SMU picked fourth in AAC West

[PonyPride]

From the American Athletic Conference:

SMU picked fourth in AAC West


Team - Points
UCF - 12
Cincinnati - 8
Memphis - 6
Houston - 4

East Division
Team - Points
1. UCF (19) - 169
2. Cincinnati (11) - 157
3. USF - 107
4. Temple - 101
5. ECU - 66
6. Connecticut - 30

West Division
Team - points
1. Memphis (15) - 165
2. Houston (14) - 162
3. Tulane - 108
4. SMU (1) - 87
5. Navy - 70
6. Tulsa - 38

(first-place votes in parentheses)

NEWPORT, R.I. – The UCF Knights, who have won25 of their last 26 games, have been selected as the favorite to win the 2019 American Athletic Conference Championship in the conference’s preseason media poll.

UCF received 12 of a possible 30 votes to win the league title, while the Knights were listed first on 19 ballots in the East Division race.

Memphis was the media's choice in the West Division as the Tigers received 15 first-place votes and 165 points to edge Houstonin a close vote.

Cincinnati was projected as the overall conference champion on eight ballots, while Memphis received six votes for the leaguetitle, while Houston was the choice on four ballots.

UCF finished the regular season unbeaten for the second straight season in 2018 as the Knights went on to capture their fourthAmerican Athletic Conference championship and advance to the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. The Knights return 39 letterwinners and 13 starters from last year’s team, which went 12-1 and finished the year ranked No. 11 in the Associated Press poll.

Memphis was named as the favorite in the West Division for the third straight year as the Tigers claimed 15 of the 30 first-placevotes for 165 points. Mike Norvell’s Tigers have 16 returning starters from last year’s team which won the West Division title by taking its last four conference games.

The American Athletic Conference welcomes three new head coaches to the sidelines in 2019. Mike Houston, the former JamesMadison coach, takes over at ECU; Dana Holgorsen, formerly of West Virginia, is the new man at Houston; and former Northern Illinois coach Rod Carey will man the sidelines at Temple.

The fourth American Athletic Conference Football Championship will be played Saturday, Dec. 7, at the home site of the divisionchampion with the best conference record.

Preseason Poll Notes

The favorite in the American Athletic Conference preseason media poll has ended up winning the conference title twice inthe league’s first six 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 USF t-2nd East UCF

2018 UCF 1st East UCF


All-Time Preseason Media Polls

2018

American Championship

Team Points

UCF 19

Memphis 7

USF 3

Houston 1


East Division

Team Points

1. USF (25) 175

2. USF (5) 140

3. Temple 132

4. Cincinnati 91

5. UConn 51

6. ECU 41


West Division

Team Points

1. Memphis (23) 171

2. Houston (4) 146

3. Navy (3) 129

4. SMU 72

5. Tulane 68

6. Tulsa 44


2017

American Championship

Team Points

USF 26

Houston 2

Memphis 1

Navy 1


East Division

Team Points

1. USF (30) 169

2. UCF 126

3. Temple 119

4. Cincinnati 100

5. ECU 63

6. UConn 42


West Division

Team Points

1. Memphis (22) 169

2. Houston (6) 137

3. Navy (1) 128

4. Tulsa (1) 102

5. SMU 64

6. Tulane 30


2016

American Championship

Team Points

Houston 27

USF 2

Temple 1


East Division

Team Points

1. USF (15) 164

2. Temple (9) 144

3. Cincinnati (6) 130

4. UConn 89

5. ECU 55

6. UCF 48


West Division

Team Points

1. Houston (30) 180

2. Navy 128

3. Memphis 124

4. Tulsa 92

5. SMU 65

6. Tulane 41


2015

American Championship

Team Points

Cincinnati 22

Memphis 5

Houston 2

UCF 1


East Division

Team Points

1. Cincinnati (29) 179

2. UCF (1) 135

3. Temple 116

4. ECU 105

5. USF 53

6. UConn 42


West Division

Team Points

1. Memphis (13) 153

2. Houston (10) 149

3. Navy (7) 148

4. Tulane 74

5. SMU 59

6. Tulsa 47








2014

Team Points

1. Cincinnati (17) 311

2. UCF (7) 296

3. Houston (6) 268

4. ECU 262

5. SMU 158

6. USF 157

7. Memphis 133

8. Temple 105

9. UConn 98

Tulane 98

11. Tulsa 94





2013

Team Points

1. Louisville (28) 298

2. Cincinnati (2) 257

3. Rutgers 240

4. UCF 210

5. USF 155

6. Houston 134

7. UConn 131

8. SMU 118

9. Temple 60

10. Memphis 47

[CA Mustang]

So which media member gave SMU a first place vote?

[82Pony]

So which media member gave SMU a first place vote?

I wanted to ask that question too. Any SMU alums in the group? Dallas area member? Would love to know.

[originaloverthehilltop1]

tulane? tulane is ranked ahead of us? why?

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

tulane? tulane is ranked ahead of us? why?

Not that crazy considering they finished ahead of us last season.

[skyscraper]

One media member thinks very highly of Sonny and Shane, apparently.

[CA Mustang]

tulane? tulane is ranked ahead of us? why?

Not that crazy considering they finished ahead of us last season.

Really, how were they better? SMU won at Tulane and beat UH (which destroyed Tulane). Only positives for Tulane in the comparison are: 1) they beat Tulsa and 2) Tulane beat ECU while SMU lost to UCF. For #2, switch those opponents and you switch the results.

[leopold]

People are high on Fritz, as they should be - he's a fine coach.

Really, this poll is fair. We are going to have to prove we can compete.

[shadowman]

Meanwhile, UNT was picked to finish first in the C-USA West, Mason Fine was voted POY, and several notable prognosticators, including Dan Campbell's Texas Football magazine, has UNT beating us at our place.

We need to make really sure we are prepared for that game, losing to North Texas at home would kill any enthusiasm we may have gained.

[smupony94]

Meanwhile, UNT was picked to finish first in the C-USA West, Mason Fine was voted POY, and several notable prognosticators, including Dan Campbell's Texas Football magazine, has UNT beating us at our place.

We need to make really sure we are prepared for that game, losing to North Texas at home would kill any enthusiasm we may have gained.

And next year Mason and Seth will be gone

[ALEX LIFESON]

Sad

[ozfan]

tulane? tulane is ranked ahead of us? why?

Because ole Willie is a smart coach and has slowly been building a pretty good team.

[originaloverthehilltop1]

ok, but we are expected to be in bottom half of aac conf. not acceptable.

[PonySnob]

Next year???

[ponyboy]

Cancel the season. Some hacks behind a keyboard have predetermined our destiny.