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The 2023 iteration of the American Athletic Conference is essentially a merger of two conferences. Eight of the 14 teams comprising the league hail from last year’s AAC, while six new members — Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA — realigned from Conference USA.
The league will officially lose the triumvirate of Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF on July 1, so this 2023 season features a conspicuous shakeup in the structure of the AAC. This new-look AAC became more of a reality for incumbent and new members alike on Tuesday morning, when the conference released its official 2023 football schedule.
Here is the schedule for all 14 member institutions:
2023 AAC Football Schedule
| Week | Saturday Date | Charlotte | East Carolina | Florida Atlantic | Memphis | Navy | North Texas | Rice | SMU | South Florida | Temple | Tulane | Tulsa | UAB | UTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week | Saturday Date | Charlotte | East Carolina | Florida Atlantic | Memphis | Navy | North Texas | Rice | SMU | South Florida | Temple | Tulane | Tulsa | UAB | UTSA |
| 0 | Sat, Aug. 26 | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | vs. Notre Dame* | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE |
| 1 | Sat, Sep. 2 | vs. SC State [FCS] | @ Michigan | vs. Monmouth [FCS] | vs. B-CU [FCS] | BYE | vs. California | @ Texas | vs. Louisiana Tech | @ WKU | vs. Akron | vs. South Alabama | vs. Arkansas-PB [FCS] | vs. NC A&T [FCS] (Thu) | @ Houston |
| 2 | Sat, Sep. 9 | @ Maryland | vs. Marshall | vs. Ohio | @ Arkansas State | vs. Wagner [FCS] | @ FIU | vs. Houston** | @ Oklahoma | vs. FAMU [FCS] | @ Rutgers | vs. Ole Miss | @ Washington | @ Georgia Southern | vs. Texas State |
| 3 | Sat, Sep. 16 | vs. Georgia State | @ Appalachian State | @ Clemson | vs. Navy (Thu) | @ Memphis (Thu) | @ Louisiana Tech | vs. Texas Southern [FCS] | vs. Prairie View [FCS] | vs. Alabama | vs. Norfolk State [FCS] | @ Southern Miss | vs. Oklahoma | vs. Louisiana | vs. Army (Fri) |
| 4 | Sat, Sep. 23 | @ Florida | vs. Gardner-Webb [FCS] | @ Illinois | vs. Missouri* | BYE | BYE | @ South Florida | @ TCU | vs. Rice | vs. Miami (FL) | vs. Nicholls [FCS] | @ Northern Illinois | @ Georgia | @ Tennessee |
| 5 | Sat, Sep. 30 | @ SMU | @ Rice | BYE | vs. Boise State | vs. South Florida | vs. ACU [FCS] | vs. East Carolina | vs. Charlotte | @ Navy | @ Tulsa (Thu) | vs. UAB | vs. Temple (Thu) | @ Tulane | BYE |
| 6 | Sat, Oct. 7 | BYE | BYE | vs. Tulsa | BYE | vs. North Texas | @ Navy | vs. UConn | BYE | @ UAB | vs. UTSA | BYE | @ FAU | vs. South Florida | @ Temple |
| 7 | Sat, Oct. 14 | vs. Navy | vs. SMU (Thu) | @ South Florida | vs. Tulane (Fri) | @ Charlotte | vs. Temple | BYE | @ East Carolina (Thu) | vs. FAU | @ North Texas | @ Memphis (Fri) | BYE | @ UTSA | vs. UAB |
| 8 | Sat, Oct. 21 | @ East Carolina | vs. Charlotte | vs. UTSA | @ UAB | vs. Air Force | @ Tulane | @ Tulsa (Thu) | @ Temple (Fri) | @ UConn | vs. SMU (Fri) | vs. North Texas | vs. Rice (Thu) | vs. Memphis | @ FAU |
| 9 | Sat, Oct. 28 | vs. FAU (Fri) | @ UTSA | @ Charlotte (Fri) | @ North Texas | BYE | vs. Memphis | vs. Tulane | vs. Tulsa | BYE | BYE | @ Rice | @ SMU | BYE | vs. East Carolina |
| 10 | Sat, Nov. 4 | @ Tulsa | vs. Tulane | @ UAB | vs. South Florida | @ Temple | vs. UTSA | vs. SMU | @ Rice | @ Memphis | vs. Navy | @ East Carolina | vs. Charlotte | vs. FAU | @ North Texas |
| 11 | Sat, Nov. 11 | vs. Memphis | @ FAU | vs. East Carolina | @ Charlotte | vs. UAB | @ SMU (Fri) | @ UTSA | vs. North Texas (Fri) | vs. Temple | @ South Florida | vs. Tulsa | @ Tulane | @ Navy | vs. Rice |
| 12 | Sat, Nov. 18 | vs. Rice | @ Navy | vs. Tulane | vs. SMU | vs. East Carolina | @ Tulsa | @ Charlotte | @ Memphis | @ UTSA (Fri) | @ UAB | @ FAU | vs. North Texas | vs. Temple | vs. South Florida (Fri) |
| 13 | Sat, Nov. 25 | @ South Florida | vs. Tulsa** | @ Rice | @ Temple** | @ SMU | vs. UAB** | vs. FAU | vs. Navy | vs. Charlotte | vs. Memphis** | vs. UTSA** | @ East Carolina** | @ North Texas** | @ Tulane** |
| 14 | Sat, Dec. 2 | AAC Championship | AAC Championship | AAC Championship | AAC Championship | AAC Championship | AAC Championship | AAC Championship | AAC Championship | AAC Championship | AAC Championship | AAC Championship | AAC Championship | AAC Championship | AAC Championship |
| 15 | Sat, Dec. 9 | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | vs. Army* | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE |
Notes and trivia
- There are three neutral site games on the 2023 AAC schedule. Navy kicks off its season on Week 0 in Dublin, Ireland against Notre Dame at Aviva Stadium on Aug. 26. The Midshipmen also close their season in neutral site action in the annual rivalry against Army. This year’s Army-Navy Game transpires at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA on Dec. 9. Lastly, Memphis and Missouri were originally slated to play at the Liberty Bowl, but last October, the Sept. 23 non-conference game was relocated to The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis — former home of the Rams.
- SMU leads the conference with three confirmed weeknight games. The Mustangs take back-to-back road trips for a Thursday night showdown at East Carolina on Oct. 12 and a Friday night clash at Temple on Oct. 20. SMU hosts North Texas on Friday, Nov. 11 to close out its weeknight slate.
- There are four matchups on Thanksgiving weekend that could shift to Friday: Tulsa @ East Carolina, Memphis @ Temple, UAB @ North Texas, and UTSA @ Tulane. Also, Rice’s Week 2 home game against crosstown rival Houston could be moved from Saturday to Friday, Sept. 8.
- UAB is the only AAC team without a confirmed weeknight conference game this year. The Blazers open on a Thursday against FCS opponent North Carolina A&T, and they possibly conclude the regular season on Black Friday at North Texas. There are no weeknight games in between, however.
- South Florida will be the second team to host Alabama in non-conference play since the Crimson Tide visited Penn State in 2011. The only other non-conference road game Alabama has played was last September at Texas. The Bulls’ home game at Raymond James Stadium against the perennial powerhouse is set for Saturday, Sept. 16.
- The first conference game for the six AAC teams making their debut: Charlotte (@ SMU, Sept. 30); Florida Atlantic (vs. Tulsa, Oct. 7); North Texas (@ Navy, Oct. 7); Rice (@ South Florida, Sept. 30); UAB (@ Tulane, Sept. 30); UTSA (@ Temple, Oct. 7). Only Florida Atlantic kicks off AAC play at home.
- The regular season finale between Tulane and UTSA in New Orleans is the only AAC matchup between two reigning conference champions. Tulane won the AAC last December, while UTSA took home the C-USA title. Both teams retain their head coaches and starting quarterbacks for 2023.
- The AAC Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 2 will be played at the home field of the team with the best conference record, as usual. As the AAC has no divisions, the second best team will play the visitor role for the game. Three current AAC teams have hosted this game: Tulane (2022), Memphis (2019), Navy (2016). The AAC Championship Game winner has qualified for a New Year’s Six Bowl in six consecutive seasons.
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