The American Athletic Conference is one of five FBS conferences with at least three teams ranked in this week’s AFCA coaches’ poll (Army, Tulane, Memphis). The SEC has eight ranked teams, the Big Ten has five, the Big 12 has four, while The American and the ACC have three each.
Tulane and Army have clinched appearances in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Championship Game. The American Championship Game venue will be determined this week, when Tulane hosts Memphis (Thanksgiving night) and Army hosts UTSA (Saturday, Nov. 30).
If Tulane wins, then the Green Wave, which is No. 17 in the Nov. 26 College Football Playoff rankings, would host the championship game.
If Tulane loses and Army wins, then Army would host the championship game as the outright American regular-season champion.
If Tulane and Army both lose, then the home team would be determined by an average of computer metrics after the conclusion of all games of Nov. 30.
Thursday’s game between Memphis and Tulane is the only game on the national Week 14 docket between two teams with at least nine wins.
Tulane tied the American Athletic Conference record with its 17th consecutive regular-season conference win. The Green Wave ties UCF (2017-19) and Cincinnati (2020-22) for the longest regular-season winning streak in conference history.
Tulane leads the nation with six defensive touchdowns, five pick-sixes and eight non-offensive touchdowns.
Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall is 25-0 in his career when his team outrushes its opponent.
Tulane had won 19 American Athletic Conference games in its first eight years in the conference and has 22 wins in The American in the last three seasons.
Tulane’s nine wins are by an average of 31.3 points.
Memphis has scored at least 20 points in 38 consecutive games, marking the longest active streak among FBS teams
Memphis is bowl eligible for the 11th consecutive season.
Memphis QB Seth Henigan is the only active FBS player with four seasons with at least 20 touchdown passes at the same school.
Memphis QB Seth Henigan enters Week 14 needing 173 yards to tie The American’s career passing yards record, set by East Carolina’s Holton Ahlers from 2018-22. Henigan has 13,754 career passing yards, and 14,274 yards of total offense, both good for second on The American’s career chart.
Career Passing Yards
1. 13,927 Holton Ahlers, East Carolina (2018-22)
2. 13,754 Seth Henigan, Memphis (2021-)
3, 11,996 Clayton Tune, Houston (2019-22)
4. 10,782 Dane Evans, Tulsa (2014-16)
5. 10,690 Brady White, Memphis (2018-20)
Career Total Offense
1. 15,373 Holton Ahlers, East Carolina (2018-22)
2. 14,581 Seth Henigan, Memphis (2021-)
3, 13,247 Clayton Tune, Houston (2019-22)
4. 12,418 Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati (2018-21)
5. 11,802 Quinton Flowers, South Florida (2014-17)
East Carolina is 4-0 under new head coach Blake Harrell, who had the interim tag removed from his title earlier in the week. Harrell is the first coach in program history to win his first four games.
UAB WR Kam Shanks is averaging 20.9 yards per punt return, the best mark in the nation. Shanks is the only FBS player with two punt return touchdowns this season.
The 45 career wins by UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor are the most of any FBS head coach hired in 2020. Traylor is 16-2 in November in his career.
North Texas QB Chandler Morris is second among all FBS players with 30 touchdown passes. Morris trails only Miami’s Cam Ward (34).
Charlotte was not penalized in the 49ers’ 39-27 win against Florida Atlantic, marking the first time in program history that the team did not commit an accepted penalty.
South Florida gained 715 yards of total offense in last Saturday’s win against Tulsa, good for second on the program’s single-game chart (745 vs. Florida A&M in 2011) and the most against an FBS opponent.
Upcoming Schedule
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28
Memphis at Tulane *
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Television: ESPN
Series: Memphis leads, 24-15-1
Last Meeting: Oct. 13, 2023 (Tulane, 31-21)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29
Navy at East Carolina *
Time: Noon
Television: ESPN
Series: Navy leads, 9-2
Last Meeting: Nov. 18, 2023 (Navy, 10-0)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30
UTSA at Army *
Time: Noon
Television: CBS Sports Network
Series: Army leads, 3-1
Last Meeting: Sept. 15, 2023 (Army, 37-29)
North Texas at Temple *
Time: Noon
Television: ESPN+
Series: North Texas leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Oct. 14, 2023 (North Texas, 45-14)
South Florida at Rice *
Time: 2 p.m.
Television: ESPN+
Series: South Florida leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Sept. 23, 2023 (South Florida, 42-29)
UAB at Charlotte *
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Television: ESPN+
Series: UAB leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: Oct. 15, 2022 (UAB, 34-20)
Florida Atlantic at Tulsa *
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Television: ESPN+
Series: Florida Atlantic leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: Oct. 7, 2023 (Florida Atlantic, 20-17)
* American Athletic Conference game
All times Eastern
