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From the American Athletic Conference:

IRVING, Texas – The Cincinnati Bearcats, who finished the 2020 season ranked No. 8 nationally, has been tabbed as the preseason favorite in the 2021 American Athletic Conference preseason media poll.

Cincinnati received 22 of a possible 24 first-place votes in the media poll to finish with 262 points. UCF had two first-place votes and was second in the poll with 241 points, ending a streak of three consecutive seasons as the favorite in The American.

The Bearcats, who have gone 31-6 since the start of the 2018 season, went 9-1 overall and 6-0 in American Athletic Conference play last season, winning the American Athletic Conference Championship Game for the first time before falling to Georgia on a last-seconds field goal in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Cincinnati has been ranked in 28 consecutive national polls, dating to Oct. 6, 2019, and carries a 20-game winning streak at Nippert Stadium, marking the fourth-longest active home field winning streak in the nation (behind only Clemson, Notre Dame and Ohio State). Luke Fickell’s squad will be led by quarterback Desmond Ridder, the 2020 American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, and a defense headlined by All-America cornerback Ahmad Gardner.

UCF was a clear choice of the media to reach The American Championship Game in 2021 as the Knights were second in the preseason poll. Former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn begins his first year on the Knights’ sideline, while quarterback Dillon Gabriel returns after he led the NCAA in passing (357.0 yards per game) last season. Gabriel’s career average of 314.0 passing yards per game is the best of any active player in FBS.

SMU edged Houston for the No. 3 spot in the preseason poll. The Mustangs return 18 starters from last year’s team that won seven of its first eight games and was ranked as high as No. 16 nationally. The Cougars, who were hampered by the cancellation or postponement of eight scheduled games last season, look for more stability this season behind the return of 20 starters.

The 2020 season saw The American place a team in a New Year’s Six bowl for the fifth time in the seven-year history of the College Football Playoff/New Year’s Six structure.


2021 American Athletic Conference Preseason Media Poll


Team (First-Place Votes) Points

1. Cincinnati (22) 262

2. UCF (2) 241

3. SMU 188

4. Houston 181

5. Memphis 168

6. Tulsa 153

7. Tulane 132

8. East Carolina 85

Navy 85

10. Temple 46

11. South Florida 43

Preseason Poll Notes
The favorite in the American Athletic Conference preseason media poll has ended up winning the conference title twice in the league’s first seven seasons:

Year Favorite Conference Finish
Champion

2013 Louisville 2nd
UCF

2014 Cincinnati t-1st
UCF, Cincinnati, Memphis

2015 Cincinnati t-3rd East
Houston

2016 Houston t-3rd West
Temple

2017 South Florida t-2nd East
UCF

2018 UCF 1st East
UCF

2019 UCF 2nd East
Memphis

2020 UCF t-3rd
Cincinnati

That’s a nice endorsement. Looking forward to seeing what this team can do.

Nice respect from the coaches to pick us third behind a couple of really strong programs when we have finished fifth the past two seasons.

And our friends in the desert give us 7th best odds… they are usually pretty smart…

247 Sports has us #4 in the conference.

Love seeing us ahead of Houston.
Will love it even more at the end of the season.

I still want to see the QBs, but I'm starting to buy in with this team

Otto wrote:I still want to see the QBs, but I'm starting to buy in with this team

I’d like to see the QBs. I’d like to see our top 2 receivers stay on the field. I’d like to see our RBs put up numbers against actual AAC teams…

I'm not buying it. I think Tulsa or Tulane and at least one other team will be better than us. This is a rebuilding year and our team has not proven they have the mettle to perform in November. Still we are much better than we have been for most of the past 30 years.

mustangxc wrote:I'm not buying it. I think Tulsa or Tulane and at least one other team will be better than us. This is a rebuilding year and our team has not proven they have the mettle to perform in November. Still we are much better than we have been for most of the past 30 years.

Prepare to be very surprised.

Great players win early games. Depth wins you games in Nov and Dec. This team has the depth to play all the way through the year at a high level.

Last year, if Shane got hurt, he had to fight through it. This year, you have Mordecai, Stone, and Green all legit QBs. Do not sleep on Mordecai. His college stats are: 50/70 (71%), 629, 4 TD, 1 INT, 164.1 Rating. He is a very good QB.

Last year, when TJ went down, we hung together with Levine. When Bentley was banged up, there was no other option. This year, even IF TJ doesn't come back, you have Siggers at the power back with Levine (and of course Orlando Jones), and then you have Epton and Dawson for the Bentley role. We are way deeper and will be able to put fresh backs in when players are beat up.

Last year, when Grey and Roberson went down, we had Rice and a bunch of "Guys". Kerley is a big addition for depth. Wiggins took massive strides forward in the spring and is now ready to rotate. Upshaw will be much better in year 2 at WR. And we have legit frosh coming in.

Last year, Granson had to play with a cast against Cincy. He had to play hurt, because we had no playmakers. This year, if Grant gets banged up, Matthews is right there.

We are way deeper at OL and DL than we were last year. The OL will be night and day better than last season. Night and day. Our best OL, JT, for example, gets to move inside to his pro position (LG) instead of being an undersized LT. LB is going to look completely different. The depth in the secondary is just way beyond anything we have had since the death penalty.

People are sleeping on how much talent and depth is on this team. In the team talent composite on 247, SMU was 4th last year, and there was a huge gap between the top 5 and the rest of the conference. With the incoming talent from the recruiting class and transfers, SMU is going to explode up the charts; the only question is if they are behind Cincy or if they pass them up and take the top spot.

Yes. We are going to be good. And Sonny knows it.

Boy, USF and Temple have fallen from decent heights in the 2015-17 seasons. Couldn't sustain success. Hmm, I'm in a glass house as a core Cougar fan but enjoying SMU's renewed success.

JasonB wrote:

mustangxc wrote:I'm not buying it. I think Tulsa or Tulane and at least one other team will be better than us. This is a rebuilding year and our team has not proven they have the mettle to perform in November. Still we are much better than we have been for most of the past 30 years.

Prepare to be very surprised.

Great players win early games. Depth wins you games in Nov and Dec. This team has the depth to play all the way through the year at a high level.

Last year, if Shane got hurt, he had to fight through it. This year, you have Mordecai, Stone, and Green all legit QBs. Do not sleep on Mordecai. His college stats are: 50/70 (71%), 629, 4 TD, 1 INT, 164.1 Rating. He is a very good QB.

Last year, when TJ went down, we hung together with Levine. When Bentley was banged up, there was no other option. This year, even IF TJ doesn't come back, you have Siggers at the power back with Levine (and of course Orlando Jones), and then you have Epton and Dawson for the Bentley role. We are way deeper and will be able to put fresh backs in when players are beat up.

Last year, when Grey and Roberson went down, we had Rice and a bunch of "Guys". Kerley is a big addition for depth. Wiggins took massive strides forward in the spring and is now ready to rotate. Upshaw will be much better in year 2 at WR. And we have legit frosh coming in.

Last year, Granson had to play with a cast against Cincy. He had to play hurt, because we had no playmakers. This year, if Grant gets banged up, Matthews is right there.

We are way deeper at OL and DL than we were last year. The OL will be night and day better than last season. Night and day. Our best OL, JT, for example, gets to move inside to his pro position (LG) instead of being an undersized LT. LB is going to look completely different. The depth in the secondary is just way beyond anything we have had since the death penalty.

People are sleeping on how much talent and depth is on this team. In the team talent composite on 247, SMU was 4th last year, and there was a huge gap between the top 5 and the rest of the conference. With the incoming talent from the recruiting class and transfers, SMU is going to explode up the charts; the only question is if they are behind Cincy or if they pass them up and take the top spot.

If Jasonb is that bullish about the team this year, than so am I.

Take this for what you think..... I heard from a friend that is around the SMU ticket and promotion staff... More season tickets than ever sold.. Post 89'
Real craving for Boulevard.

Since last year was skipped... This is 20 year anniversary of BLVD.

See you soon.

I’m ready for sure.