2022 AAC Predictions
Photo from Tulane Athletic Department
Yesterday, I began my 2022 conference predictions with the ACC.
Today, we dive into our first G5 conference with the AAC.
It is the swan song for a few big teams in the conference before moving to the Big 12 next year, and they’re the ones expected to be top dog.
Here are my 2022 AAC predictions.
1. Houston Cougars
In college football, experience is key.
Houston brings back almost all of their defense, their quarterback Clayton Tune and both of their coordinators.
This is Dana Holgorsen’s most talented Houston team, and the results should match the expectation.
2. Cincinnati Bearcats
Remember what I said earlier about experience?
Cincy doesn’t have that anymore.
Desmond Ridder, Sauce Gardner and Coby Bryant are all gone. That’s going to hurt them.
But, this is still a very good roster. Even outside of losing Gardner and Bryant, the defense looks like it will remain good and they return a very talented offensive line.
It may not be enough to end up on top of the standings, but the AAC still has a conference title game despite no divisions. 2nd does the trick for Luke Fickell.
3. UCF Knights
Gus Malzahn is, despite what Auburn fans will tell you (I bet they’d gladly have him right now opposed to their current situation) a good football coach.
The defense is good, and Ole Miss transfer John Rys Plumlee should give UCF a dynamic quarterback that can win them some tough games.
But more than anything, they finish 3rd over our 4th place team because of that continuity at coach.
4. SMU Mustangs
I like SMU’s roster. I like Tanner Mordecai. I think they COULD finish 3rd.
But they lost head coach Sonny Dykes to rival TCU, and while I may like their roster more than UCF, I had to give the edge to the Knights.
However, their new coach is their old defensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, so we shouldn’t expect a massive drop off for the Mustangs this year.
5. ECU Pirates
For 5 and 6, I looked at recent history.
ECU went 4-8 in 2019, 3-6 in the COVID shortened 2020 season and 7-5 last year.
They are on the up.
6. Memphis Tigers
And Memphis is on the down.
Justin Fuente turned Memphis into a very good team before leaving for Virginia Tech.
He was replaced by Mike Norvell, who continued that trend with Memphis before leaving for Florida State.
Norvell was replaced by Ryan Silverfield who inherited Norvell’s team and went 8-3 in 2020.
And then last year they went 6-6.
It’s only one year, so I’m not standing here and saying that Silverfield can’t do the job.
But it is something to keep an eye on.
And I doubt they get a lucky win against Mississippi State this time around to help…
7. Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Tulsa knows how to find diamonds in the rough recruiting wise which made me contemplate putting them ahead of Memphis but I talked myself out of it.
Mainly due to the fact that it’s likely not sustainable.
But, they’re still better than everyone else remaining in the conference. So they go to 7th.
8. Tulane Green Wave
This saying doesn’t always apply to football, but when someone shows you who they are, believe them.
Tulane unexpectedly went 2-10 last year and people think that can’t happen again for a team that showed some promise.
I guess to an extent I don’t either because I don’t have them finishing last like last year.
But I’m not expecting them to finish ahead of Tulsa and Memphis.
There are some issues in New Orleans.
9. Navy Midshipmen
Ken Niumatalolo has shown how good of a coach he is in the past with Navy, but he showed that with Keenan Reynolds at QB.
Since then, Navy has not been anywhere close to as good (which is to be expected when you lose a QB as dynamic as Reynolds).
I’ll believe Navy has the roster to compete for the top half of the AAC when I see it.
Until then, they’re bottom dwellers for the time being.
10. Temple Owls
Temple is not a good football team.
11. USF Bulls
USF is also not a good football team, but USF’s coach is named Jeff and Temple’s is named Stan.
I’ll trust in a Stan before I trust in a Jeff…
AAC Championship Prediction
As I mentioned earlier, there is still a championship game despite no divisions (much like there is with the Big 12 and Sun Belt).
So that leaves Houston vs Cincinnati in the AAC title game.
A very talented team with a chance to win a conference championship coached by Dana Holgorsen.
I went to West Virginia. I know how this goes.
Cincinnati wins the AAC.
