2019 American Athletic Conference football season


The 2019 American Athletic Conference football season is the 28th NCAA Division I FBS Football season of the American Athletic Conference. The season is the seventh since the former Big East Conference dissolved and became the American Athletic Conference and the sixth season of the College Football Playoff in place. The American is considered a member of the Group of Five together with Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference and the Sun Belt Conference. The entire schedule was released on February 7, 2019.

Previous season

After winning their first twelve games of the season, UCF extended their school record winning streak to 25 consecutive games, dating back to the start of the 2017 season. The Knights also secured their second consecutive undefeated regular season and American Athletic Conference title by defeating Memphis in the 2018 AAC Championship game, a rematch of the 2017 game.
Seven teams participated in bowl games during the 2018 season; the league went 2-5.
Tulane defeated Louisiana 41–24 in the 2018 Cure Bowl. USF lost to Marshall, 38-20, in the Gasparilla Bowl. Memphis lost to Wake Forest 38–35 in the 2018 Birmingham Bowl. Houston lost to Army 70–14 in the Armed Forces Bowl. In this game, Army tied records for the largest victory margin and most points scored in an FBS bowl game. Temple lost to Duke 56–27 in the Independence Bowl. Cincinnati defeated Virginia Tech 35–31 in the Military Bowl.
In the New Year's Six Game, No. 8 UCF lost to No. 11 LSU 40–32 in the Fiesta Bowl.

Preseason

Impending departure of UConn

The most significant development in the conference during the 2019 preseason was the announcement that UConn would leave The American after the 2019–20 school year to join several of its former conference rivals in the current non-football iteration of the Big East Conference. The move was first reported on June 21, 2019 by a Boston-area sports news website and quickly picked up by national media outlets. On June 27, the Big East and UConn jointly confirmed the Huskies' impending conference move, but that announcement did not specify a date. The Huskies' Big East entrance date was confirmed for July 1, 2020 after UConn and The American reached a buyout agreement. At the time this agreement was announced, UConn also announced that its football team would become an FBS independent once it joined the Big East.

Recruiting classes

American Athletic Conference Media Days

The American Athletic Conference conducted its 2019 American Athletic Conference media day on July 17 in Newport, Rhode Island.

Preseason Media Poll

The preseason Poll was released at the 2019 American Media Day on July 16, 2019.
American Champion Voting

Coaching changes

On November 29, 2018, East Carolina fired head coach Scottie Montgomery. On December 3, 2018 ECU hired James Madison head coach Mike Houston as their new head coach.
On December 7, 2018, Geoff Collins left Temple to become head coach at Georgia Tech. On December 13, 2018, The Owls initially named Miami defensive coordinator Manny Diaz as the new head coach. However, on December 30, 2018 Diaz left to return to Miami as head coach after Mark Richt's retirement. On January 10, 2019 Temple announced Rod Carey as head coach.
On December 30, 2018 Major Applewhite was fired after a blowout loss in the 2018 Armed Forces Bowl. Houston replaced Applewhite by hiring Dana Holgorsen from West Virginia.

Coaches

''Note: All stats current through the completion of the 2019 season
TeamHead coachYears at schoolOverall recordRecord at schoolAAC record
CincinnatiLuke Fickell3
East CarolinaMike Houston1
HoustonDana Holgorsen1
MemphisMike Norvell3
NavyKen Niumatalolo12
SMUSonny Dykes1
South FloridaCharlie Strong3
TempleRod Carey1
TulaneWillie Fritz4
TulsaPhilip Montgomery5
UCFJosh Heupel2
UConnRandy Edsall15

Source:

Rankings

Schedule

Regular season

The regular season began on August 29, 2019, and will end on December 14. As a result of the calendar, all teams except Navy will have two bye weeks.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

*Note: The UConn/USF Kickoff was moved to noon as a safety precaution after receiving guidance from the Connecticut Department of Public Health regarding the mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis virus.

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12

Week 13

Week 14

Week 15 (American Athletic Conference Championship)

Week 16

Source:

Post Season

Bowl games

Rankings are from AP Poll. All times Eastern.

Selection of teams

The American vs Power 5 matchups

This is a list of games The American has scheduled versus power conference teams. Although the NCAA does not consider BYU a "Power Five" school, the ACC considers games against BYU as satisfying its "Power Five" scheduling requirement. Though the American does not consider BYU a power 5 team they consider them an equally strength opponent. All rankings are from the current AP Poll at the time of the game.
DateConferenceVisitorHomeSiteScore
August 29Pac-12UCLACincinnatiNippert Stadium • Cincinnati, OHW 24–14
August 30Big TenNo. 19 WisconsinSouth FloridaRaymond James Stadium • Tampa, FLL 0–49
August 30Big TenTulsaNo. 18 Michigan StateSpartan Stadium • East Lansing, MIL 7–28
August 31SECOle MissMemphisLiberty Bowl Memorial Stadium • Memphis, TNW 15–10
August 31ACCEast CarolinaNC StateCarter–Finley Stadium • Raleigh, NCL 6–34
September 1Big 12HoustonNo. 4 OklahomaGaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OKL 31-49
September 7Big TenCincinnatiNo. 5 Ohio StateOhio Stadium • Columbus, OHL 0–42
September 7ACCSouth FloridaGeorgia TechBobby Dodd Stadium • Atlanta, GAL 10–14
September 7Big TenIllinoisUConnRentschler Field • East Hartford, CTL 23–31
September 7SECTulaneNo. 10 AuburnJordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, ALL 6–24
September 13Pac-12Washington StateHoustonNRG Stadium • Houston, TXL 24–31
September 14Big TenMarylandTempleLincoln Financial Field • Philadelphia, PAW 20–17
September 14Pac-12StanfordUCFSpectrum Stadium • Orlando, FLW 42–27
September 14Big 12Oklahoma StateTulsaH. A. Chapman Stadium • Tulsa, OKL 21–40
September 21Big 12SMUNo. 25 TCUAmon G. Carter Stadium • Fort Worth, TXW 41–38
September 21Big TenUConnIndianaMemorial Stadium • Bloomington, INL 3–38
September 21ACCNo. 15 UCFPittsburghHeinz Field • Pittsburgh, PAL 34–35
September 28ACCGeorgia TechTempleLincoln Financial Field • Philadelphia, PAW 24–2
November 16IndependentNavyNotre DameNotre Dame Stadium • Notre Dame, INL 20–52

The American vs Group of Five matchups

The following games include The American teams competing against teams from the C-USA, MAC, Mountain West or Sun Belt.
DateConferenceVisitorHomeSiteScore
August 29C-USAFIUTulaneYulman Stadium • New Orleans, LAW 42–14
August 31Sun BeltSMUArkansas StateCentennial Bank Stadium • Jonesboro, ARW 37–30
September 7C-USANo. 17 UCFFlorida AtlanticFAU Stadium • Boca Raton, FLW 48-14
September 7Mountain WestSan Jose StateTulsaCEFCU Stadium • San Jose, CAW 34-16
September 7C-USANorth TexasSMUGerald J. Ford Stadium • Dallas, TXW 49-27
September 14MACMiami CincinnatiNippert Stadium • Cincinnati, OHW 35–13
September 14Sun BeltMemphisSouth AlabamaLadd–Peebles Stadium • Mobile, ALW 42–6
September 14Sun BeltTexas StateSMUGerald J. Ford Stadium • Dallas, TXW 47–17
September 21MACTempleBuffaloUB Stadium • Buffalo, NYL 22–38
September 21Mountain WestWyomingTulsaSkelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium • Tulsa, OKW 24–21
September 28C-USACincinnatiMarshallJoan C. Edwards Stadium • Huntington, VAW 52–14
September 28C-USAEast CarolinaOld DominionS.B. Ballard Stadium • Norfolk, VAW 24–21
September 28C-USAHoustonNorth TexasApogee Stadium • Denton, TXW 46–25
October 5Sun BeltMemphisLouisiana–MonroeMalone Stadium • Monroe, LAW 52–33
October 5Mountain WestAir ForceNavyNavy–Marines Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, MDW 34-25

The American vs FBS independents matchups

The following games include The American teams competing against FBS independents other than Notre Dame, which is universally considered a Power Five program, or BYU, which some but not all Power Five leagues consider to be a Power Five opponent for non-conference scheduling purposes. Of the remaining four independents, two are on American member schedules—Army and UMass.
DateVisitorHomeSiteScore
October 6TulaneArmyMitchie Stadium • West Point, NYW 42–33
October 12BYUSouth FloridaRaymond James Stadium • Tampa, FLW 27–23
October 26UConnUMassWarren McGuirk Alumni Stadium • Amherst, MAW 56–35
December 14NavyArmyLincoln Financial Field • Philadelphia, PAW 31–7

The American vs FCS matchups

DateVisitorHomeSiteScore
August 29WagnerUConnRentschler Field • East Hartford, CTW 24–21
August 29Florida A&MNo. 17 UCFSpectrum Stadium • Orlando, FLW 62–0
August 31BucknellTempleLincoln Financial Field • Philadelphia, PAW 56–12
August 31Holy CrossNavyNavy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, MDW 45–7
September 7Gardner–WebbEast CarolinaDowdy–Ficklen Stadium • Greenville, SCW 48-7
September 7Prairie View A&MHoustonTDECU Stadium • Houston, TXW 37-17
September 7SouthernMemphisLiberty Bowl Memorial Stadium • Memphis, TNW 55-24
September 14South Carolina StateSouth FloridaRaymond James Stadium • Tampa, FLW 55–16
September 14Missouri StateTulaneYulman Stadium • New Orleans, LAW 58–6
September 21William & MaryEast CarolinaDowdy-Ficklen Stadium • Greenville, NCW 19–7

Records against other conferences

Regular Season
Post Season

Awards and honors

Player of the week honors

American Athletic Individual Awards

The following individuals received postseason honors as voted by the American Athletic Conference football coaches at the end of the season
AwardPlayerSchool
Offensive Player of the YearMalcolm Perry, Sr, QBNavy
Defensive Player of the YearQuincy Roche, Jr, DLTemple
Special Teams Player of the YearDane Roy, Sr., P
Antonio Gibson, Sr., WR/PR		Houston
Memphis
Rookie of the YearKenneth Gainwell, RBMemphis
Coach of the YearKen NiumataloloNavy

All-conference teams

*Denotes Unanimous Selection
All Conference Honorable Mentions:
The 2019 College Football All-America Teams are composed of the following College Football All-American first teams chosen by the following selector organizations: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, USA Today ESPN, CBS Sports, FOX Sports College Football News, Bleacher Report, Scout.com, Phil Steele, SB Nation, Athlon Sports, Pro Football Focus and Yahoo! Sports.
Currently, the NCAA compiles consensus all-America teams in the sports of Division I-FBS football and Division I men's basketball using a point system computed from All-America teams named by coaches associations or media sources. The system consists of three points for a first-team honor, two points for second-team honor, and one point for third-team honor. Honorable mention and fourth team or lower recognitions are not accorded any points. Football consensus teams are compiled by position and the player accumulating the most points at each position is named first team consensus all-American. Currently, the NCAA recognizes All-Americans selected by the AP, AFCA, FWAA, TSN, and the WCFF to determine Consensus and Unanimous All-Americans. Any player named to the First Team by all five of the NCAA-recognized selectors is deemed a Unanimous All-American.
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National award winners

2019 College Football Award Winners

NFL Draft

The following list includes all AAC players who were drafted in the 2020 NFL draft.
Round #Pick #NFL TeamPlayerPositionCollege
366Washington RedskinsAntonio GibsonRBMemphis
372Arizona CardinalsJosh JonesOTHouston
378Atlanta FalconsMatt HennessyCTemple
394Green Bay PackersJosiah DeguaraTECincinnati
399New York GiantsMatt PeartOTUConn
4123Dallas CowboysReggie RobinsonCBTulsa
4128Buffalo BillsGabriel DavisWRUCF
5155Chicago BearsTrevis GipsonOLBTulsa
5169Minnesota VikingsHarrison HandCBTemple
5173Chicago BearsDarnell MooneyWRTulane
6196Philadelphia EaglesShaun BradleyLBTemple
6201Baltimore RavensJames ProcheWRSMU
7223Jacksonville JaguarsChris ClaybrooksCBMemphis
7230New England PatriotsDustin WoodardCMemphis
7237Kansas City ChiefsThakarius KeyesCBTulane
7241Tampa Bay BuccaneersChapelle RussellOLBTemple
7246Miami DolphinsMalcolm PerryRBNavy