AAC Power Rankings Week 12

It’s crazy that we’re already at the last week of the regular season. This year has flown by, and we all wish that it would have gone slower. The AAC Championship Game is almost set, and UCF awaits the winner of Houston and Memphis. Are we headed for the fourth Memphis-UCF meeting in two years? The Tigers certainly hope so. UCF is going to have to collapse to give up the top spot, and losing this week might not even change much.

1. AAC Championship Game hosters (10-0)

UCF took advantage of the opportunity presented, and kept their winning streak alive in the process. ESPN’s College GameDay went to Orlando, and I’m sure they left impressed. The Knights put on a show, and left with a 38-13 win over Cincinnati.

2. The youth movement (9-2)

Some of us expected this. Cincinnati was young and inexperienced, which showed early and often against UCF. The defense did everything it could to keep the Bearcats in the game, but the offense couldn’t produce much. This is still a great team, and there’s no shame in losing to that caliber of team.

3. Comebackers (7-4)

Temple was down and essentially out in the first half. That all changed when the Owls scored 27 unanswered points in the second half to pull out the win. There chances of making the conference championship game might have been erased, but this is a dangerous team heading into bowl season.

4. Jacketgaters (8-3)

How important was losing D’Eriq King? Houston is a 7.5 point underdog this weekend. Ed Oliver needs to come back, and the Cougars are hoping that Clayton Tune can do even half of what King did. A trip to the conference championship relies on it.

5. Hoping for “fourth times the charm against UCF” (7-4)

Memphis is hoping they get a fourth chance in the last two years at UCF, and they find themselves in a “win and in” game against Houston. The winner takes the AAC West crown, one that seemed elusive to the Tigers for most of the season. If the Tigers can play some defense against a banged up Houston offense, they’ll get a chance.

6. First place for a weekers (5-6)

Well, that didn’t last long. SMU’s play was hideous at best against Memphis (not that the Tigers were much better). The Mustangs produced just 25 yards rushing. Their title hopes are gone, but they have a great chance to make a bowl game against Tulsa this week.

7. We make Houston’s defense look good (5-6)

Tulane only scored 17 points against a defense that was giving up over 30 per game. Their offense didn’t look great, and their defense couldn’t stop Houston even without D’Eriq King. Like SMU, Tulane has a good chance of making a bowl game when they play Navy this weekend.

8. New coaching staff needed? (7-4)

Charlie Strong appears defeated now that his team has lost four games in a row. Is it time for him to go? His team continues to be the most underwhelming and overrated team in the conference after starting 7-0. An upset against UCF doesn’t seem even remotely likely.

9. Abey for Heisman (3-8)

Well, the Midshipmen figured out their quarterback situation. Only problem is it took them 11 games to figure it out. After getting replaced by Malcolm Perry last year, Zach Abey took over the quarterback job, and helped Navy beat Tulsa this weekend.

10. Toilet bowl champions (3-7)

Watch out for Holton Ahlers in 2019. The Pirates freshman accounted for 372 yards and five touchdowns against UConn to help prevent ECU from being the worst team in the conference.

11. Montgomery gone? (2-9)

Any progress made was quickly erased with their loss to Navy. Not that there was much progress to work with in the first place. Phillip Montgomery may be seeing the door soon.

12. David Pindell’s (159 yards, three touchdowns)

Overall, Pindell didn’t have his best game even with a hot start. That meant bad things for the Huskies who couldn’t stop Holton Ahlers or the ECU offense.