Week Eight’s AAC slate had something for everyone. Whether you love excellent defense, high-scoring shootouts, or near-upsets, we saw it all. League favorites collided, and bottom-feeders nearly pulled out unexpected victories.
Memphis Wins Epic Duel With North Texas
Everyone expected plenty of points when Memphis and North Texas collided. The offenses did not disappoint. 5-1 Memphis won a thrilling 52-44 dual at home against fellow 5-1 North Texas.
North Texas QB Chandler Morris put up 445 yards passing and an abnormally high 71 rushing yards, but it was not enough. Two turnovers on downs, a fumble, and an interception on the last play of the game, all in Memphis territory, doomed the Mean Green. North Texas outgained the Tigers 653 yards to 526, but they could not overcome those missed opportunities.
Memphis QB Seth Hennigan looked to be the Tigersโ headliner before the game, but RB Mario Anderson Jr. actually stole the show. Anderson ran for 183 yards and four touchdowns to complement Hennigan’s 319 yards through the air.
Despite the loss, North Texas still has a path to the conference championship game. The Mean Green have crucial games against Tulane and Army remaining. However, they must hope Memphis loses to the Green Wave to prevent losing the tiebreaker. Meanwhile, the North Texas win kept Memphis’s conference title hopes realistic, though they still likely need Army and Navy to falter.
Opportunistic Navy Defense Dominates Charlotte
Charlotte outgained Navy by over 100 yards on Saturday, but the 49ers beat themselves — badly! — with five turnovers in a stunning 51-17 loss. First quarter turnovers gave the Midshipmen the ball at the Charlotte 17, 45, and 38, and a 13-yard punt gave them the ball at midfield. All of this helped Navy build a commanding 31-0 first quarter lead. Later, Midshipmen DB Dashaun Peele returned not one but two interceptions for touchdowns to add to the rout. Peele’s pick-sixes made him a candidate for several national honors this week.
Heisman hopeful Navy QB Blake Horvath made the most of his short fields, completing 7/13 passes for 117 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 56 yards. Horvath remains a Heisman sleeper candidate, though he has a game against Notre Dame ahead with which he might make his case.
For the 49ers, this game marked an unfortunate reversion to form following their flash of brilliance against East Carolina. If Coach Biff Poggi’s squad can limit the turnovers and other unforced errors, they might compete in this league. However, Saturday showed the 49ers still have a long way to go to get to that point.
This week, Navy has its yearly clash with Notre Dame with the highest stakes since 1978. Charlotte continues its difficult stretch with a trip to Memphis.
Rice and UAB Nearly Pull Upsets
Charlotte and East Carolina had little luck in their failed upset bids, but Rice and UAB nearly shook up the conference bowl and championship races. Rice kept their game with Tulane tied at 10-apiece entering the 4th quarter, but a late touchdown helped the Green Wave escape. A subsequent 15-yard fumble return touchdown by Sam Howard sealed the win for Tulane.
Rice had their opportunities, but as with Charlotte, five turnovers spoiled the upset bid. RB Dean Connors fumbled after converting a third down at the Tulane 22; Rice QB EJ Warner also threw an interception that ended another drive at the Tulane 25. The Owls left even more points on the field with a turnover on downs in the red zone.
On the other side, star Tulane RB Makhi Hughes proved reliable again by posting 140 rushing yards. But the Green Wave needs its defense to continue its elite play. They will still face North Texas and Memphis in the seasonโs final month.
Meanwhile, the conferenceโs worst team, UAB, nearly changed its fortunes against bowl contender USF. The Blazers held a 19-7 lead on the Bulls before blowing it to lose, 35-25. A 54-yard Sean Atkins return set USF up at the UAB 16 for the go-ahead score in the 4th quarter. On the following drive, UAB turned the ball over on downs at their own 36, setting up another USF touchdown, giving them a better looking final score than the rest of the game might lead one to expect.
USF backup QB Bryce Archie continued to improve in star Byrum Brownโs absence, throwing for 201 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Bullsโ run game also provided more support than last week, putting up 154 yards. Thatโs 125 more yards than they posted against Memphis. USF RB Kelley Joiner led the charge with 94 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Both teams have a bye this week, followed by winnable games. USF continues its late-season bowl push against FAU (2-5, 0-2 in the AAC), while UAB hosts Tulsa.
Defense stepped up BIG TIME this week! @javion1_ & @SamuelH537 team up for the scoop & score in this weekโs call of the game! #UptownFootball pic.twitter.com/7ip4oQ9SCd
— Tulane Football (@GreenWaveFB) October 21, 2024
Other Notes From Around the League
A lingering turf toe injury slowed Florida Atlantic’s QB Cam Fancer down against UTSA after his 300-yard performance last week against North Texas. Fancher threw for just 96 yards in a 38-24 loss at UTSA. By comparison, UTSA QB Owen McCown put up 340 yards passing and continued to show growth from where he started the season.
The loss dropped the Owls to 2-5, while UTSA advanced to 3-4. The Owls still can make a bowl with games against East Carolina, Temple, Charlotte, and Tulsa. UTSA has a more difficult path forward with future games against Memphis, Temple, and Army remaining.
Finally, Temple’s defense had another strong performance after slowing down UConn two weeks ago. The Owls held Tulsa to just 240 yards of total offense in a 20-10 win. Owls QB Evan Simon had another solid performance with 297 passing yards. Temple also showed their depth at the skill positions after star WR Dante Wright left with an injury. Thirteen different Owls caught a pass in this weekโs victory.
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