Here is what the beat writers covering AAC teams came up with this week. My rankings were as follows:
1) Central Florida
2) Memphis
3) South Florida
4) Navy
5) Houston
6) SMU
7) Tulane
8) Temple
9) East Carolina
10) Tulsa
11) Cincinnati
12) Connecticut
1. Central Florida (10-0, 7-0 AAC): Any fear of overlooking Temple for Friday’s showdown with South Florida, was unfounded. The Knights caused five turnovers and quarterback McKenzie Milton completed 16 of 23 for 208 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed for 23 yards and a score. Milton was named the AAC co-offensive player of the week. Linebacker Shaquem Griffin was named to the AAC honor roll after recording three tackles, a forced fumble, a 22-yard interception return, a pass breakup and a tackle for loss. Now comes Friday’s game against visiting USF, with the winner earning the East Division title and a trip to the AAC championship game against Memphis.- Marc Narducci, Philadelphia Inquirer
2. Memphis (9-1, 6-1 AAC): Officially the best in the AAC West after a 66-45 victory over SMU, the Tigers wrap up the regular season and celebrate Senior Day with an 11 a.m. Saturday kickoff against East Carolina. And what a group of seniors it’s been. The Tigers have won at least nine games just eight times in school history but three of those have come in the last four years (2014, 2015, 2017). - John Varlas, Memphis Commercial Appeal
3. USF (9-1, 6-1 AAC): Bulls senior quarterback Quinton Flowers, already considered by many the greatest player in program history, can statistically cement that status in Friday's East Division showdown at UCF. Flowers needs only 96 yards to break Matt Grothe's career total yardage record (10,875), and 146 rushing yards to eclipse Marlon Mack's all-time rushing yardage mark (3,609). Toppling the Knights (and clinching USF's first division title ever) wouldn't harm Flowers' legacy either. - Joey Knight, Tampa Bay Times
4. Navy (6-4, 4-3 AAC): The Midshipmen have lost four of their last five and are in danger of finishing the season on a serious slide. Navy closes the American campaign with a Friday matinee at Houston then faces archrival Army (8-3) in the regular season finale on Dec. 9. The Mids are trying to avoid a 1-5 finish that would leave them at .500 going into a bowl game. - Bill Wagner, Baltimore Sun Media Group
5. Houston (6-4, 4-3 AAC): Three of Houston's four losses this season have come by four points or less, the latest a 20-17 setback to Tulane. True freshman Davion Mitchell is expected to see an increased workload in Friday's game against Navy as running back depth a concern, with Duke Catalon (shoulder) and Mulbah Car (ankle/knee) dealing with nagging injuries and Dillon Birden (elbow) out for the season. The current senior class has 36 wins and needs to win the final two games (which includes a bowl) to match the school record set by the 2016 class. - Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle
6. SMU (6-5, 3-4 AAC): SMU's defense is reeling after a 66-45 loss to Memphis. The Mustangs have given up an average of 612.7 yards per game during their three-game losing streak to the Tigers, Navy and UCF. SMU missed middle linebacker Anthony Rhone, a senior starter who was out with a concussion. The Mustangs get one more chance to get back on track against Tulane for Senior Day. - Adam Grosbard, Dallas Morning News
7. Tulane (5-6, 3-4 AAC): With a breakthrough 20-17 home upset of Houston, the Green Wave set up an incredibly meaningful game at SMU for a small but productive 12-player senior class that includes six defensive starters plus 1,000-yard running back Dontrell Hilliard. Seven of them were redshirted in 2013 when Tulane played in the New Orleans Bowl, but they never had won more than four games overall or two conference games as active players until this season. They would love to see all their hard work turn into a bowl game send-off, signaling the program's rise under second-year coach Willie Fritz. - Guerry Smith, The New Orleans Advocate
8. Temple (5-6, 3-4 AAC): Making his fourth straight start, quarterback Frank Nutile had his first poor showing during a 45-19 home loss to Central Florida on Senior Day. Nutile entered the game with three interceptions and threw four against the Knights. Coach Geoff Collins said Monday that Nutile was still taking the first team reps. Shining in defeat was redshirt senior defensive lineman Jullian Taylor, who had 4.5 sacks. Temple needs to win Saturday at Tulsa to become bowl eligible for a fourth consecutive season. - Marc Narducci, Philadelphia Inquirer
9. East Carolina (3-8, 2-5 AAC): The Pirates have trended slightly upward at season's end, culminating in Saturday's blowout win over fading Cincinnati, 48-20. It was a record day for junior wide receiver Trevon Brown, whose 270 yards were both a school and an American record. The win came on the heels of one of the team's few close games this season, an overtime loss to Tulane. The victory celebration could be dampened this week, however, when the Pirates finish the season at No. 17 Memphis. – Nathan Summers, The (Greenville, N.C.) Daily Reflector
10. Connecticut (3-8, 2-5 AAC): The Huskies have lost four in a row for the second time this season. They will finish with a losing record for the seventh consecutive season, since playing in the Fiesta Bowl following the 2010 season (Randy Edsall's final season before taking the Maryland job). UConn can eclipse its 2016 victory total by winning its season finale at Cincinnati. - Mike Anthony, Hartford Courant
11. Tulsa (2-9, 1-6 AAC): Falling 27-20 at USF on Thursday night ensured the Hurricane will finish in last place in the West Division after having been picked fourth. In each of its previous three seasons in the American, Tulsa overachieved its preseason projection by two spots. A disappointing campaign that included an 0-6 record in road games ends at home against Temple on Saturday afternoon. - Kelly Hines, Tulsa World
12. Cincinnati (3-8, 1-6 AAC): The league's worst offense was trumped by America's worst defense, as the Bearcats dropped an embarrassing 48-20 decision at East Carolina. UC finishes the year at home against UConn, trying to avoid the program's worst record since a 2-9 season in 1998. -Tom Groeschen, Cincinnati Enquirer
1) Central Florida
2) Memphis
3) South Florida
4) Navy
5) Houston
6) SMU
7) Tulane
8) Temple
9) East Carolina
10) Tulsa
11) Cincinnati
12) Connecticut
1. Central Florida (10-0, 7-0 AAC): Any fear of overlooking Temple for Friday’s showdown with South Florida, was unfounded. The Knights caused five turnovers and quarterback McKenzie Milton completed 16 of 23 for 208 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed for 23 yards and a score. Milton was named the AAC co-offensive player of the week. Linebacker Shaquem Griffin was named to the AAC honor roll after recording three tackles, a forced fumble, a 22-yard interception return, a pass breakup and a tackle for loss. Now comes Friday’s game against visiting USF, with the winner earning the East Division title and a trip to the AAC championship game against Memphis.- Marc Narducci, Philadelphia Inquirer
2. Memphis (9-1, 6-1 AAC): Officially the best in the AAC West after a 66-45 victory over SMU, the Tigers wrap up the regular season and celebrate Senior Day with an 11 a.m. Saturday kickoff against East Carolina. And what a group of seniors it’s been. The Tigers have won at least nine games just eight times in school history but three of those have come in the last four years (2014, 2015, 2017). - John Varlas, Memphis Commercial Appeal
3. USF (9-1, 6-1 AAC): Bulls senior quarterback Quinton Flowers, already considered by many the greatest player in program history, can statistically cement that status in Friday's East Division showdown at UCF. Flowers needs only 96 yards to break Matt Grothe's career total yardage record (10,875), and 146 rushing yards to eclipse Marlon Mack's all-time rushing yardage mark (3,609). Toppling the Knights (and clinching USF's first division title ever) wouldn't harm Flowers' legacy either. - Joey Knight, Tampa Bay Times
4. Navy (6-4, 4-3 AAC): The Midshipmen have lost four of their last five and are in danger of finishing the season on a serious slide. Navy closes the American campaign with a Friday matinee at Houston then faces archrival Army (8-3) in the regular season finale on Dec. 9. The Mids are trying to avoid a 1-5 finish that would leave them at .500 going into a bowl game. - Bill Wagner, Baltimore Sun Media Group
5. Houston (6-4, 4-3 AAC): Three of Houston's four losses this season have come by four points or less, the latest a 20-17 setback to Tulane. True freshman Davion Mitchell is expected to see an increased workload in Friday's game against Navy as running back depth a concern, with Duke Catalon (shoulder) and Mulbah Car (ankle/knee) dealing with nagging injuries and Dillon Birden (elbow) out for the season. The current senior class has 36 wins and needs to win the final two games (which includes a bowl) to match the school record set by the 2016 class. - Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle
6. SMU (6-5, 3-4 AAC): SMU's defense is reeling after a 66-45 loss to Memphis. The Mustangs have given up an average of 612.7 yards per game during their three-game losing streak to the Tigers, Navy and UCF. SMU missed middle linebacker Anthony Rhone, a senior starter who was out with a concussion. The Mustangs get one more chance to get back on track against Tulane for Senior Day. - Adam Grosbard, Dallas Morning News
7. Tulane (5-6, 3-4 AAC): With a breakthrough 20-17 home upset of Houston, the Green Wave set up an incredibly meaningful game at SMU for a small but productive 12-player senior class that includes six defensive starters plus 1,000-yard running back Dontrell Hilliard. Seven of them were redshirted in 2013 when Tulane played in the New Orleans Bowl, but they never had won more than four games overall or two conference games as active players until this season. They would love to see all their hard work turn into a bowl game send-off, signaling the program's rise under second-year coach Willie Fritz. - Guerry Smith, The New Orleans Advocate
8. Temple (5-6, 3-4 AAC): Making his fourth straight start, quarterback Frank Nutile had his first poor showing during a 45-19 home loss to Central Florida on Senior Day. Nutile entered the game with three interceptions and threw four against the Knights. Coach Geoff Collins said Monday that Nutile was still taking the first team reps. Shining in defeat was redshirt senior defensive lineman Jullian Taylor, who had 4.5 sacks. Temple needs to win Saturday at Tulsa to become bowl eligible for a fourth consecutive season. - Marc Narducci, Philadelphia Inquirer
9. East Carolina (3-8, 2-5 AAC): The Pirates have trended slightly upward at season's end, culminating in Saturday's blowout win over fading Cincinnati, 48-20. It was a record day for junior wide receiver Trevon Brown, whose 270 yards were both a school and an American record. The win came on the heels of one of the team's few close games this season, an overtime loss to Tulane. The victory celebration could be dampened this week, however, when the Pirates finish the season at No. 17 Memphis. – Nathan Summers, The (Greenville, N.C.) Daily Reflector
10. Connecticut (3-8, 2-5 AAC): The Huskies have lost four in a row for the second time this season. They will finish with a losing record for the seventh consecutive season, since playing in the Fiesta Bowl following the 2010 season (Randy Edsall's final season before taking the Maryland job). UConn can eclipse its 2016 victory total by winning its season finale at Cincinnati. - Mike Anthony, Hartford Courant
11. Tulsa (2-9, 1-6 AAC): Falling 27-20 at USF on Thursday night ensured the Hurricane will finish in last place in the West Division after having been picked fourth. In each of its previous three seasons in the American, Tulsa overachieved its preseason projection by two spots. A disappointing campaign that included an 0-6 record in road games ends at home against Temple on Saturday afternoon. - Kelly Hines, Tulsa World
12. Cincinnati (3-8, 1-6 AAC): The league's worst offense was trumped by America's worst defense, as the Bearcats dropped an embarrassing 48-20 decision at East Carolina. UC finishes the year at home against UConn, trying to avoid the program's worst record since a 2-9 season in 1998. -Tom Groeschen, Cincinnati Enquirer