A wild sequence of games in the seventh week of the college football season set the stage for a big Week 8 — one in which the top two teams in the American Athletic Conference’s East and West divisions will face each other.
The past week featured two last-second thrillers as Houston held off Tulsa’s bid for the tying touchdown inside the 1-yard line as time expired and Temple completed a comeback from an 18-point deficit against UCF by scoring the game-winning touchdown with one second left.
Houston, which saw an eight-game winning streak snapped by Navy last week, narrowly avoided a second straight setback as the Cougars rallied for a 38-31 win against Tulsa at TDECU Stadium. Houston built a 31-17 lead midway through the fourth quarter on the third of three rushing touchdowns by RB Dillon Birden, but The Golden Hurricane answered with a pair of scores to tie it with 3:31 left. Houston LB Emeke Egbule scored on a 24-yard fumble return to give the Cougars the lead, and Houston stopped Tulsa inches from the goal line as time expired to improve to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in The American.
Temple found itself trailing 25-7 late in the second quarter at UCF, but the Owls were able to get a touchdown before halftime to start of string of 19 unanswered points to close the game. Temple won it on an 8-yard touchdown pass from QB Phillip Walker to WR Keith Kirkwood with one second left in the fourth quarter, lifting the Owls to 2-1 in conference play and 4-3 overall.
USF and UConn had played nine straight games that were decided by one possession, and appeared headed for a 10th straight nailbiter, but the Bulls pulled away for a 42-27 win at Raymond James Stadium behind five total touchdowns from QB Quinton Flowers. Flowers threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns and had 157 rushing yards and three TDs on the ground as USF won its eighth straight game against American East Division opponents. The Bulls are 6-1 overall and 3-0 in The American.
The week started with Memphis’ 24-14 win at Tulane as RB Darrell Henderson rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown and had four receptions for 67 yards and a TD. The Tigers were aided by a pair of special teams turnovers and three field goals from K Jake Elliott as Memphis improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in The American.
All 12 teams in the conference will be in action in Week 8, including a matchup of Navy and Memphis — the two unbeaten teams in conference play from the West Division — in Annapolis, Maryland. The key matchup in the East Division has USF at Temple as the Owls look to forge a first-place tie with the Bulls.