AAC Football Team Previews 2025: The Inside Story

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College football never sleeps—even in the heart of spring practice season. While teams battle through March workouts and position battles heat up across the country, the storylines shaping the 2025 season continue to unfold at breakneck speed. This week delivered game-changing developments across the landscape:

Danielson Retires: Long-time CBS college sports analyst Gary Danielson will retire at the end of the 2025 college football season. LINK

We should do a home-and-home.": Oklahoma State HC Mike Gundy proposes reviving the Bedlam Series in the spring. LINK

Stanford Fires Head Football Coach: Stanford general manager Andrew Luck just announced the firing of head coach Troy Taylor. LINK

Pruitt says Tennessee cheated before his tenure: Ex-Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt sues NCAA, alleges he was 'sacrificial lamb,' claims $100M in lost wages. LINK

DEEP DIVE

College football's most unpredictable conference is about to get even wilder

The American Athletic Conference enters 2025 at a fascinating crossroads. Last season delivered the unexpected as Army dominated in its debut AAC campaign, Navy reclaimed national relevance, and several programs underwent dramatic mid-season transformations. Now, the conference faces a new reality:

• Half the league's teams have new head coaches or coordinators

• The transfer portal has completely reshuffled rosters across the conference

• Traditional powers are reloading while former bottom-dwellers surge upward

• The race for the championship game appears more wide open than ever

This volatility creates the perfect environment for breakthrough seasons and unexpected collapses. The only certainty is that nothing in the AAC will unfold according to preseason predictions.

Here's your insider's guide to Part 1 of our American Althletic Deep Dive for 2025:

Army Black Knights: The Defending Champions Face Their Ultimate Test

Army football's historic 12-2 championship season is about to meet its toughest opponent yet: massive roster turnover.

The Black Knights dominated their debut AAC season with ruthless efficiency, posting a perfect 8-0 conference record before dismantling Tulane in the championship game. But 2025 brings seismic challenges:

• Heisman finalist quarterback Bryson Daily has graduated

• Three starters from their Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line are gone

• Both service academy rivalry games will be played on the road

• Offensive line coach Matt Drinkall left to become head coach at Central Michigan

Despite these obstacles, Coach Jeff Monken's program has the foundation to remain elite. Center Brady Small and senior Paolo Gennarelli provide continuity on the offensive line, while running back Noah Short returns as a proven playmaker. Most importantly, their defense—projected 35th nationally with a 23.2 SP+ rating—remains the program's bedrock while the offense reloads.

Will this new generation of Army players write their chapter in the program's storied history? Read the entire Army preview → ARMY

East Carolina Pirates: The Late-Season Surge That Changed Everything

Blake Harrell transformed East Carolina football overnight.

The numbers tell a stunning story of what happened when Harrell took over seven games into last season:

• A struggling 3-4 team suddenly won 5 of their final 6 games

• The defense skyrocketed to 12th nationally in defensive touchdowns

• A thrilling Military Bowl victory over NC State capped the turnaround

• Harrell earned a four-year, $1.3 million contract for his efforts

With offensive coordinator John David Baker maintaining an attack that averaged 436.4 total yards per game and fifteen impact transfers—including former 4-star Oklahoma receiver Jaquaize Pettaway—strengthening the roster, the Pirates have weaponized the transfer portal like never before.

The schedule presents both opportunities and obstacles, with seven 2024 bowl teams awaiting selection, but everything about ECU's program points in the right direction.

If the Pirates can solve their turnover issues and maintain momentum from their bowl victory, 2025 could finally mark East Carolina's return to conference championship contention. Read the full East Carolina preview → ECU

Charlotte 49ers: The Championship Blueprint Has Arrived

Tim Albin is about to transform Charlotte 49ers football.

After delivering three consecutive 10-win seasons and a MAC Championship at Ohio University, Albin brings a winning blueprint to a program desperate for an identity. His vision isn't complicated: "to be in a bowl every year." But the execution has been nothing short of revolutionary:

• A coaching dream team assembled, including Todd Fitch (Offensive Coordinator/Associate Head Coach) from LSU

• Up to 22 transfers flooding in, including Power 5 quarterbacks Conner Harrell (North Carolina) and Grayson Loftis (Duke)

• A complete scheme overhaul with a spread option offense and 4-2-5 defensive alignment

• Four consecutive home games to open the season, providing runway for momentum

With a $70 million stadium expansion breaking ground in 2025, Charlotte is signaling its long-term commitment to football success.

The 49ers' rise from 5-7 to bowl eligibility isn't just possible—in 2025, it should be expected. Read the full Charlotte preview → Charlotte

Memphis Tigers: Reloading, Not Rebuilding

Memphis refuses to take a step back despite losing their star quarterback.

After an impressive 11-2 campaign capped by a Frisco Bowl victory over West Virginia, the Tigers face their most significant challenge: replacing four-year starting quarterback Seth Henigan. Their solution? Strategic portal additions that address every potential weakness:

• Quarterback Brendon Lewis arrives from Nevada with 25 career starts and over 2,290 passing yards last season

• Defensive line reinforcements Pooda Walker and Chase Carter strengthen the front

• Michigan transfers Myles Pollard and Kody Jones instantly upgrade a secondary that struggled creating turnovers

• Harvard transfer Austin Gentle brings All-Ivy League offensive line experience

Coach Ryan Silverfield's program continues to demonstrate the stability and recruiting prowess necessary to remain among the AAC elite.

If the new defensive additions can generate more turnovers and the offensive line provides adequate protection for Lewis, Tiger fans could be celebrating another AAC championship appearance in December. Read the full Memphis preview → Memphis

Florida Atlantic Owls: College Football's Boldest Experiment

FAU is betting on college football's youngest head coach to revitalize its program.

Zach Kittley is 33 years old, making him the youngest head coach in FBS football—and he's about to unleash an offensive revolution at Florida Atlantic University. After going 3-9 last season, the Owls decided to blow everything up:

• Former head coach Tom Herman was dismissed mid-season after starting 2-8

• Kittley's previous offensive systems averaged a ridiculous 457.3 yards and 34.8 points per game over seven seasons

• The roster has been completely overhauled through the transfer portal

• Quarterback Caden Veltkamp followed Kittley from Western Kentucky, bringing pre-installed knowledge of the offensive system

Veterans like linebacker Jackson Ambush (89 tackles) and center Federico Maranges provide stability, but fundamental questions remain: Can a 33-year-old first-time head coach handle responsibilities beyond X's and O's? Will a defense that surrendered 30+ points seven times improve enough?

If it works, the Owls could become the AAC's next breakthrough program. If it fails, it'll just be another coaching regime that promised big and delivered little. Read the full FAU preview → FAU

Navy Midshipmen: The Triple-Option Renaissance Is Here

Navy football is about to dominate the 2025 season.

The Midshipmen just delivered their first 10-win season since 2019, and they're only getting started. Their resurrection wasn't a fluke—it was a foundation:

• They opened with six straight wins, including a 56-44 offensive explosion against Memphis

• They reclaimed the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy by dismantling Air Force 34-7 and handling Army 31-13

• Quarterback Blake Horvath delivered a jaw-dropping 95-yard touchdown run to secure a bowl victory over Oklahoma

• An astonishing 73% of offensive production returns (practically unheard of in the transfer portal era)

While everyone else rebuilds through the transfer portal, Navy builds through development. Senior QB Blake Horvath (1,154 passing yards, 11 TDs, 870 rushing yards, 13 TDs) and fullback Alex Tecza (576 yards, 8 TDs) lead an offense averaging 247.5 rushing yards per game.

In a world where college football programs increasingly resemble each other, Navy stands apart—physical, disciplined, and executing a unique system with precision. Read the full Navy preview → NAVY

THAT’S A WRAP

The AAC Revolution Is Just Getting Started

This is merely the beginning of the AAC's most transformative season yet.

Next week, we'll dive into the conference's remaining powerhouses—including defending national darling Tulane, rising star USF, UTSA's reload under Jeff Traylor, and why Rice might be the conference's most dangerous sleeper. We'll also break down the biggest storylines to watch:

• Which transfer quarterback will have the biggest impact?

• Can Army actually repeat as conference champions?

• Which new head coach faces the most pressure to win immediately?

• Who has the inside track to New Year's Six bowl consideration?

The race for the AAC Championship is wide open in a way we've never seen before.

Stay tuned as we delve deeper into America's most unpredictable and exciting conference. The transformation is just beginning.