Through four weeks of the 2023 season, American Athletic Conference teams have played 12 games against teams ranked in this week’s Associated Press top 25, including games against the Nos. 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9 teams.
South Florida QB Byrum Brown passed for a career-high 435 yards in the Bulls’ win against Rice, ranking second on the Bulls’ single-game chart behind only Quinton Flowers’ 503 yards against UCF in 2017.
South Florida WR Naiem Simmons had eight catches for a school-record 272 yards in the win against Rice. Simmons’ total ranks second on The American’s single-game chart.
SINGLE-GAME RECEIVING YARDS
283 C.J. Johnson, East Carolina vs. Cincinnati, 11/2/19
272 Naiem Simmons, South Florida vs. Rice, 9/23/23
270 Trevon Brown, East Carolina vs. Cincinnati, 11/18/17
268 Keyarris Garrett, Tulsa vs. Memphis, 10/23/15
252 Courtland Sutton, SMU vs. South Florida, 11/19/16
Tulane head coach Willie Fritz earned his 200th career victory as an NCAA head coach with the Green Wave’s 36-7 win against Nicholls. Fritz sixth fifth among active FBS coaches in career wins.
MOST CAREER WINS AMONG ACTIVE NCAA FBS HEAD COACHES (through Saturday)
283 Nick Saban, Alabama (Toledo, Michigan State, LSU)
278 Mack Brown, North Carolina (Appalachian State, Tulane, Texas)
276 Brian Kelly, LSU (Grand Valley State, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Notre Dame)
259 K.C. Keeler, Sam Houston (Rowan, Delaware)
201 Kirk Ferentz, Iowa (Maine)
200 Willie Fritz, Tulane (Central Missouri, Sam Houston, Georgia Southern)
UTSA freshman QB Owen McCown completed his first 10 passes and went 18-for-20 for 170 yards and two touchdowns, all in the second half against No. 23/20 Tennessee. McCown’s 90% completion rate ranks fifth on The American’s single-game chart.
COMPLETION PERCENTAGE, GAME (Minimum 15 comp.)
100.0 Gunner Kiel, Cincinnati vs. UCF, 10/31/15 (15 of 15)
93.9 Kyle Allen, Houston vs. Rice, 9/16/17 (31 of 33)
92.7 Jacob Zeno, UAB vs. North Carolina A&T, 9/2/23 (38 of 41)
92.3 McKenzie Milton, UCF vs. Austin Peay, 10/28/17 (24 of 26)
90.0 Owen McCown, UTSA at Tennessee, 9/23/23 (18 of 20)
UAB QB Jacob Zeno has thrown for at least 250 yards in all four games this season, including against No. 1 Georgia Saturday. Zeno figured in all three Blazer touchdowns against the Bulldogs as Georgia allowed a season-high 21 points.
East Carolina registered its first shutout in more than 23 years with its 44-0 victory against Gardner-Webb. It was the first time that the Pirates held an opponent scoreless since a 38-0 win against Duke Sept. 2, 2000.
The Pirates held Gardner-Webb to 107 total yards and forced five turnovers (all fumble recoveries).
Notable Week 4 Performances
Byrum Brown, QB, South Florida
22 of 29, 435 yards, 2 TDs; 14 carries, 82 yards, 1 rush TD in 42-29 win against Rice
Naiem Simmons, WR, South Florida
8 catches, school-record 272 yards, 1 TD in 42-29 win against Rice
Kendarin Ray, S, Tulsa
10 tackles, 1 interception in 22-14 win at Northern Illinois
JT Daniels, QB, Rice
27 of 40, 432 yards, 3 TDs in 42-29 loss at South Florida
Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
9 catches, 199 yards in 42-29 loss at South Florida
Roc Taylor, WR, Memphis
7 catches, 143 yards in 34-27 loss to Missouri
Jacob Zeno, QB, UAB
32 of 51, 250 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT; 1 rush TD in 49-21 loss at No. 1 Georgia
Lajohntay Wester, WR, Florida Atlantic
13 catches, 137 yards, 1 TD in 23-17 loss at Illinois
Eyabi Okie-Anoma, DL, Charlotte
8 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 TFL, 1 forced fumble in 22-7 loss at No. 25 Florida
Week 4 Scores
Saturday, September 23
TCU 34, SMU 17
Tulsa 22, Northern Illinois 14
Illinois 23, Florida Atlantic 17
Miami (Fla.) 41, Temple 7
South Florida 42, Rice 29 *
Tennessee 45, UTSA 14
East Carolina 44, Gardner-Webb 0
Florida 22, Charlotte 7
Tulane 36, Nicholls 7
Georgia 49, UAB 21
Missouri 34, Memphis 27
Week 5 Schedule
Thursday, September 28
Temple at Tulsa * (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Saturday, September 30
UAB at Tulane * (Noon, ESPN2)
South Florida at Navy * (3:30 p.m., CBSSN)
Boise State at Memphis (4 p.m., ESPN2)
East Carolina at Rice * (7 p.m., ESPN+)
Abilene Christian at North Texas (7 p.m., ESPN+)
Charlotte at SMU * (7:30 p.m., ESPNU)
* American Athletic Conference game
All times Eastern
