🏈 News/Notes Tulsa picked 9th in AAC preseason media poll

[Chris Harmon]

From AAC...

IRVING, Texas – UCF has been tabbed as the preseason favorite in the American Athletic Conference for the third consecutive season as the Knights edged Cincinnati for the top spot in the conference’s 2020 football preseason media poll.

UCF received 10 of the possible 20 first-place votes in the media poll to finish with 204 points, while Cincinnati had seven first-place votes and 201 points. Memphis was third with 192 points and two first-place votes. Navy received one first-place vote in the poll.

UCF is ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press and USA Today preseason polls after the Knights went 10-3 last season, capping their third straight 10-win season. Head coach Josh Heupel, who is 22-4 in two years with the Knights, will look to quarterback Dillon Gabriel to lead an offense that averaged 540.5 yards per game in 2019, trailing only LSU nationally.

Cincinnati has turned in back-to-back 11-win seasons under head coach Luke Fickell, who enters his fourth year with the Bearcats. Cincinnati is ranked No. 20 in the AP preseason poll and No. 22 in the USA Today poll thanks to the return of 16 starters, including 13 of the team’s top 15 tacklers on a defense that led The American in fewest points allowed (20.6 ppg).

Memphis, which went 12-2 and won the 2019 American Athletic Conference Championship, was picked third in the poll as Ryan Silverfield enters his first full season as the Tigers’ head coach.

Silverfield joins USF’s Jeff Scott as The American’s new head coaches in 2020.

The American enjoyed another banner year in 2019 as four teams (Memphis, Navy, Cincinnati, UCF) finished the season ranked in the final national polls. The American ranked fourth among the 10 FBS leagues in nonconference winning percentage (38-17, .691), while its teams were a combined 36-9 against unranked nonconference opponents and 30-2 against opponents from outside the power conferences.

The 2020 season in The American begins this week, with three games on ESPN. SMU visits Texas State Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET, Memphis hosts Arkansas State Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, while Navy hosts BYU Monday at 8 p.m. ET.

2020 American Athletic Conference Preseason Media Poll

Team (First-Place Votes)

Points

1. UCF (10) 204
2. Cincinnati (7) 201
3. Memphis (2) 192
4. SMU 146
5. Navy (1) 125
6. Tulane 118
7. Houston 114
8. Temple 88
9. Tulsa 49
10. East Carolina 42
11. USF 41

 

[Chris Harmon]

 

[GoldenCaneKC]

Are the AP and Coaches Poll only going to include teams that are actually playing their seasons this year?

 

[Chris Harmon]

Are the AP and Coaches Poll only going to include teams that are actually playing their seasons this year?

I haven't looked that up specifically, but it would only make sense to include teams that are actually playing.

 

[TU4ever2]

I haven't looked that up specifically, but it would only make sense to include teams that are actually playing.

All teams not playing this fall will not qualify for the top 25. They were included in the preseason though.

 

[aTUfan]

All teams not playing this fall will not qualify for the top 25. They were included in the preseason though.

Notre Dame will be ranked in the top ten at the end of the season without playing a game.

 

[TU4ever2]

Notre Dame will be ranked in the top ten at the end of the season without playing a game.

Yeah I made a similar comment. However the polls have taken the step of simply not counting votes for teams not eligible. Which means it will be harder to tell when someone votes for a team not even playing which I believe to be a highly likely outcome early especially since the SEC for example doesn't even start playing till the end of September.

 

[HuffyCane]

Back in the 50’s OU’s scout team was ranked.

 

[astonmartin708]

Notre Dame will be ranked in the top ten at the end of the season without playing a game.

Wake up the echoes!

 

[quincy101]

9th!! How udderly predictable. Even with only 10 chances, this team is ready & will be in a bowl, somewhere. TU Football: 1st,last,always!

 

[TU_BLA]

I find it interesting that POTUS is only pushing the B1G to play their football season but hasn't said anything or approached the PAC 10/12/14 about anything . Wonder why.

 

[Chris Harmon]

I find it interesting that POTUS is only pushing the B1G to play their football season but hasn't said anything or approached the PAC 10/12/14 about anything . Wonder why.

I don't think it matters. Trump was talking to the Big 10 commissioner, who has no say in whether or not they play. I believe the school presidents had voted just a couple days ago 11-3 to still not play.

 

[TU_BLA]

I don't think it matters. Trump was talking to the Big 10 commissioner, who has no say in whether or not they play. I believe the school presidents had voted just a couple days ago 11-3 to still not play.

It does matter. Trump is not going to win CA, Oregon, or Washington State. Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin are all battleground states. There are a ton of people in those states who would vote for Trump if he saves their football season...

Outside of the B1G not playing this year, the 3 schools who voted to play...would it be possible for them to negotiate independent TV deals for this season only as well as a playing an independent schedule?

 

[TU4ever2]

It does matter. Trump is not going to win CA, Oregon, or Washington State. Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin are all battleground states. There are a ton of people in those states who would vote for Trump if he saves their football season...

Outside of the B1G not playing this year, the 3 schools who voted to play...would it be possible for them to negotiate independent TV deals for this season only as well as a playing an independent schedule?

When asked about Nebraska doing so the big 10 commish laughed and said, no not if they want to stay in the conference.

Presidents of schools make decisions, their lawyers and doctors are in charge. The Big is unlikely to play football in 2020.

 

[Chris Harmon]

It does matter.

As my post implied, it doesn't matter in terms of what the Big 10 is actually going to do. That's what I meant. Trump talking to the Big 10 commish will do nothing. I wasn't looking at it in a political context, as I didn't want this thread to move into Crossfire territory.

 

[TU_BLA]

As my post implied, it doesn't matter in terms of what the Big 10 is actually going to do. That's what I meant. Trump talking to the Big 10 commish will do nothing. I wasn't looking at it in a political context, as I didn't want this thread to move into Crossfire territory.

Oh, I know. But it almost seems impossible to have a sports conversation discussing the impact of COVID on college football without the implication of politics being part of the discussion

 

[Henry Kendall]

Looks like several Nebraska players and families have lawyered up and are suing to play.

 

[astonmartin708]

Looks like several Nebraska players and families have lawyered up and are suing to play.

Looks like a couple lawyers are getting a pay day for zero results.

 

[TU4ever2]

Looks like several Nebraska players and families have lawyered up and are suing to play.

They are free to transfer and they aren't losing their scholarship or eligibility. Not sure what suing will do for them.