AAC vs FCS, The Group of Five, & PC’s

The American Athletic Conference (AAC … not to be confused with the ACC, … Atlantic Coast Conference), formally known as the Big East, has lost its status as an elite league among the Power Conferences. During the BCS years, they were one of the exalted Six (ACC, B-12, B-10, PAC 12, SEC & Big East), this is no longer the case, as they now have been demoted to leading the “Group of Five” (AAC, Conference-USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West Conference, & Sun Belt Conference)… whatever that may mean, they are at the front of the line!

This coming season (2014) the AAC takes on 21 teams, from the 5 Power Conferences (PC): ACC, Six games; B-12, four battles; B-10, six opponents; PAC 12, one contest; & SEC, four dates! Please Note: the AAC does not play Notre Dame! Of the 21 schedule games with the PC’s, 13 are on the road, 7 are @ home, & 1 is at a neutral site. This is the most home games any of the Group of Five (GF) play in their home arenas against the Power Conferences.

The AAC will line up against the GF’s (listed above) 14 times: C-USA, four games; MAC, two tilts, MWC, two dates; SBC, one encounter; Independents, 5 battles (BYU 3, Navy 1, & Army 1). The American Conference will play ten of their fourteen games against the Group of Five @ home and only four on the road!

The AAC takes on 9 FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) opponents, all at home! Please Note: the FCS teams are limited to 63 full scholarships, but may give fewer & retain their FCS certification; while the FBS, Football Bowl Subdivision, (PC’s & GF’s) must give 85 full scholarships or they will lose their FBS status! The AAC welcomes the following FCS teams into their respective stadiums from these conferences: MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), three games; OVC (Ohio Valley Conference):  two dates; SoCon ( Southern Conference); CAA (Colonial Athletic Association); S-Land (Southland Conference); & SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference)  each for one game!

The AAC is the strongest of the group of Five, evidenced by the fact that they play their PC opponents, 33% of the time in their stadiums (the highest of any of the Group of Five) and a full 71% of their games, against their fellow members in the GF, @ home!