The AAC may have lost a handful of teams, players, and coaches over the past two years. But they more than made up for that with some acquisitions both in the portal and in terms of conference realignment to give us quite the product this fall.
With all its moving parts, which American Athletic Conference teams have the toughest road ahead of them in terms of AAC Strength of Schedule in 2024?
2024 AAC Strength of Schedule
Before we get to the rankings, we need to examine how we generated these metrics.
From our cross-conference strength of schedule:
CFN’s exclusive strength of schedule metric was crafted carefully using as many resources as possible ahead of the 2024 season. Using a bevy of metrics such as returning production, roster projections, coaching staff, incoming talent, home-field advantage, and other factors, the CFN SOS analyzes which teams have the most difficult and easiest schedules this season.
CFN’s strength of schedule metric included each team’s transfer portal classes, valued quarterbacks returning to their school, and continuation among the coaching staffs into the ranking.
These factors all awarded schedule difficulty more heavily based on merit and projection, as opposed to looking back at results from last season, though those results were factored in moderately. They’ve also been updated following all the reports from spring practice, final transfer portal class numbers, and the most up-to-date roster and depth chart files we have on hand.
MORE: Strength of Schedule for All 134 Teams
Here’s how the AAC teams stack up ahead of the 2024 season:
1) USF Bulls
Toughest Game: @ Alabama
Easiest Game: vs. Bethune-Cookman
S.O.S. Score: 8.33
National Rank: 77th
MORE: USF’s 2024 Football Schedule
2) Tulane Green Wave
Toughest Game: @ Oklahoma
Easiest Game: vs. SE Louisiana
S.O.S. Score: 8.08
National Rank: 83rd
MORE: Tulane’s 2024 Football Schedule
3) Memphis Tigers
Toughest Game: @ Florida State
Easiest Game: vs. North Alabama
S.O.S. Score: 6.94
National Rank: 99th
MORE: Memphis’ 2024 Football Schedule
4) Charlotte 49ers
Toughest Game: @ Memphis
Easiest Game: vs. Gardner-Webb
S.O.S. Score: 6.92
National Rank: 100th
MORE: Charlotte’s 2024 Football Schedule
5) Navy Midshipmen
Toughest Game: vs. Notre Dame
Easiest Game: vs. Bucknell
S.O.S. Score: 6.73
National Rank: 103rd
MORE: Navy’s 2024 Football Schedule
6) Rice Owls
Toughest Game: @ Tulane
Easiest Game: vs. Texas Southern
S.O.S. Score: 6.33
National Rank: T108th
MORE: Rice’s 2024 Football Schedule
7) Temple Owls
Toughest Game: @ Oklahoma
Easiest Game: @ ECU
S.O.S. Score: 6.33
National Rank: T108th
MORE: Temple’s 2024 Football Schedule
8) UTSA Roadrunners
Toughest Game: @ Texas
Easiest Game: vs. Kennesaw State
S.O.S. Score: 6.27
National Rank: 111th
MORE: UTSA’s 2024 Football Schedule
9) UAB Blazers
Toughest Game: @ Memphis
Easiest Game: vs. Alcorn State
S.O.S. Score: 5.90
National Rank: T117th
MORE: UAB’s 2024 Football Schedule
10) North Texas Mean Green
Toughest Game: @ Memphis
Easiest Game: vs. Stephen F. Austin
S.O.S. Score: 5.54
National Rank: 122nd
MORE: North Texas’ 2024 Football Schedule
11) Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Toughest Game: vs. Oklahoma State
Easiest Game: Northwestern State
S.O.S. Score: 5.08
National Rank: 128th
MORE: Tulsa’s 2024 Football Schedule
12) ECU Pirates
Toughest Game: vs. App State
Easiest Game: vs. Norfolk State
S.O.S. Score: 5.06
National Rank: 129th
MORE: ECU’s 2024 Football Schedule
13) Army Black Knights
Toughest Game: vs. Notre Dame
Easiest Game: vs. Lehigh
S.O.S. Score: 5.02
National Rank: 130th
MORE: Army’s 2024 Football Schedule
14) FAU Owls
Toughest Game: vs. USF
Easiest Game: vs. Wagner
S.O.S. Score: 4.29
National Rank: 132nd
MORE: FAU’s 2024 Football Schedule
KEEP READING: Top 10 Easiest College Football Schedules in 2024
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