Major shakeups affected college football in the offseason. Now that the 2024-25 season is underway, it seems the trend might be continuing. American Athletic Conference (AAC) football already had the Navy among its ranks and added the Army Black Knights in the offseason. However, they’re now interested in the Air Force joining too. Currently a part of the Mountain West Conference, teams have been moving around a lot lately with more expected to come and the first rendition of the 12-team College Football Playoff inching closer every week. Soon enough, the home for military football may just be the AAC, though we still have a long way to go for this to become a reality.
What Football Teams Are in the American Athletic Conference?
American Athletic Conference football is a Division 1 conference played by the following teams for the 2024-25 season:
- Army Black Knights
- Charlotte 49ers
- East Carolina Pirates
- Florida Atlantic Owls
- Memphis Tigers
- Navy Midshipmen
- North Texas Mean Green
- Rice Owls
- South Florida Bulls
- Temple Owls
- Tulane Green Wave
- Tulsa Golden Hurricane
- UAB Blazers
- UTSA Roadrunners
However, the American Athletic Conference football teams may look different next year with change afoot.
The dominos setting off these events are vast and involve situations outside of the AAC. Usually, it comes down to money and television—that is for most schools.
Change for the Black Knights came to be in the offseason leading to the 2024-25 NCAA football season came to be because of scheduling conflicts, though it can be argued, that these problems are intertwined.
The Army Joined the AAC in 2024
NCAA American Athletic Conference football changed in the 2024 season by accepting West Point into its ranks.
A lot of other things took place in the offseason for college football that are well documented at this point—the College Football Playoff expansion, transfer portal changes, and NILs taking the world by storm.
All of this affected the Army’s ability to schedule games, a problem athletic director Mike Buddie, understood all too well.
Ever since November 29, 1890, when the Army challenged the Navy to a game of football, it’s been a time-honored tradition.
However, it should come as no surprise that the American Armed Forces has bigger concerns at hand than playing a sport.
Therefore, solutions were in need, and the AAC provided the Army with the right fix to its scheduling problems.
Although they share a conference, the Army-Navy game will continue as an annual non-conference game on the second weekend of December.
However, depending on where the teams finish in the American Athletic Conference football standings, there could be a second Army-Navy game in the AAC championship.
Furthermore, the Army is still going to play the Air Force each year as part of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy rivalry.
Organizing this way helps the military maintain its duties while still participating, helps provide conference championship opportunities, may help even place the team as a longshot in the College Football Playoffs, boosts its marketing, and keeps tradition.
The American Athletic Conference Wants the Falcons
A surprising leak early in the 2024-25 NCAA football season shows interest in the AAC to add the Air Force Falcons to its conference.
The move would place each of the three military branches in the same conference, only intensifying rivalries and helping each bolster their brand awareness with their target market.
Several teams are already leaving the Mountain West Conference as the Pac-12 looks to revive itself by adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State.
The development is ongoing and far from final but concrete news would be less than shocking as change continues in the college football landscape.
Still, now that so many teams have left the Mountain West, it appears that the Air Force will avoid jumping ship. Only time will tell if the AAC is in the future for the Falcons.
Where Is the American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game?
The American Athletic Conference football championship game is generally hosted by the higher ranking team during the final weekend of the season by the CFP rankings multiple, or through computer averages that determine the overall higher ranking team.
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