Week 4 was an eventful one inside the American, as Navy took down top dog Memphis while Army continued to dominate, rolling over rice, setting the service academies atop the conference.
Memphis, USF, Tulane and UTSA went into the week all considering joining the PAC conference, however after the PAC only offered $2.5 Million to contribute to a $25 million exit fee all decided to remain put, setting a chain reaction of commitments to the conference across the AAC.
It was a big win early in Tim Pernetti’s tenure as AAC commish as he could have lost 4 of the top teams in the conference, however by keeping them he keeps the American at the top of the G5 ranks as they look to expand.
Also in the conference, FAU got drubbed 48-14 by UConn causing Tom Herman to make an array of changes, USF lost 50-15 to Miami failing to perform in the second half once again and Indiana walked over Charlotte 52-14, sending Charlotte to 1-3 heading into AAC play.
While those were some of the headlines, let’s dive into what stood out in week 4 and what to keep an eye on heading into week 5.
Army and Navy both standing out as contenders
Navy defeated Memphis 56-44 in week 4, handing the Tigers their first lost of the season and asserting themselves as contenders in the AAC and potentially for the CFP, as they sit at 3-0 with matchups against Notre Dame, USF, Tulane and Army still on deck and should they win out they could be in serious national contention.
QB Blake Horvath has thrown for 412 yards and 5 TDs through the air while rushing it 34 times for 366 yards and 7 scores.
Their offense is explosive enough to make up for a lack of production in the secondary and front 7, as they were only able to get one sack against Memphis while Henigan threw for 371 and 2 scores, but got key stops when they needed them
Army alongside them has been just as dominant, as they defeated Rice 37-14, getting 145 yards and 3 scores on the ground from Bryson Daily, while also getting 107 yards and 2 scores through the air.
Army has been able to get high levels of production from Daily and even though Kanye Udoh was bottled up against Rice, Daily was able to carry the load.
On the season, Daily has recorded 240 yards and 3 TDs through the air while rushing 82 times for 492 yards and 8 scores. Behind him, both Noah Short and Kanye Udoh have also been explosive, with Short recording 25 carries for 344 yards and 2 TDs, while Udoh has 51 touches for 297 yards and 4 scores.
Army kept it rolling even through a short week, walking over Temple on ESPN 48-14 Thursday night. Daily rushed for 152 yards and 3 scores, while Udoh had 128 and a score as they were able to do pretty much whatever they wanted against a struggling Owls defense.
Army had no sacks coming into the game however they recorded 7 against Temple, all coming from a different level, tapping into a part of the defense they have yet to be able to so far this season.
Army now sits at 4-0 and will watch Navy take on UAB Saturday at 12 PM in Birmingham, as the service academies look to make it a combined 8-0 to start the season, however they will be facing a UAB team looking for a signature win early in the season.
Whatever occurs, both Army and Navy have impressed early and if their success continues, they could find themselves competing against each other for a playoff spot as the season winds down.
FAU suffers devastating defeat
FAU fell at the hands of UConn 48-14 last week, suffering one of the worst losses the team has had in quite a while.
The Owls have given up 400 yards rushing twice now this season, and have started every game wifh a 3 and out which has translated into offensive struggles that have plagued them throughout the season.
Now at 1-3, FAU has a lot of question marks that surround the team as the offense has been a tough watch especially on the passing side of things and what was been supposed to be a strength of this team, run defense, has struggled immensely at points so far.
FAU has one final matchup prior to conference play as the Owls host FCS Wagner in what will be a must win game that FAU will debut an array of changes in.
Tom Herman noted 3rd string QB Kasen Weisman, a redshirt freshman transfer from Colorado, will receive an expanded role against Wagner, hoping that he lights a spark in the offense or ignites Cam Fancher with competition.
Herman will also be taking on expanded role in play calling this week as the Owls look to turn over every stone in hopes of leading the Owls back in a positive direction.
UConn was rock bottom for the Owls, however that means it can only go up from here, look for the Owls to make a statement against Wagner that can hopefully translate into the remainder of the season.
Re-alignment rumors stall:
It was announced early last week that all 4 teams considering leaving the American would stay, which prompted a showing of allegiance from the other teams in the AAC.
Now with a fully committed slate of teams, commissioner Pernetti can begin to explore expansion knowing at least currently no teams are planning on leaving.
That is currently however, and things can change at the drop of a dime in the realignment circles, so it’s important Pernetti is proactive and looks to continue to improve the conference, rather than playing catch-up.
Look for the AAC to explore adding sun-belt teams like Coastal Carolina or APP State, while also considering teams like Liberty, or Utep who have strong fan bases and resources similar to the last group of teams that left CUSA to join the American.
Stories to watch in week 5
New look FAU
It was announced early in the week that FAU would be making somewhat of a move at the QB position, giving Kasen Weisman an expanded role.
Tom Herman will also be taking on an expanded role this week, for him it will be in the playcalling department as it’s expected he and Charlie Frye work hand-in-hand.
What that will mean for an FAU offense that has struggled out of the gates, with penalties, with execution and with simply passing the ball, is unknown, however Herman was the play calling for national champion Ohio State in 2013 and if for nothing else it will hopefully spark the offense.
FAU is going to have to come out of the gates and show the fanbase that their early season struggles have moved behind them, finding a way to pass consistently and execute in the run game.
Zuberi Mobley and CJ Campbell Jr have to find a way to get going on the ground and in front of them, FAU needs to identify whichever QB finds the most flow and build on their success at whatever point it happens in the game.
It’s unknown if these moves will save the day for an FAU squad that has had a boatload of question marks this season, including on the defensive side of the ball. One thing is for certain however and that is following last week’s dismal performance the only way is up, and that is the direction FAU is looking to head this week.
Usf Vs Tulane
2 of the top contenders in the AAC battle it out from New Orleans this week as USF heads to the bayou for a battle with Tulane.
Tulane comes in as 4.5 point favorites at home, and are fresh of a gritty 41-33 victory over in-state rival Louisiana, a game in which Makhi Hughes dominated, carrying it 23 times for 166 yards and a score.
USF comes in off a 50-15 shellacking to Miami, another P4 game in which they looked good early on but failed to execute late.
The Bulls are rocking with their up-tempo offense, led by second year starter Byrum Brown who has completed 57% of passes for 702 yards 2 TDs, while also picking up 281 yards and 2 TDs on the ground.
He’s been the leading rusher, but behind him Kelly Joiner and Nay’Quan Wright both have been able to grind out yards, with Joiner averaging 7 yards per carry and Wright averaging 5 YPC.
Sean Atkins continues to be the go-to guy, recording 289 yards on 24 catches however he has yet to find the endzone and alongside him Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen has caught 12 balls for 139 yards.
Defense has been a bit of a struggle, however their lack of success may be inflated by their games against Alabama and Miami where they were unable to stop the bleeding late in the game.
For Tulane, Darian Mensah the Freshman gunslinger comes into this game completing 60% of his passes for 796 yards, 6TDs to only 2 INTs.
Behind him, Makhi Hughes continues to build on his AAC rookie of the year campaign, rushing 77 times for 424 yards and 3 scores.
Mario Williams transferred in from USC this offseason and has been the leading receiver so far, recording 18 catches for 312 yards, while TE Alex Bauman has been the Red Zone target, hauling in 3 TDs on just 5 catches.
This game is going to come down to which squad is able to slow down the others star quarterback. USF struggled against Alabama and Miami to pass, losing both, while Tulane struggled against Louisiana at times and they were able to make up for it with Makhi Hughes, however it will be harder to be one dimensional in this game.
If USF is able to get Byrum Brown hot early in this game, connecting with Atkins, but also his other receivers, the Bulls offense will be able to get in a rhythm with momentum which will be tough to slow down.
For Tulane, Hughes has to get going on the ground, but Mensah needs to also find a way to get his other guys besides Williams involved, diversifying the offense and making it hard for USF to key in on a go-to guy.
This game could truly go either way, however with Tulane having a consistent game on the ground with Hughes, if Mensah is able to put together a good performance, the Wave will ride with momentum to get a victory at home.