Memphis Tigers (Not Quite) the Best Team in the AAC

Just how impressive was Memphis‘ 41-14 blasting of Cincinnati last Saturday?

Impressive enough to convince two of our staff writers in the weekly AAC Power Rankings that Memphis is the best team in the AAC—better than No. 19 East Carolina.

Certainly, the hype makes sense. Memphis destroyed what many outsiders believed was the second-best team in the league. Oh, and it won at Cincinnati; add more “impressive” points to the score for road-warriors. The Tigers offense resembled a complete machine in prime condition, exploding for 610 yards against the Bearcats (299 yards rushing, 311 passing). The defense played like a brick wall knocking the Cincinnati attack down 100 yards from its 458 yards per game average.

Examining the stats or, simply, re-watching Memphis devour one of the AAC’s more talented teams and traditional winner shows these Tigers are a legit threat to steal the AAC championship in their maiden voyage. Still, should beating the Bearcats automatically thrust Memphis into “best team” in the AAC conversations?

A gang of Pirates from Greenville, N.C., ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll this week, would like nothing more than to sink the Tigers’ ship and breakaway for the AAC championship treasure on their own maiden voyage in the league.

Unfortunately for ECU, Memphis, and AAC football fans, the two teams miss each other on the schedule in 2014—a negative by-product to fielding an 11-team conference. They’ll have to prove who’s better by using the win/loss column and measuring how each performs against common quality opponents, such as Temple.

Using that formula, let’s compare ECU and Memphis’ respective schedule and primary statistics up to this point:

• ECU and Memphis have yet to play a common opponent. However, each has played at least one team who was ranked at the time they played. ECU defeated then-No. 17 Virginia Tech 28-21 in Week 3. Memphis has yet to snag a win over a ranked team, but it came close in a 42-35 loss at then-No. 11 UCLA in Week 2. Memphis also lost 24-3 to Top-10 Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss., but the Rebels ascension to No. 3 in the AP Poll after it defeated No. 2 Alabama legitimizes its strength.

• Some may argue that ECU’s legitimacy as a top team should be in question after an average (for them) performance against SMU, which many perceived as the worst team in the FBS. The Pirates won the game 45-24. You know what other top team beat an inferior opponent by less than expected? Florida State. It beat The Citadel in Week 2, 37-12. Last time I checked, the Seminoles were still ranked No. 1.

• Memphis has the more impressive AAC win to this point after defeating the once-promising Bearcats. But, it’s obvious that the margin of victory would have been much slimmer for the Tigers had Gunner Kiel stayed healthy. Kiel suffered a rib injury in the first half that sidelined him for the remainder of the game. Backup and former starter Munchie Legaux completed an ugly 5-of-13 passes for 38 yards in relief of Kiel.

• ECU and Memphis are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in total offense in the AAC through Week 6. But, ECU (580 yards per game) is averaging 141 more yards per game than the Tigers (441).

• The defenses match up similarly as well. Memphis is ranked No. 5 in the conference in total defense with ECU close behind at No. 6. Each unit is surrendering around 360 yards per game.

Comparing schedules and stats place the two squads as almost identical. Each team is explosive on offense and has good, but not great, defense. ECU has the better win so far (gauging at the polls) and a slight edge in overall stats, but that’s not why the Pitates deserve the honor of AAC’s best team after six weeks of action.

The Pirates have Captain Shane Carden steering the ship. He’s the X-Factor for ECU and why the Pirates are still the AAC’s best.

Memphis’ sophomore QB Paxton Lynch has shown signs that he will be one of the AAC’s top signal callers for years to come. Lynch has thrown seven touchdowns and rushed for five more, while also completing over 60 percent of his passes.

As much potential and talent Lynch is proving he has, Carden has already manifested his talent and is showing week-in and week-out why he is a dark horse Heisman contender.

Carden has eight more passing touchdowns than the young Lynch, and also three rushing scores, including the game-winning touchdown against the Hokies in Blacksburg, VA, with only seconds remaining. Unless Carden has a huge drop off during the season, or ECU loses a game it shouldn’t, the Pirates should hold the mantle as AAC No. 1.

Memphis needs to take care of business against a remaining conference schedule that doesn’t include ECU or 2013 AAC champion UCF. If the Pirates stumble in the second half of the season, the Tigers will be there to pounce an on AAC title.