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American Conference football power rankings: We've got a new No. 1 again
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- American Conference football power rankings: We've got a new No. 1 again
We get it — nobody wants to be No. 1 in our American Conference power rankings.
For the fourth consecutive week , the top team in our rankings lost. That means we've got a new No. 1 for the fifth time in as many weeks.
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Welcome to the top, North Texas .
The Mean Green certainly haven't played the toughest schedule, but they just keep winning and have mostly done it in dominating fashion. As chaos continues to unfold around them — including a huge win for Navy over USF — North Texas is quietly in position to reach the conference title game if a few things break right for them.
Don't be fooled, though. The margin is razor-thin at the top among North Texas, Tulane and Navy. ECU is still alive in the title race, too.
Buckle up for the final two weeks of the regular season.
1. North Texas (9-1)
Last week (3):Beat UAB, 53-24
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Why they're here:Look, the non-conference schedule wasn't good. The loss to USF wasn't good. But in a three-way battle with Tulane and Navy, the Mean Green get the nod because they don't have a bad loss like Tulane and they beat Navy. Running back Caleb Hawkins was magnificent again, rushing 27 times for 189 yards and five touchdowns. Would they be favored to beat Tulane on a neutral site? Probably not, but there's no reason they couldn't do it.
Next up:at Rice
2. Tulane (8-2)
Last week (2):Beat FAU, 35-24
Why they're here:Tulane has better wins than anyone in the conference, but it also lost to a .500 UTSA team. The Green Wave could easily be at No. 1, and it feels like they'll get the edge among the top teams if it ultimately goes to rankings. Coach Jon Sumrall's team just keeps finding ways to win.
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Next up:at Temple
3. Navy (8-2)
Last week (5):Beat USF, 41-38
Why they're here:The Midshipmen had lost two straight games in ugly fashion and were left for dead heading into this game. Not so fast. Backup quarterback Braxton Woodson's fourth-quarter heroics mean Navy is a win away from potentially making the conference title game and two wins away from potentially making the playoff — with a much more important game against Army looming, too.
Next up:Idle
4. ECU (7-3)
Last week (6):Beat Memphis, 31-27
Why they're here:The Pirates move into the top five for the first time this season after a come-from-behind win over Memphis. ECU would lose out on a rankings tiebreak with the three teams above, but the Pirates have only one conference loss and have a shot at reaching the title game if they get some help. Blake Harrell has done a tremendous job and is probably second behind Eric Morris in the coach of the year power rankings (don't give us any ideas).
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Next up:at UTSA
5. USF (7-3)
Last week (1):Lost to Navy, 41-38
Why they're here:We've now reached the "disgruntled fan bases" portion of the power rankings. The Bulls looked like the best team in the conference for most of the season, and they honestly still might be. But they've made too many critical errors in their two losses to Memphis and Navy, and now they're left wondering what might've been.
Next up:at UAB
6. Memphis (8-3)
Last week (4):Lost to ECU, 31-27
Why they're here:The Tigers still can't get over the hump under coach Ryan Silverfield and now have lost back-to-back games for the first time since 2022. Another year that included plenty of midseason hype and playoff projections is going to end without a conference title game appearance.
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Next up:Idle
7. Army (5-4)
Last week (7):Idle
Why they're here:The Black Knights have had a casually solid season, rebounding from the whiplash of an FCS loss and a Power Four win at the beginning of the season to settle somewhere in the middle of the pack. Navy should be on upset alert.
Next up:Tulsa
8. Temple (5-5)
Last week (8):Idle
Why they're here:The Owls started off strong and are leaps and bounds better than they've been in recent history. Now they've got plenty of fans from around the conference because their final two games are against Tulane and North Texas, and they can single-handedly turn the title race on its axis.
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Next up:Tulane
9. UTSA (5-5)
Last week (9):Beat Charlotte, 28-7
Why they're here:The Roadrunners got their first road conference win of the season. Now they're back at home, where they're invincible and in prime position to wreck ECU's title chase and then prevent Army from reaching a bowl game.
Next up:ECU
10. FAU (4-6)
Last week (10):Lost to Tulane, 35-24
Why they're here:The Owls have shown flashes, and quarterback Caden Veltkamp is seventh in the country in passing yards. But they haven't been consistent enough to win a lot of games in Zach Kittley's first year at the helm, and that was the story again this weekend.
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Next up:UConn
11. Rice (5-5)
Last week (11):Idle
Why they're here:Scott Abell's triple-option revolution has had its moments this season, but the Owls have a tough path to get to bowl eligibility.
Next up:North Texas
12. Tulsa (3-7)
Last week (13):Beat Oregon State, 31-14
Why they're here:When you're down here, even a win over a 2-9 team means you get to move up. Kudos.
Next up:at Army
13. UAB (3-7)
Last week (12):Lost to North Texas, 53-24
Why they're here:Alex Mortensen's first game as interim head coach went perfectly when he pulled off a massive upset over Memphis. Everything after that has been, uh, not as good.
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Next up:USF
14. Charlotte (1-9)
Last week (14):Lost to UTSA, 28-7
Why they're here:Everything has been bad for Charlotte this season and they still haven't won a conference game. But hey! They get to play a non-conference game this weekend!
*checks schedule*
Oh.
Next up:at Georgia
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: American Conference football power rankings as Navy, North Texas rise
