The 2023 American Athletic Conference football season was the 32nd NCAA Division I FBS Football season of the American Athletic Conference (The American). It was the 11th season since the former Big East Conference dissolved and became the American Athletic Conference and the ninth season of the College Football Playoff in place. The American is considered a member of the Group of Five (G5) together with Conference USA, the MAC, Mountain West Conference and the Sun Belt Conference. The American saw significant realignment prior to the season, with three schools departing the conference and six schools joining. It will be the final season with SMU, who will be leaving to join the Atlantic Coast Conference in the 2024âÂÂ2025 school year.
The American Athletic Conference underwent significant realignment before the 2023 season. Three schools, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF, departed the conference to join the Big 12 Conference, having accepted invitations to join two years prior. The American invited six schools to join the conference, all previously from Conference USA: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA. The realignment brought The American up to 14 football members for the 2023 season.
This will be SMU's final season in the American before they move to the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2024.
In response to SMU's departure, the American announced the addition of Army as a football-only member beginning in 2024. Army currently competes as an independent and its addition will keep the conference at 14 football members.
The 2023 American Football Media days were held July 24âÂÂ25, 2023 at Live! By Loews, Arlington, Texas.
The American Athletic Conference preseason media poll was released at AAC Media Day on July 25, 2023.
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The 2023 schedule was released on February 21, 2023.
2023âÂÂ2024 records against non-conference foes:
Postseason
This is a list of games the American has scheduled versus power conference teams (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, Notre Dame and SEC). All rankings are from the current AP Poll at the time of the game.
The following games include American Athletic Conference teams competing against teams from C-USA, the MAC, Mountain West, or Sun Belt.
The following games include AAC teams competing against FBS Independents, which includes Army, UConn, or UMass.
The following individuals received postseason honors as chosen by the league's head coaches.
The following players were selected part of the All-Conference teams.
Currently, the NCAA compiles consensus all-America teams in the sports of Division I-FBS football and Division I men's basketball using a point system computed from All-America teams named by coaches associations or media sources. The system consists of three points for a first-team honor, two points for second-team honor, and one point for third-team honor. Honorable mention and fourth team or lower recognitions are not accorded any points. College Football All-American consensus teams are compiled by position and the player accumulating the most points at each position is named first team consensus all-American. Currently, the NCAA recognizes All-Americans selected by the AP, AFCA, FWAA, TSN, and the WCFF to determine Consensus and Unanimous All-Americans. Any player named to the First Team by all five of the NCAA-recognized selectors is deemed a Unanimous All-American.
Capacity source on all 14 stadiums:
The NFL draft was held at Campus Martius Park in Detroit. The following list includes all AAC players in the draft.