The American Conference takes the spotlight this week. The league plays a pair of weeknight games and *five* games against Power Four opponents. The conference will look to build on a week that saw a Power Four wins plus a win over the Pac-2. Moreover, this week marks one of the last opportunities for many conference teams to work out some kinks before league play.
Weeknight Lights Shine Bright for Three Teams
Charlotte and Rice kick off the American Conference week tonight on ESPN at 7:30 PM ET. The Owls and 49ers both come off FCS wins. Rice’s option offense finally clicked against Prairie View A&M, running for 347 yards. The Owls have yet to exceed 100 passing yards in a game, but Charlotte’s porous pass defense could help them hit that mark. The 49ers have already allowed 400+ passing yards twice this season. Rice needs to win this game to make their chances at a bowl realistic. The Owls draw Navy, Memphis, North Texas, and USF through the rest of the season.
Tulsa has not beaten Oklahoma State since 1999, a losing streak that has now reached ten meetings. They have the opportunity to break the streak and perhaps give the death blow to OSU Head Coach Mike Gundy’s long tenure this Friday night on ESPN, starting at 7:30 PM ET. Thy might never get a better opportunity than this against a Cowboy team fresh off one of the most embarrassing performances in program history, their 69-3 loss to Oregon.
The Golden Hurricane started quickly against Navy. Tulsa forced three turnovers on the Midshipmen’s first three possessions to take a 14-0 lead. But then they faded and ultimately fell, 42-23. Tulsa should benefit from starting QB Kirk Francis’s return from a concussion that forced him to sit out of the Navy game.
Conference Play Starts this Week‼️#WE pic.twitter.com/xJS7w2VoHy
— Rice Football (@RiceFootball) September 15, 2025
The American Looks to Add More Power Four Wins to its Resume
Four other American Conference teams play Power Four teams this week. Memphis gets a rare ABC appearance — this Saturday at Noon ET — against Arkansas in those two schools’ first meeting since 1998. The Tigers have been quietly dominant, outscoring opponents 111-33 through their first three games. None of their opponents have been anywhere close to the caliber of Arkansas, but they’ve beaten the teams they’ve played convincingly. Moreover, the Tigers could catch a Razorback team looking ahead to their game with Notre Dame next week.
Memphis has already entered the College Football Playoff conversation. A win this week will give them as much notoriety as Tulane.
Do your job.#ALLIN | @Toyota pic.twitter.com/rYs5d8srSf
— Memphis Football (@MemphisFB) September 17, 2025
Speaking of the Green Wave, they play yet another Power Four game this Saturday when they travel to #13 Ole Miss for a 3:30 ET kick on ESPN. Tulane has lost 13 straight to Ole Miss dating back to 1988. Although the Green Wave have done enough for College Football Playoff consideration should they win the American, a win over the Rebels now might allow for some at-large consideration down the line.
On top of that, QB Jake Retzlaff can start some Heisman talk if he puts up another huge game. Retzlaff has been one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks so far this season. Dude has 288 rushing yards and six touchdowns, four coming against Duke this past week.
East Carolina hosts BYU in a game that could push them into College Football Playoff discussions as well. That one kicks Saturday night, starting 7:30 PM ET on ESPN. The Pirate defense stifled Coastal Carolina, while the offense looked incredibly balanced. QB Katin Houser threw for 293 yards, and their committee of running backs ran for another 206 in the 38-0 win. And though BYU has outscored Stanford and Portland State 96-3 through their first two games, their freshman quarterback, Bear Bachmeier, will start a game on the road for the first time ever this Saturday. A win this week would help the Pirates rebound from their earlier Power Four loss to NC State.
You’re the best, Pirate Nation 🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/VqpKTvNdwl
— ECU Football (@ECUPiratesFB) September 14, 2025
Temple looks to rebound from last week’s blowout loss to Oklahoma with a high-leverage match-up against #18 Georgia Tech. That game will go on The CW starting at 4:30 PM ET Saturday afternoon. Georgia Tech comes into this game ranked following their win over Clemson, but the Owls won the last meeting between these two back in 2019, 24-2.
It’s hard to tell whether the Oklahoma loss exposed this Temple team as a would-be fraud. The gap between Oklahoma and Temple’s first two opponents, UMass and Howard, looks wider than any chasm.
Finally, UAB will try to survive a Tennessee team in need of some home field redemption after last Saturday’s heartbreaking loss to Georgia. That one starts at 12:45 PM ET on the SEC Network. The Blazers still have major concerns on defense, having allowed 28 points to an Akron team that had not scored in their first two contests.
QB Jalen Kitna might have to throw a lot in this one, especially if UAB falls behind early. Kitna could have an impressive day against a Vols defense that allowed 304 passing yards to Georgia last week and 274 yards to Syracuse in week one. The Vols started two freshmen cornerbacks this past weekend. Kitna enters averaging nearly 300 yards per game so far this season.
The Rewind: Week 3 – Akron ⏮️#WinAsOne pic.twitter.com/Rtgy4uMGzn
— UAB Football (@UAB_FB) September 17, 2025
Other Notes From Around the League
UTSA RB Robert Henry Jr. has made a case for the Doak Walker Award early this season. The Roadrunner back is an automatic first down, having carried the ball 47 times for 483 yards in his first three games. More importantly, he leads the country in rushing. He’ll hope to continue his stellar start against a Colorado State rushing defense that allowed 283 yards in week one. That game starts Saturday night at 9:30 PM ET on FS1.
USF will finally get a bit of a breather from their season-opening gauntlet when they host South Carolina State. But maybe the Bulldogs will give the Bulls a fight? South Carolina State trailed South Carolina just 17-3 at halftime before losing 38-10. That’s not too bad for a team from the MEAC.
Go Army! Beat North Texas!!!
