With only a few more games to go, there is still everything to play for in the American Athletic Conference. Right now, courtesy of an extra league game, Memphis is the de facto leader, but there is plenty of football to go yet. Let’s have a look at East Carolina and its main contenders, and who has the easiest route to win the conference title.
Central Florida (5-3, 3-1 AAC)
While UCF hasn’t been quite the force it was last season, it was still a surprise when UConn handed the Knights their first ever AAC loss last week. With three more cellar dwellers coming up over the next three weeks, can it be assumed that the Knights won’t slip up again? They should be able to handle visits from Tulsa and SMU, but a trip to neighbors USF could be a trap game, especially with a potential division decider the following week at East Carolina.
Cincinnati (5-3, 3-1)
After a rough start to the season, the Bearcats have been back on form with three consecutive wins, in which they looked like a strong team all around, like most of us expected at the start of the year. However, Cincy also looks like it has the toughest closing schedule in the conference, starting with a visit from an angry ECU team this week on Thursday night. Trips to UConn and Temple could be tricky, while a visit from Houston offers no guarantees, even if the Bearcats are 6-1 in the conference.
East Carolina (6-2, 3-1)
The Pirates, like UCF, were stunned two weekends ago, with Temple spoiling their unbeaten record. How they react to the loss could define the rest of their season, especially with a tough finishing kick. First up is a trip to Ohio to face a decent-looking Cincinnati team, one which has overcome its own share of setbacks. Tulane visits Greenville next, hot off a turnover-fueled win over Houston. A trip to Tulsa should be a win, but the Golden Hurricane is slowly improving. Last up is a visit from UCF, which could have title ramifications.
Houston (5-4, 3-2)
The Cougars were surprised by Tulane last week, and they are chasing up the rear of the contenders with two league losses. They’re not out of the running, but with just three games remaining, the Cougars can’t afford to slip up. First up is Tulsa, which is due an upset, seeing as everyone else seems to be on board. The Golden Hurricane can force turnovers, which is UH’s bugbear. Next up is a trip to SMU, which is dreadful, while the Cougars round up at Cincinnati, which could be playing for the big prize — something it has plenty of experience doing.
Memphis (6-3, 4-1)
A very pleasant surprise of the season: the Tigers have been looking great most of the year, and have given the likes of UCLA and Ole Miss some headaches. They have three games left on their schedule, and if they play their best football, they should win easily. However, they struggled against Temple last week, even though they secured the win. A trip to Tulane may be tricky, then the Tigers receive visits from USF and Connecticut. A shoo-in for at least a share of the conference crown? Don’t go buying a t-shirt just yet.
Edited By: Ali Balchunas
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