From an AAC media release...
Flowers’ Heisman Push Off To Strong Start At No. 19 USF
After accounting for 42 touchdowns (24 passing, 18 rushing) and earning American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2016, USF quarterback Quinton Flowers found himself on a number of preseason Heisman Trophy candidate lists to start the 2017 season. Flowers’ on-the-field campaign is off to a strong start after the senior had a hand in three touchdowns in the No. 19 Bulls’ 42-22 win at San Jose State last Saturday. Flowers engineered an offense that strung together 42 consecutive points, gained 29 first downs, ran a school-record 101 plays and gained 548 totals yards as the Bulls won their sixth straight game, dating to last season.
Houston Strong
Houston’s scheduled season-opener at UTSA has been postponed in the wake of Hurricane Harvey as the Texas coastal region recovers from the unprecedented flooding in the area. The American Athletic Conference, on behalf of its member schools, has announced a $100,000 donation to the American Red Cross to support the rescue, recovery and rebuilding efforts and encourages others to follow suit with a tax-deductible donation. A $10 donation to the Red Cross can be made simply by texting ‘HARVEY’ to 90999.
Tens Are Wild For Tulsa’s Season-Opener
The most intriguing Week 1 matchup in The American could be Tulsa’s visit to No. 10 Oklahoma State in the Bank of Oklahoma Turnpike Classic Thursday night. Tulsa and Oklahoma State both finished with 10 wins in 2016 and both figure to keep the statisticians busy once again. Tulsa, which has turned in five 10-win seasons in the last 10 years, became the first team in college football history to have a 3,000-yard passer, two 1,000-yard rushers and two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season when the Golden Hurricane hit those marks last season. Oklahoma State, meanwhile, has won at least 10 games five times in the last seven years and was ranked in the top 20 nationally in scoring and total yards last year. A Tulsa victory would give the American Athletic Conference five wins against top-10 nonconference opponents in the league’s brief history.
New Coach, New QB, Same Mentality as Temple Visits Notre Dame
Temple begins its 2017 season at Notre Dame Saturday in Geoff Collins’ first game as a college head coach. Collins has four players battling for the starting quarterback spot, but no matter who gets the nod, it will be that individual’s first career start. The Owls and Notre Dame played a classic in Philadelphia two years ago, with ESPN College GameDay as the backdrop, as No. 21 Temple built a 20-17 fourth-quarter lead before the No. 9 Irish struck last in a 24-20 decision. That game drew nearly six million television viewers in prime time on ABC despite competition from Game 4 of the 2015 World Series.
Allow Us To Introduce Ourselves
The American Athletic Conference welcomes five new head coaches for the 2017 season. Luke Fickell makes his debut with Cincinnati Thursday against Austin Peay, while Randy Edsall, whose last game as head coach at UConn was in the 2010-11 Fiesta Bowl, returns to the Huskies’ sideline to face Holy Cross Thursday. Geoff Collins visits Notre Dame Saturday in his first game as Temple’s head coach. Charlie Strong began his tenure at USF last week against San Jose State, while Major Applewhite is in his first full season as Houston’s head coach.
Star Power
The American Athletic Conference is the only league among the 10 NCAA FBS conferences that returns its 2016 players of the year on offense (USF quarterback Quinton Flowers), defense (UCF linebacker Shaquem Griffin) and special teams (Memphis return specialist Tony Pollard).
Flowers’ Heisman Push Off To Strong Start At No. 19 USF
After accounting for 42 touchdowns (24 passing, 18 rushing) and earning American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2016, USF quarterback Quinton Flowers found himself on a number of preseason Heisman Trophy candidate lists to start the 2017 season. Flowers’ on-the-field campaign is off to a strong start after the senior had a hand in three touchdowns in the No. 19 Bulls’ 42-22 win at San Jose State last Saturday. Flowers engineered an offense that strung together 42 consecutive points, gained 29 first downs, ran a school-record 101 plays and gained 548 totals yards as the Bulls won their sixth straight game, dating to last season.
Houston Strong
Houston’s scheduled season-opener at UTSA has been postponed in the wake of Hurricane Harvey as the Texas coastal region recovers from the unprecedented flooding in the area. The American Athletic Conference, on behalf of its member schools, has announced a $100,000 donation to the American Red Cross to support the rescue, recovery and rebuilding efforts and encourages others to follow suit with a tax-deductible donation. A $10 donation to the Red Cross can be made simply by texting ‘HARVEY’ to 90999.
Tens Are Wild For Tulsa’s Season-Opener
The most intriguing Week 1 matchup in The American could be Tulsa’s visit to No. 10 Oklahoma State in the Bank of Oklahoma Turnpike Classic Thursday night. Tulsa and Oklahoma State both finished with 10 wins in 2016 and both figure to keep the statisticians busy once again. Tulsa, which has turned in five 10-win seasons in the last 10 years, became the first team in college football history to have a 3,000-yard passer, two 1,000-yard rushers and two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season when the Golden Hurricane hit those marks last season. Oklahoma State, meanwhile, has won at least 10 games five times in the last seven years and was ranked in the top 20 nationally in scoring and total yards last year. A Tulsa victory would give the American Athletic Conference five wins against top-10 nonconference opponents in the league’s brief history.
New Coach, New QB, Same Mentality as Temple Visits Notre Dame
Temple begins its 2017 season at Notre Dame Saturday in Geoff Collins’ first game as a college head coach. Collins has four players battling for the starting quarterback spot, but no matter who gets the nod, it will be that individual’s first career start. The Owls and Notre Dame played a classic in Philadelphia two years ago, with ESPN College GameDay as the backdrop, as No. 21 Temple built a 20-17 fourth-quarter lead before the No. 9 Irish struck last in a 24-20 decision. That game drew nearly six million television viewers in prime time on ABC despite competition from Game 4 of the 2015 World Series.
Allow Us To Introduce Ourselves
The American Athletic Conference welcomes five new head coaches for the 2017 season. Luke Fickell makes his debut with Cincinnati Thursday against Austin Peay, while Randy Edsall, whose last game as head coach at UConn was in the 2010-11 Fiesta Bowl, returns to the Huskies’ sideline to face Holy Cross Thursday. Geoff Collins visits Notre Dame Saturday in his first game as Temple’s head coach. Charlie Strong began his tenure at USF last week against San Jose State, while Major Applewhite is in his first full season as Houston’s head coach.
Star Power
The American Athletic Conference is the only league among the 10 NCAA FBS conferences that returns its 2016 players of the year on offense (USF quarterback Quinton Flowers), defense (UCF linebacker Shaquem Griffin) and special teams (Memphis return specialist Tony Pollard).
