The American is known for self naming themselves the P6 conference in a way to honor/respect their ability to compete against any teams in the FBS, including conferences like the SEC, who the 2017 UCF Knights beat the Auburn Tigers in the Peach finishing their 13-0 season with a win against the only team to beat both Alabama and Georgia that year, who both played each other in the CFP that the Knights and the conference believed they were snubbed of. The promotion stunt has now been abandoned with the Pac 12's reset losing nearly every member leaving the fifth power conference wide open with the American believing they are in play and deserve being known as a Power Five conference. They have a steep hill to climb for them to earn that honor with four players on the All conference First team returning to their 2025 team this season, not just the players leaving but they all lost a handful of coaches for major programs by losing Alex Golesh (USF to Auburn), Eric Morris (North Texas to Oklahoma State), Jon Sumrall (Tulane to Florida), Ryan Silverfield (Memphis to Auburn), and Trent Dilfer (UAB to get this man away from coaching). The conference has a tall order to task if they want to be respected as such, but I believe it is something that has to take time.

1. East Carolina

I think people are overlooking the Pirates, who since HC Blake Harrell took over halfway through the 2024 season, are 14-5 with two bowl appearances in the Military Bowl against ACC schools and won both to showcase it. They add former Miami (FL) QB Emory Williams to replace Katin Houser, and just by plugging him in I think he will be what ECU needed to win 10 games.

2. Memphis

I have mentioned his name in a different post already, but HC Charles Huff not only recruits talent to the school he is at but builds a culture that once he packs up and leaves, his players packs up and follows. He has a huge chunk of guys from Marshall that went to Southern Miss and now are at Memphis with him. Edge J'Mond Tapp is one that could had went to a Texas Tech or Ole Miss and made millions while also being promised to be a top three round pick in this coming draft but instead decided to stay with Huff and follow him to Memphis.

3. Army

Army will try to make this their second American Conference Championship Game in their third year in conference, but will fall short due to a tiebreaker with Memphis. QB Cade Hellums is going to make this his best season with Navy in a retool year.

4. FAU

HC Zach Kittley will get them rolling, it just takes QB Caden Veltkamp to work on his turnover issues and they are suddenly 8-4.

5. USF

It's Brian Hartline's first season and I think he will have a solid year, just will not be up to par. The WR guru keeps Mudia Reuben and JayQuan Smith as some of his top weapons, but he also brings in Arhmad Branch from Purdue, Armani Winfield from Colorado State, and Bryson Rodgers from Ohio State. As long as QB Michael Van Buren is as good as we all expect him to, they will be fun to watch.

6. UTSA

The Roadrunners when HC Jeff Traylor got there had them looking like the cream of the crop, now they are just a mediocre American team. I don't expect anything different this season, but there was never really any high expectations from them until Traylor came in and was winning games. It's just the weird ceiling he built that someone has to take down if they don't like it.

7. Navy

They are still a bowl team and will probably beat Army in December, but they won't be a 10 win Navy that flirts with the conference championship game just to be left out every year. QB is gone, top four rushers are gone, and their top DL is gone. I think it is more of a retool season and trying to figure out what pieces fit.

8. Temple

The Owls just barely missed a bowl berth and I don't believe they will this season. HC KC Keeler is a two time FCS Champion, and both times were with different teams, knows how to win and will show how he won both titles this season and next.

9. Charlotte

HC Tim Albin is no stranger from taking a team from bottom of the conference to the top, and I think he will show signs he can but will just barely get the 49ers to .500 and a bowl berth

10. Tulsa

I think just barely missing out of .500 is what will happen with Tulsa. QB Baylor Hayes is entering his sophomore year with 9 starts under his belt, there are still some growing pains that is enough to cost them that crucial win they need to make a bowl.

11. Rice

I really like this wishbone offense and think getting that bowl invite last season despite being 5-7 is the much needed boost of confidence they need. I think they will once again finish 5-7 and there will be enough teams to make a bowl that the Owls will miss out this time around.

12. Tulane

After Willie Fritz left and Jon Sumrall took over, everyone thought they would take a step back. They never did and they just kept going. Now with Sumrall gone and HC Will Hall in charge, they stay the same? Not at all. They will just fall off significantly.

13. North Texas

North Texas will not be the only team that is immune to a significant fall off with a new HC. Neal Brown will have to rebuild his team with RB Jahiem White being the only highlight who could be a top 10 RB drafted this coming draft.

14. UAB

I don't see anything good coming from the Blazers this year. They may just go right back into a coaching carousel now that the AD that messed up this coaching search is gone.

All American (Conference) First Team

QB - Cade Hellums, Army

RB - Quinton Jackson, Rice

RB - Jaheim White, North Texas

WR - Easton Messer, FAU

WR - Bryson Rodgers, USF

WR - Brock Spalding, East Carolina

TE - Peter Clarke, Temple

C - Brady Small, Army

G - Brandon Best, East Carolina

G - Cam Nichols, Navy

T - Hayes Creel, East Carolina

T - Giakoby Hills, Temple

DE - CJ Hicks, USF

DT - Kody Harris Miller, Army

DT - Arias Nash, Tulsa

DE - J'Mond Tapp, Memphis

LB - Dickson Agu, Tulane

LB - Jack Bosum, Army

LB - Ian Foster, Memphis

LB - Jesus Machado, Rice

CB - Ashton Levells Mitchell, East Carolina

CB - Damarius McGhee, FAU

S - Collin Gill, Charlotte

S - Zach Williams, Tulsa

K - Nico Gramatica, USF

P - Jacob Carlson, Navy

LS - Rayne Fry, Navy

KR - Jaylin Lucas, Tulane

PR - JoJo Bermudez, Temple

Offensive Player of the Year - Peter Clarke, TE, Temple

Defensive Player of the Year - J'Mond Tapp, Edge, Memphis

Coach of the Year - Blake Harrell, East Carolina