AAC football predictions: Top contenders, sleepers and championship picks

[Jonnyeagle]

Over the past decade, the American Athletic Conference has usually been the strongest of college football’s mid-major conferences, commonly known as the Group of Five.

But entering the 2023 season and beyond, that may no longer be the case. The AAC was hit hard by conference realignment. Once the SEC raided Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12, the Big 12 pivoted and added three of the AAC’s premier members — Cincinnati, Houston and UCF.

Since the Big East dissolved into the AAC back in 2013, one of those three teams has won outright or had a share of the conference championship in seven of 10 seasons. On top of that, each of those programs has played in a New Year’s Six bowl game with Cincinnati even reaching the College Football Playoff.

It was a major blow to the conference and its overall quality of competition. With those three schools gone, the AAC then did its own raiding and plucked away six members of Conference USA — Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA.

Needless to say, the AAC will look a whole lot different in 2023, and a few of those new members could challenge defending champion Tulane for a conference championship.

What is your favorite AAC win total bet?

Sam: North Texas under 6.5 wins. UNT got to seven wins just once in its last four seasons in C-USA. Now, it's going to get to seven wins in a better conference in its first year with a new coach? I don't buy it. The Mean Green lost a bunch of their best players to Power Five teams and had a horrific defense last year.

read more:  https://sports.yahoo.com/aac-football-predictions-top-contenders-sleepers-and-championship-picks-120058546.html