There are still more than three months before the start of the college football season, but it’s never too early to start looking ahead.
Memphis football will get an early start this season as the Tigers will face UNLV on Aug. 29 as part of college football’s Week Zero. The Tigers are three-point underdogs against the Rebels.
That game will ultimately have a major impact on Memphis’ season and potentially on the Group of Six playoff race as a whole. Both teams will be among the favorites to reach the College Football Playoff from the group heading into the season.
And while the American Conference is wide open, a couple of metrics have Memphis near — but not at — the top of the preseason projections. Here’s a closer look.
ESPN’s SP+
SP+ is an efficiency metric that grades every college football team. That’s obviously difficult in the offseason, when there are vast ranges of unknowns. It’s even more difficult at the Group of Six level, where there are generally more transfers and less proven production.
Navy is the highest-ranked American Conference team at No. 63. The Midshipmen are followed by Memphis (No. 70), UTSA (No. 73), ECU (No. 76) and South Florida (No. 80).
Charlotte, which will host Memphis this season, is ranked dead last among all FBS teams.
Boise State, which also will host Memphis this season, is the highest-ranked Group of Six team at No. 39. UNLV is next at No. 59. That means the Tigers will face the two highest-ranked Group of Six teams on the road.
American Conference title odds
Several sportsbooks also have released title odds for the conference.
All of the teams projected near the top of the American have major questions. The three teams at the top are there because of continuity. Army took a step back last season, while UTSA hasn’t demonstrated an ability to win on the road or defend at a high level. Navy is coming off a successful two-season stretch, but the Midshipmen lost several major contributors, including star quarterback Blake Horvath and All-American defensive tackle Landon Robinson.
Tulane, Memphis, South Florida and North Texas all have new coaches, while East Carolina has two new coordinators. Those teams all have new starting quarterbacks, too.
Here’s a look at the current odds via BetMGM.
- Navy +360
- UTSA +475
- Army +600
- Tulane +600
- Memphis +650
- East Carolina +800
- South Florida +800
- North Texas +2500
- Florida Atlantic +3500
- Temple +4000
- Tulsa +5500
- Rice +15000
- Charlotte +30000
- UAB +30000
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.
