Way-too-early 2016 AAC bowl projections

Bowl season for the 2015 college football season may have just ended nearly four months ago, but with the end of spring ball lurking around the corner, it’s almost time to start thinking about what this upcoming fall might have in store.

Last season, the American enjoyed a breakthrough when it placed eight teams in bowl games. Collectively, the conference went just 2-6 — though it came up big when it mattered the most (thanks, Houston).

Now that the bar has been set, the American looks to take the next step in 2016. Here’s a way-too-early projection at which AAC teams will be making a postseason run and where they might end up come December/January based off our spring power rankings:

Cotton Bowl

Houston vs. LSU

• Tom Herman has returned for a second year in Houston, and the Cougars are the favorite to sweep through the AAC to claim back-to-back conference titles. That will push them into the NY6 race, where they could face an LSU opponent that fields one of the nation’s most ferocious defensive units, but isn’t quite good enough for the CFB playoff .

Military Bowl

USF vs. North Carolina

• An appearance in the AAC championship in Year 4 under Willie Taggart would be a huge success. It could also pair the Bulls with a potentially lethal opposing offense in North Carolina.

Birmingham Bowl

Temple vs. Texas A&M

• Temple won’t have the same defensive firepower its boasted over the last two years, but quarterback P.J. Walker and company should be able to compensate and get the Owls to the their second straight bowl game as one of the conference’s top teams.

St. Petersburg Bowl

Memphis vs. Duke

• Gone is coach Justin Fuente, who built Memphis from the ground up in a few short years. Gone, too, is all-world quarterback Paxton Lynch to the NFL. The Tigers will undoubtedly endure some growing pains in 2016, but winning seven or eight games won’t be an issue.

Armed Forces Bowl

Navy vs. Oklahoma State

• Despite losing NCAA record-breaking quarterback Keenan Reynolds to graduation (and likely the NFL), coach Ken Niumatalolo will have Navy ready to compete for what could be the program’s fifth straight winning season.

Miami Beach Bowl

Cincinnati vs. Western Michigan

• Without its top playmakers from the last few years, Cincinnati might struggle to reach six or seven wins — something we’ve grown accustomed to for a program that has appeared in nine bowl games over the last decade. Still, with a talent like Gunner Kiel under center, it would be a shock to see the Bearcats sitting at home following the conclusion of the regular season.

Bahamas Bowl

Tulsa vs. Northern Illinois

• Watch out for Tulsa as a dark horse to compete for the AAC West this season. Scoring 35-plus points per game won’t be an issue; allowing the opponent to reach the end zone with ease might be a different story. (Again.)

Boca Raton Bowl

UConn vs. Louisiana Tech

• C’mon, Bob Diaco. No national championship again? Complete bust of a hire. Of course, I’m only kidding — UConn’s defense could be a force, but unless the offense drastically improves, the Huskies will remain where they are as a middling team fighting for that sixth win.

Cure Bowl

UCF vs. South Alabama

• It won’t take long for former Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost to turn UCF around. Trust me.