Around the AAC, Week 1 Matchups
Beyond the UCF Knights playing South Carolina State on Sep. 1, there are other games to take notice of within the American Athletic Conference (AAC), there are a handful of games with big implications right off the bat that could give a glimpse of what the Knights will face later this season.
Three teams will face a ranked opponent, and four teams will face a Power Five school. Here is a brief outline of each non-FCS matchup around the AAC.
#23 Cincinnati at #19 Arkansas
Cincinnati-Arkansas will catch the most national attention out of the AAC slate. In fact, it will be one of just three ranked-vs-ranked matchups in the country for week one. This game will be a good litmus test to see if the Bearcats are still a force to be reckoned with.
It will not be easy for Cincinnati, who will enter an SEC atmosphere at Razorback Stadium which should be rocking. Arkansas is around a one-touchdown favorite.
#24 Houston at UTSA
Houston received a preseason ranking for the first time since 2016 this year. The Cougars open up on the road at the UTSA Roadrunners behind the strong arm of quarterback Clayton Tune. Some may remember UTSA from last season, in which they began the season 11-0.
The Roadrunners lost two of their final three games, but the reigning Conference USA champions should not be overlooked by Houston. The Cougars should win this one, but if they allow UTSA to stick around, things could get dicey.
Temple at Duke
The 2021 Temple Owls were…not good. They were outscored by a whopping 20.2 points per game—and that is taking into account a 41-7 win over FCS Wagner. Luckily for the Owls, though, Duke is also no powerhouse. Both teams won three games last season. With that being said, though, the Blue Devils will likely take this matchup easily.
Tulsa at Wyoming
Wyoming looked overmatched in their first game at Illinois. If there was one word to describe their effort in that game, it would be “ugly”. Tulsa will roll into town hoping the Cowboys maintain this poor play. The Golden Hurricane are the better team, and should take care of business handily.
Memphis at Mississippi State
Another AAC team will travel to an SEC opponent as Memphis heads to Mississippi State. The Bulldogs received some votes in the AP Poll as well as the Coaches’ Poll, and figure to be a middle-of-the-pack team in regards to their conference.
Memphis finds itself in a similar position within the AAC. A win for the Tigers would be huge for not only them, but for the AAC. It will not be an easy road to victory, though, and the Bulldogs should pull this one out.
SMU at North Texas
SMU looks to improve on a solid 2021 campaign, and they will start by traveling to North Texas to square off with the Mean Green. North Texas has already played a game, beating UTEP in their opening matchup. So if there is any advantage for them, it is the fact that they have gotten a chance to work out some kinks.
The Mustangs hosted the Mean Green last year, winning 35-12. A similar result should be expected this season. Look for SMU to jump start their season by cruising to a multi-score win.
East Carolina vs #13 North Carolina State
East Carolina will face an in-state foe in the North Carolina State Wolfpack for week one at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The Pirates finished 2021 with a 7-5 record, their best finish since 2014. NC State has lofty expectations this year, something that has been uncommon in the recent past.
They are expected to at least give Clemson somewhat of a challenge for the ACC title. The talent gap between the Wolfpack and the Pirates is fairly wide, and it is tough to envision the Pirates keeping this one close.
USF vs #25 BYU
These two teams will match up for the third time since 2019. They split the last two meetings 1-1, making this game a tiebreaker of sorts. Last year’s matchup was much closer than most expected, but BYU still ended up on top 35-27 in Provo. USF will be the host this year, which could help their chances of sneaking an upset over a ranked opponent to kick off 2022.
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