2025 College Football Review: American Conference

Photo from Yahoo Sports

The Army-Navy game has finished, meaning we are now into bowl/playoff season in college football.

And because of that, it’s time to look back on my preseason predictions to see what I got right and wrong, and to review the year as a whole and give out some superlatives.

We start with the American Conference.

Biggest Surprise: North Texas Mean Green

North Texas has always had an explosive offense under Eric Morris, but this season they exploded to the best offense in football per SP+, and they did it with a freshman QB in Drew Mestemaker.

That explosive offense got them to bowls that year, but it got them to the American Title game this year.

Biggest Disappointment: Memphis Tigers

Memphis had a lot of roster turnover last year, so it’s hard to see an 8-4 season for them as a disappointment, but they were 8-1 and controlled their fate to make the conference title game.

Loss to Tulane, loss to ECU, loss to Navy.

Just completely fell apart down the stretch and wasted yet another opportunity to be conference champs.

What I Got Right

I’m going to give myself a tie here.

I said Byrum Brown would finally click and have a breakout year with USF, and he did, and I said there’s a possibility that ECU could compete for the American title in year one under new coach Blake Harrell, and they had a legitimate chance with two games left.

Not bad.

What I Got Wrong

I knew Army would struggle to replace Bryson Daily, but I thought they’d do a decent job and be a good team again.

I was wrong, as it took Army a long time to find their guy before landing on Cale Hellums, but by that point it was too late, and Army had to settle for a 6-6 season.

Coach Of The Year: Eric Morris

Morris’ North Texas offense was so good that it took the Mean Green from the mid level G5 to a legitimate playoff threat, and got him a step up the coaching ladder to Oklahoma State next year.

Player Of The Year: Blake Horvath

I could easily go with Drew Mestemaker from North Texas, who was unbelievable, but I decided on Blake Horvath, who had the excellent running ability you expect from great Navy quarterbacks, but added a legitimate passing threat.

His accurate arm is what got Navy the win over Army on a great 4th down touchdown pass late in the game.

I feel like he deserved a Heisman nomination.

Team Of The Year: North Texas Mean Green

The team of the year does not have to be the conference champion. It’s just the vibes of the season.

So even though North Texas fell short of the conference title after losing to Tulane, it’s hard to look at what they did this season with an 11-2 record and not consider them the team of the American Conference.