not the only major running threat for Army. Noah Short has 344 rushing yards for an eye-popping 13.8 average and two touchdowns. Kanye Udoh has gained 297 yards and four touchdowns.

• With Army getting off to quick leads, opponents haven’t been able to establish a running game. Army allows just 65 rushing yards per game and just 2.9 yards per carry.
• Army allows just 195 passing yards per game, and the Black Knights have more interceptions (six) than touchdown passes allowed (five). 
• There is plenty of depth on defense. Nine players have recorded nine of more tackles, led by junior linebacker Andon Thomas, who has a team-high 22 tackles. 

While there is a lot of parity in the AAC, Army doesn’t have to face Memphis or Tulane. And of course, the Navy game doesn’t count as a conference contest. That doesn’t mean there won’t be potential challenges, though. 

Reason For Skepticism

The Black Knights haven’t exactly played the most difficult of schedules to date. They opened with a 42-7 win over FCS Lehigh. Their three AAC wins have come against three Owl teams – Florida Atlantic, Rice, and Temple. Those three have a combined record of 4-11. 

To Army’s credit, it has beaten who is on the schedule, but the more challenging part of the slate comes in the second half. Among the key games are a non-league matchup against Notre Dame and interesting AAC contests against East Carolina and North Texas. 

One other thing that must be monitored is Army’s pass rush. The Black Knights didn’t have a sack in their first three games before registering seven against Temple. 

The big question: Can the Black Knights come back from a deficit?

It hasn’t happened yet this season. Army has not trailed at any point this year, though the Black Knights were tied 7-7 in the opener against Lehigh before scoring the final 35 points.

There appears to be great parity in the AAC. Army would appear to have as good of a chance as any team to earn one of the berths in the AAC title game. There are plenty of hurdles to clear, but Army has shown enough during the first third of its regular season schedule to think that the Black Knights could be in this race for the long haul.

The post Could Army’s First AAC Season Be A Special One? appeared first on HERO Sports.

Both are 1-0 in the AAC, and in this year of parity, could either be considered a potential conference championship contender?

That might be stretching things a little, but ECU is coming off a huge 30-20 win over a UTSA team that in the preseason was at least mentioned with the top teams.

Both Charlotte and ECU are not only looking to go 2-0 in conference play but to get another step closer to becoming bowl eligible.

East Carolina-Charlotte How To Watch

East Carolina at Charlotte will be televised on ESPNU.

East Carolina-Charlotte Betting Line

East Carolina: -7.5 (-110)

East Carolina-Charlotte Coaches

East Carolina: Mike Houston (77-52 overall; 27-36 at East Carolina)

Charlotte: Biff Poggi (5-12)

Last meeting: Oct. 21, 2023; Charlotte won 10-7 at ECU

Trailing 10-7, ECU’s final chance to tie the score failed when the Pirates missed a 48-yard field goal with 34 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Jalon Jones rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown to lead the winning effort.

Why The East Carolina-Charlotte Game Is Important

The winner improves to 2-0 in the AAC and goes one step further toward bowl eligibility, with Charlotte seeking its third win and ECU its fourth. The winner will also have momentum heading into a bye week for both teams. After the bye, they each meet current 4-0 teams, with Charlotte visiting Navy on Oct. 19 and ECU traveling to Army on the same date. 

East Carolina Preview

Trailing by 10 points early in the second quarter, ECU reeled off 24 consecutive points to take control in its 30-20 home win last week over UTSA in the opening AAC game for both teams.

In its previous two games, it had been the opposite, with ECU losing after holding double-digit leads. The Pirates led Appalachian State by 16 points before losing 21-19 at home on Sept. 14.

The next week on Sept. 21, ECU led by 17 at Liberty early in the second quarter before falling 35-24. 

ECU opened the season with a 42-3 home win over Norfolk State and a 20-14 victory at Old Dominion. 

In the win over UTSA, quarterback Jake Garcia had an up-and-down day. He completed 17 of 35 passes for 294 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also scored on a 3-yard run.

Winston Wright Jr. and Anthony Smith each had touchdown receptions, and Rahjai Harris rushed for 60 hard-earned yards on 25 carries. 

Linebacker Michael Edwards III led the Pirates with nine tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. He also had two pass breakups.

In his first appearance as a Pirate, Noah Perez made three field goals of 21, 24, and 42 yards and was successful on all three of his PATs.

Charlotte Preview

The 49ers went to the bullpen, and backup quarterback Deshawn Purdie was up to the task in last week’s 21-20 victory at Rice. Purdie replaced Trexler Ivey with 13:01 left in the third quarter and the 49ers trailing Rice 10-0.

At that point, Ivey had thrown for just 54 yards and one interception. 

Purdie helped turn things around by completing 10 of 15 passes for 183 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. He threw touchdown passes of 32 and 45 yards to O’Mega Blake, who finished with five receptions for 153 yards. 

Cartevious Norton led the ground game with 56 yards on 10 carries. 

Cornerback Dontae Balfour and linebacker Reid Williford each led the 49ers with seven tackles. 

Hahsaun Wilson provided the winning margin by scoring on a 1-yard touchdown with 47 seconds left in the fourth quarter. 

The outcome, however, wasn’t decided until Rice missed a 40-yard field goal as time expired. 

East Carolina-Charlotte Prediction

I like taking East Carolina giving the points. Both teams have been inconsistent on offense, but one staple has been the defense of ECU. The Pirates are allowing 18.6 points per game, which is 36th nationally. Charlotte is allowing 33.2 points per game, which is 117th. 

Offensively, ECU is averaging 27 points per game, while Charlotte averages 17.8 points. 

The key is usually turnovers, and both teams have been hurt by miscues. ECU has committed an alarming 16 turnovers, which is 133rd and dead last among FBS teams. Garcia has thrown 11 interceptions, while the Pirates have also lost five fumbles. 

Charlotte has committed eight turnovers, which is tied for 99th in the FBS. 

The best chance for a Charlotte upset is for ECU to continue giving possessions up, but if the Pirates take care of the ball, even though they are on the road, they should prove to be the much stronger team.

The post AAC Game of The Week: East Carolina at Charlotte appeared first on HERO Sports.

That’s because the leading contender for both the conference title and a CFP berth, Memphis, got pushed all over the place in a 56-44 loss at Navy.

Anybody who watched the game realized how dominant Navy was, especially with its offensive line. 

So now, is Navy actually the leading contender to try to win the AAC title and snag a CFP berth?

What about unbeaten Army?

And of course, there’s still two other leading preseason contenders, Tulane and USF, one that had a strong performance last week and the other that had a frustrating one, albeit against one of the top teams in college football. 

The fact remains Memphis was by far the clear favorite among AAC teams to earn that Group of Five playoff spot. Now Memphis could be fighting for its life just to earn a berth in the AAC title game.  

While Navy’s Wing-T running attack is always a challenge to prepare for, the Midshipmen ran roughshod through the Memphis defense. Navy gained 566 total yards on just 53 plays. That is 10.6 yards per play.

This was a Memphis team that was the favorite in the AAC preseason poll and was coming off a 20-12 win at Florida State.

Memphis held Florida State to 1.5 yards per carry. Navy, on the other hand, rushed for 361 yards with a healthy 9.3 yards-per-carry average and five touchdowns. Quarterback Blake Horvath had one of the top games for a Navy quarterback in recent memory. 

He rushed for 211 yards on just 12 carries and four touchdowns. Horvath also completed 9 of 12 passes for 192 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. This was obviously one of the top quarterback performances in the still-young college football season.

Now two questions arise from that.

Can Memphis rebound and is Navy that good?

With Seth Henigan at quarterback, Memphis can surely rebound, but the defense needs to rebuild its confidence. 

As for Navy, the answer might be yes, they are indeed this talented. 

The Midshipmen’s next three games are road contests at UAB and Air Force, and after a bye, they’re at home against Charlotte. 

It’s conceivable the Midshipmen could be 6-0 entering their Oct. 26 game against Notre Dame in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Remember, this is a Notre Dame team that already lost to one G5 opponent, Northern Illinois. 

The schedule, from an AAC perspective, gets tougher in the final four games. Navy visits Rice and South Florida, hosts Tulane, and then travels to East Carolina on Nov. 30. That’s an East Carolina team that gave Liberty fits before falling 35-24 last week.

Keep in mind, the AAC title game is the following week, Dec. 6.

The week after that, Army plays Navy in their traditional rivalry matchup, but that doesn’t count as an AAC game for either team. 

What a wild potential scenario. Army and Navy could play for the AAC championship game on Dec. 6 and then meet in their traditional matchup on Dec. 14 in Landover, Maryland.

How many people could have pictured an Army-Navy AAC Championship game at the beginning of the season?

Tulane, coming off a solid 41-33 road win over Louisiana, already has two losses. The Green Wave will likely have to run the table to merit CFP consideration, even though both losses were against Power Four schools, Kansas State (34-27) and at Oklahoma (34-19). 

What didn’t help is that both teams were easily defeated this past week with Kansas State losing 38-9 at BYU and Oklahoma falling 25-15 at home to Tennessee in another game not as close as the final score indicated. 

And that brings us to another AAC team looking to contend for the title and a CFP berth – USF. The Bulls have lost to Alabama and at home to Miami.

In addition, talented dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown departed late in the Miami game due to injury. However, USF head coach Alex Golesh said Brown could have gone back in and “he will be fine.”

This week’s Tulane-USF game should have a playoff feel between two teams wanting to insist they are in the AAC Championship race to the end. 

Did I fail to mention that North Texas is 3-1, with only a loss to Texas Tech? And who knows if UTSA will have a chance to win the league title.

There is less certainty in the AAC than there has been in a long time. It should make for a great conference race, but it’s maybe not as good for the AAC’s chance at a CFP bid if these teams keep beating each other.

The post Navy’s Win Over Memphis Changes Everything In The AAC appeared first on HERO Sports.

By the way, the team picked first, Memphis, is coming off a 56-44 loss at Navy.

Both teams have played rugged non-conference schedules, and each has suffered two losses to Power Four teams. This is one of many games between contenders for the two AAC playoff berths in a conference that suddenly appears to be wide open.

USF-Tulane How to Watch

South Florida at Tulane, noon ET Saturday

TV: ESPNU

Records: USF (2-2, 0-0 AAC), Tulane (2-2, 0-0)

USF-Tulane Betting Line

Tulane: -5.5 (-110)

Over/Under 64.5

USF-Tulane Coaches

USF: Alex Golesh (9-8)

Tulane: Jon Sumrall (25-6 overall, 2-2 at Tulane)

Last meeting: Oct. 15, 2022; Tulane won 45-31 in Tampa to go up 3-1 in the all-time series.

Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt completed 23 of 35 passes for 329 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also ran for two scores, while Tyjae Spears rushed for 151 yards and two TDs for the winning Green Wave.

Why The USF-Tulane Game Is Important

Parity has apparently come to the AAC, with what seems like multiple College Football Playoff contenders. As both of these teams were considered conference championship contenders, getting the early upper hand in the standings will be critical.

USF Preview

USF has had a brutal non-league schedule. 

The first loss was 42-16 at Alabama. USF trailed just 14-13 after three quarters before being outscored 28-3 in the final period. Highly touted redshirt sophomore quarterback Byrum Brown completed just 15 of 35 passes for 103 yards. He was sacked four times. In last week’s 50-15 home loss to Miami, Brown was injured late in the fourth quarter. In his postgame press conference, USF head coach Alex Golesh said Brown could have gone back in and “he will be fine.”

Against Miami, Brown completed 19 of 30 passes for 254 yards. Miami did a great job containing Brown on the ground, limiting him to 27 yards on 14 carries. Veteran receiver Sean Atkins had 11 receptions for 125 yards. USF averaged just 1.9 yards on 32 rushing attempts. 

USF had no answer for Heisman Trophy candidate Cam Ward, who completed 24 of 34 passes for 404 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Ward also rushed for 43 yards on five carries.

Linebacker Jamie Pettway and safety Tawfiq Byard each led USF with six tackles against Miami. Byard is the brother of Kevin Byard, a two-time first-team All-Pro safety currently playing for the Chicago Bears. 

Tulane Preview

The Green Wave’s two losses have come to P4 opponents, losing at home to Kansas State 34-27 and at Oklahoma 34-19. Tulane is coming off last week’s 41-33 road win over a quality Group of Five opponent, Louisiana. Redshirt sophomore Makhi Hughes tied a personal best by rushing for 166 yards. He averaged 7.2 yards per carry and scored a TD. For the season, Hughes has rushed for 424 yards and three touchdowns. 

Rayshawn Pleasant scored on a 94-yard kickoff return and had four returns for 153 yards. 

Redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah has completed 60% of his passes for 796 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions. 

Against Louisiana, senior linebacker Tyler Grubbs had a team-high six tackles. 

USF-Tulane Prediction

I like Tulane giving the points. USF is coming off a physical game against one of the top teams in the country, and one must wonder how much facing Miami will affect the Bulls. Miami was both fast and physical, and the Hurricanes wore down USF after leading by just seven points at halftime. 

One of the key stats will be that Tulane averages five yards per carry, while USF is allowing 3.7 yards per carry. Hughes is such a game-breaker, and how USF is able to contain him will go a long way toward determining the winner. 

Opponents are averaging five yards per carry against Tulane, so how the Green Wave handle the Bulls run game, led by Brown, will be another key. 

Ball security is something to look at as well. USF has recovered five fumbles. Tulane has lost just two fumbles. 

The post AAC Game of The Week: USF At Tulane Preview appeared first on HERO Sports.

A former offensive coordinator at Notre Dame, Parker has guided one of 10 Group of Five teams that have begun this season with a 0-3 record.

Yet looking beyond the surface, this is a team that has certainly had its moments despite some key injuries and a challenging non-league schedule.

Will the Trojans be able to rebound and challenge for the Sun Belt title?

That might be a stretch, but Troy should be competitive during the rest of its schedule. The non-league slate ends with Saturday’s home game against FCS Florida A&M before the Sun Belt schedule begins Sept. 28 at home against ULM.

Troy opened this season with a wild 28-26 home loss to Nevada. 

A 16-yard touchdown pass from Goose Crowder to Devonte Ross with 21 seconds left in the fourth quarter pulled Troy within 28-26, but the Trojans were then unsuccessful on the two-point attempt. 

The next week, Troy lost 38-17 at AAC favorite Memphis. Crowder scored on an 11-yard run in the opening minutes of the second quarter to tie the game at 7-7, but that would be his final play as he suffered a shoulder injury on the TD run. 

He was replaced by sophomore quarterback Matthew Caldwell. After Crowder departed, Memphis took control, scoring 24 unanswered points.

This past week, Troy suffered a 38-21 loss at Iowa in a game that the Trojans led 14-10 at halftime and trailed just 24-21 entering the fourth quarter. 

Caldwell got the start, but he was injured late in the third quarter and was replaced by Tucker Kilcrease, who would complete 2 of 5 passes for 73 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. 

In that game, offensive lineman Tyler Cappi, Caldwell, running back Damien Taylor, and safety Ian Conerly-Goodly all made their first career starts in a Troy uniform and at the FBS level. 

Troy has some impressive talent, and if there is better luck on the injury front, then this team could be highly competitive. One person who has emerged as a go-to player for Troy is Ross, a 5-foot-11, 161-pound junior receiver who is coming off one of the best individual efforts during this young college football season against Iowa.

Ross had five receptions for 142 yards and two touchdowns against the Hawkeyes. The touchdowns were 63 yards from Caldwell and 62 yards from Kilcrease. 

In between those touchdowns, he also scored on a 77-yard punt return against one of the better defensive teams in the Big Ten. Iowa is currently 33rd nationally in scoring defense, allowing 13.67 points per game. 

On the punt return, Ross wasn’t touched by any Iowa defenders. It was Ross’ first punt return of the season and only the second of his career. We might see a few more of them after his electrifying return TD against Iowa. 

Last season, Ross had 40 receptions for 428 yards and three touchdowns. In three games this year, Ross has 15 receptions for 272 yards and three touchdowns. 

In addition, senior tight end Ethan Conner had six receptions for 50 yards against Iowa. On defense, junior linebacker Jordan Stringer led Troy with 12 tackles, including eight solo stops, a tackle for loss, and a sack. 

Troy is 0-3 to start a season for the first time since beginning 2014 with a 0-5 mark. That season, the Trojans finished 3-9. Even with the rough start, much more is expected of the Trojans this year. 

The Sun Belt schedule will no doubt be a grind, but at least the Trojans don’t have to face preseason favorite Appalachian State. 

This week, Troy is getting to face an FCS team at the right time. If the injuries get righted, Troy should be a team to take seriously the rest of the way. 

The post Troy Football Could See Better Days After A Rough Start appeared first on HERO Sports.

It is a brutal stretch and one that will determine whether the Bulls will contend for the AAC title and a possible College Football Playoff berth. Meanwhile Miami, which joined the ACC in 2004, has never won a league championship, although that could certainly change this year. 

Miami-South Florida How To Watch

Miami at South Florida, 7 p.m. ET Saturday

TV: ESPN

Records: Miami (3-0), South Florida (2-1)

Miami-South Florida Betting Odds

Miami: -17 (-110)

Over/Under: 65.5

Miami-South Florida Coaches

Miami: Mario Cristobal (15-13 at Miami; overall 77-73)

South Florida: Alex Golesh (9-7)

Last meeting: Sept. 28, 2013; Miami won 49-21 in Tampa. 

Trailing 49-7 entering the fourth quarter, USF scored the game’s final 14 points. Stephen Morris completed 11 of 16 passes for 222 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. It was the third straight win in this series, which Miami now leads 5-1.

Why The Miami-USF Game Is Important

USF lost a closer-than-it-looks 42-16 defeat at Alabama in its second game. The Bulls trailed 14-13 entering the fourth quarter before the Crimson Tide put the game away. If USF is to upset Miami after playing Alabama so competitively, the Bulls would clearly be in the College Football Playoff picture. They would have to likely beat Tulane and Memphis the following two weeks to stay in that picture and in the AAC race. 

Miami would like to get momentum before beginning its ACC schedule next week at home against Virginia Tech. The Hurricanes opened with a 41-17 win at Florida, but the Gators (1-2) now look like a team that won’t even become bowl eligible. Miami is coming off a 62-0 win over Ball State, and the Hurricanes will be looking for a competitive opponent in USF.

Miami Preview

Last week’s 62-0 win over Ball State was Miami’s largest shutout over an FBS opponent. Quarterback Cam Ward has emerged as an early-season Heisman candidate. He has completed 73% of his passes for 1,035 yards, 11 touchdowns, and one interception. A Washington State transfer who began his career at Incarnate Word, Ward has only rushed seven times for 46 yards and a score, but he can run the ball when needed.

Veteran Xavier Restrepo has 14 receptions for 263 yards and four scores. Five different players have scored at least one rushing touchdown. Linebacker Francisco Mauigoa has a team-high 17 tackles, while senior defensive lineman Tyler Baron has 4.5 sacks. 

USF Preview

The Bulls are coming off last week’s 49-24 win at Southern Miss. South Florida trailed 14-0 early, but led 28-21 at the half. The Bulls then outscored Southern Miss 21-3 over the final two quarters. 

USF totaled 562 yards of offense, including 369 on the ground.

Sophomore quarterback Byrum Brown completed 19 of 29 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He ran for 72 yards and a score. Kelley Joiner Jr. ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns, and Nay’Quan Wright rushed for 105 yards and a score.

Six players recorded four or more tackles. 

For the season, Brown has completed 55.9% of his passes for 448 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. He has rushed for 254 yards and two scores. 

Wide receiver Sean Atkins has a team-high 13 receptions for 164 yards. 

Linebacker Mac Harris leads the Bulls in both tackles (19) and tackles for loss (3.5). 

Miami-USF Prediction

I like South Florida getting the points. The competitive game that USF had for more than three quarters at Alabama suggests that the Bulls could be competitive for an entire game at home against Miami. While South Florida shouldn’t be discounted from winning outright, Miami is a prohibitive favorite for a reason. 

The key, as it often is, will be third-down conversations. Miami is third in the nation in this category, having converted on 20 of 33 third downs. Conversely, USF is 78th, having converted 18 of 46. If these percentages hold up, then Miami will win big. Getting the Hurricanes off the field, especially with Ward’s ability to keep plays alive, is a difficult task, but one that USF will have to accomplish if it wants to be competitive. 

In addition, South Florida must continue to be turnover free. The Bulls have caused eight turnovers and turned the ball over once. Their turnover margin of plus-seven, or 2.33 per game, is seventh nationally. Miami isn’t that far behind with a turnover margin of plus-five or 1.67 per game, which is 12th. 

For USF to have a chance, the Bulls must win the turnover battle. 

The post AAC Game of The Week: No. 8 Miami At USF appeared first on HERO Sports.