PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Commissioner Mike Aresco has announced the complete 96-game American Athletic Conference football schedule for the 2016 season.
Each of the 12 teams in The American will once again play eight conference games this season, facing the other five teams in its own division, as well as three teams from the other division. The current schedule rotation means that each team’s conference opponents are unchanged from 2015 to 2016, while each conference game will be hosted by the team that was the visiting team in 2015.
"I am pleased to announce our 2016 football schedule, as we seek to build upon our incredibly successful 2015 season," said Aresco. "Our schools continue to schedule outstanding nonconference games against the best teams in the nation, which will enhance our conference’s national profile and will prepare our teams well for what will be another exciting race for our conference championship."
The American Athletic Conference enjoyed a banner year in 2015 as Houston finished the season ranked No. 8 nationally and Navy was ranked No. 18 in the final polls. The American was one of five FBS leagues that had at least three 10-win teams in 2015 (Houston, Navy, Temple), joining the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC. Houston capped the year with a 38-24 win against Florida State in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, giving The American a 2-0 record in New Year's Six bowl games in the conference's first three seasons. The American Athletic Conference realized a 9.1-percent increase in average attendance from 2014 to 2015, while the conference produced the national defensive player of the year (Temple's Tyler Matakevich) and a top-five finisher in the Heisman Trophy voting (Navy's Keenan Reynolds).
The 2016 American Athletic Conference schedule begins Thursday, Sept. 1, with three teams in action, while the other nine conference schools begin Saturday, Sept. 3. The 48-game conference schedule kicks off Sept. 10, when UConn visits Navy.
The 2016 season is the third under The American’s current television contract, which provides for 80 percent of conference-controlled games to be televised nationally on either ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews and CBS Sports Network, with the remainder on ESPN3. The American Athletic Conference Football Championship, which was broadcast on ABC last year, is scheduled for Dec. 3 and will be televised either on ABC or ESPN.
Highlights of the 2016 schedule include another strong series of Thursday and Friday games, primarily on ESPN or ESPN2, as well as a number of exciting nonconference games that will match American Athletic Conference teams against the nation’s top programs. The nonconference ledger includes games against eight of the top 14 teams in the final 2015 Associated Press poll, including an opening-week matchup between Houston and No. 5 Oklahoma, which will be the only game between 2015 top-10 teams to start the season. Additionally, teams from The American face No. 4 Ohio State, No. 7 TCU, No. 10 Mississippi, No. 11 Notre Dame, No. 12 Michigan, No. 13 Baylor and No. 14 Florida State.
All of Navy’s home games in the 2016 season will once again be televised on CBS Sports Network. The Midshipmen's Nov. 5 game against Notre Dame and the Dec. 10 Army-Navy game will be televised on CBS.
Kickoff times and television designations for the first three weeks of the season will be made final in June, while the rest of the schedule will fall under the customary 12-day and six-day selection processes.
Thursday, September 1
UT Martin at Cincinnati
Maine at UConn
Tulane at Wake Forest
Saturday, September 3
South Carolina State at UCF
Western Carolina at East Carolina
Towson at USF
Army at Temple
Oklahoma at Houston
1
Southeast Missouri State at Memphis
Fordham at Navy (CBSSN)
SMU at North Texas
San Jose State at Tulsa
Saturday, September 10
UCF at Michigan
Cincinnati at Purdue
UConn at Navy * (CBSSN)
North Carolina State at East Carolina
Northern Illinois at USF
Stony Brook at Temple
Lamar at Houston
SMU at Baylor
Southern at Tulane
Tulsa at Ohio State
Thursday, September 15
Houston at Cincinnati (ESPN)
Saturday, September 17
Maryland at UCF
Virginia at UConn
East Carolina at South Carolina
USF at Syracuse
Temple at Penn State
Kansas at Memphis
Navy at Tulane *
Liberty at SMU
North Carolina A&T at Tulsa
Friday, September 23
TCU at SMU (ESPN)
Saturday, September 24
UCF at Florida International
Miami (Ohio) at Cincinnati
Syracuse at UConn
East Carolina at Virginia Tech
Florida State at USF
Charlotte at Temple
Houston at Texas State
Bowling Green at Memphis
Louisiana at Tulane
Tulsa at Fresno State
Thursday, September 29
UConn at Houston * (ESPN)
Saturday, October 1
UCF at East Carolina *
USF at Cincinnati *
SMU at Temple *
Memphis at Mississippi
Navy at Air Force
Tulane at Massachusetts
2
Thursday, October 6
Temple at Memphis * (ESPN)
Friday, October 7
Tulane at UCF * (ESPN2/ESPNU)
SMU at Tulsa * (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Saturday, October 8
Cincinnati at UConn *
East Carolina at USF *
Houston at Navy * (CBSSN)
Thursday, October 13
Navy at East Carolina * (ESPN)
Friday, October 14
Memphis at Tulane * (ESPNU)
Saturday, October 15
Temple at UCF *
UConn at USF *
Tulsa at Houston *
Friday, October 21
USF at Temple * (ESPN)
Saturday, October 22
UCF at UConn *
East Carolina at Cincinnati *
Houston at SMU *
Memphis at Navy * (CBSSN)
Tulane at Tulsa *
Friday, October 28
Navy at USF * (ESPN2)
Saturday, October 29
UCF at Houston *
Cincinnati at Temple *
UConn at East Carolina *
Tulsa at Memphis *
SMU at Tulane *
Friday, November 4
Temple at UConn * (ESPN2)
Saturday, November 5
Brigham Young at Cincinnati
East Carolina at Tulsa *
Memphis at SMU *
Navy vs. Notre Dame
3 (CBS)
Saturday, November 12
Cincinnati at UCF *
SMU at East Carolina *
USF at Memphis *
Tulane at Houston *
Tulsa at Navy * (CBSSN)
Thursday, November 17
Louisville at Houston (ESPN)
Friday, November 18
Memphis at Cincinnati * (CBSSN)
Saturday, November 19
Tulsa at UCF *
UConn at Boston College
USF at SMU *
Temple at Tulane *
Friday, November 25
Cincinnati at Tulsa *
Houston at Memphis *
Saturday, November 26
UCF at USF *
Tulane at UConn *
East Carolina at Temple *
Navy at SMU *
Saturday, December 3
American Athletic Conference Championship (ABC/ESPN)
Saturday, December 10
Navy vs. Army
4 (3 p.m., CBS)
* American Athletic Conference game
1 NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
2 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
3 EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Fla.
4 M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Md.
All times Eastern; all dates and times subject to change. Additional television listings will be announced as they become available
2016 American Athletic Conference Team-By-Team Football Schedules
East Division
UCF
Sat., Sept. 3 South Carolina State
Sat., Sept. 10 at Michigan
Sat., Sept. 17 Maryland
Sat., Sept. 24 at Florida International
Sat., Oct. 1 at East Carolina *
Fri., Oct. 7 Tulane * (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Sat., Oct. 15 Temple *
Sat., Oct. 22 at UConn *
Sat., Oct. 29 at Houston *
Sat., Nov. 12 Cincinnati *
Sat., Nov. 19 Tulsa *
Sat., Nov. 26 at USF *
CINCINNATI
Thu., Sept. 1 UT Martin
Sat., Sept. 10 at Purdue
Thu., Sept. 15 Houston * (ESPN)
Sat., Sept. 24 Miami (Ohio)
Sat., Oct. 1 USF*
Sat., Oct. 8 at UConn *
Sat., Oct. 22 East Carolina *
Sat., Oct. 29 at Temple *
Sat., Nov. 5 Brigham Young
Sat., Nov. 12 at UCF *
Fri., Nov. 18 Memphis * (CBSSN)
Fri., Nov. 25 at Tulsa *
UCONN
Thu., Sept. 1 Maine
Sat., Sept. 10 at Navy * (CBSSN)
Sat., Sept. 17 Virginia
Sat., Sept. 24 Syracuse
Thu., Sept. 29 at Houston * (ESPN)
Sat., Oct. 8 Cincinnati *
Sat., Oct. 15 at USF *
Sat., Oct. 22 UCF *
Sat., Oct. 29 at East Carolina *
Fri., Nov. 4 Temple * (ESPN2)
Sat., Nov. 19 at Boston College
Sat., Nov. 26 Tulane *
EAST CAROLINA
Sat., Sept. 3 Western Carolina
Sat., Sept. 10 North Carolina State
Sat., Sept. 17 at South Carolina
Sat., Sept. 24 at Virginia Tech
Sat., Oct. 1 UCF *
Sat., Oct. 8 at USF *
Thu., Oct. 13 Navy * (ESPN)
Sat., Oct. 22 at Cincinnati *
Sat., Oct. 29 UConn *
Sat., Nov. 5 at Tulsa *
Sat., Nov. 12 SMU *
Sat., Nov. 26 at Temple *
USF
Sat., Sept. 3 Towson
Sat., Sept. 10 Northern Illinois
Sat., Sept. 17 at Syracuse
Sat., Sept. 24 Florida State
Sat., Oct. 1 at Cincinnati *
Sat., Oct. 8 East Carolina *
Sat., Oct. 15 UConn *
Fri., Oct. 21 at Temple * (ESPN)
Fri., Oct. 28 Navy * (ESPN2)
Sat., Nov. 12 at Memphis *
Sat., Nov. 19 at SMU *
Sat., Nov. 26 UCF *
TEMPLE
Sat., Sept. 3 Army
Sat., Sept. 10 Stony Brook
Sat., Sept. 17 at Penn State
Sat., Sept. 24 Charlotte
Sat., Oct. 1 SMU *
Thu., Oct. 6 at Memphis * (ESPN)
Sat., Oct. 15 at UCF *
Fri., Oct. 21 USF * (ESPN)
Sat., Oct. 29 Cincinnati *
Fri., Nov. 4 at UConn * (ESPN2)
Sat., Nov. 19 at Tulane*
Sat., Nov. 26 East Carolina *
* American Athletic Conference game
All times Eastern; all dates and times subject to change
Additional television listings will be announced as they become available
2015 American Athletic Conference Team-By-Team Football Schedules
West Division
HOUSTON
Sat., Sept. 3 Oklahoma 1
Sat., Sept. 10 Lamar
Thu., Sept. 15 at Cincinnati * (ESPN)
Sat., Sept. 24 at Texas State
Thu., Sept. 29 UConn * (ESPN)
Sat., Oct. 8 at Navy * (CBSSN)
Sat., Oct. 15 Tulsa *
Sat., Oct. 22 at SMU *
Sat., Oct. 29 UCF *
Sat., Nov. 12 Tulane *
Thu., Nov. 17 Louisville (ESPN)
Fri., Nov. 25 at Memphis *
MEMPHIS
Sat., Sept. 3 Southeast Missouri State
Sat., Sept. 17 Kansas
Sat., Sept. 24 Bowling Green
Sat., Oct. 1 at Mississippi
Thu., Oct. 6 Temple * (ESPN)
Fri., Oct. 14 at Tulane * (ESPNU)
Sat., Oct. 22 at Navy * (CBSSN)
Sat., Oct. 29 Tulsa *
Sat., Nov. 5 at SMU *
Sat., Nov. 12 USF *
Fri., Nov. 18 at Cincinnati * (CBSSN)
Fri., Nov. 25 Houston *
NAVY
Sat., Sept. 3 Fordham (CBSSN)
Sat. Sept. 10 UConn * (CBSSN)
Sat., Sept. 17 at Tulane *
Sat., Oct. 1 at Air Force
Sat., Oct. 8 Houston * (CBSSN)
Thu., Oct. 13 at East Carolina * (ESPN)
Sat., Oct. 22 Memphis * (CBSSN)
Fri., Oct. 28 at USF * (ESPN2)
Sat., Nov. 5 vs. Notre Dame 2 (11:30 a.m., CBS)
Sat., Nov. 12 Tulsa * (CBSSN)
Sat., Nov. 26 at SMU *
Sat., Dec. 10 vs. Army 3 (3 p.m., CBS)
SMU
Sat., Sept. 3 at North Texas
Sat., Sept. 10 at Baylor
Sat., Sept. 17 Liberty
Fri., Sept. 23 TCU (ESPN)
Sat., Oct. 1 at Temple *
Fri., Oct. 7 at Tulsa * (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Sat., Oct. 22 Houston *
Sat., Oct. 29 at Tulane *
Sat., Nov. 5 Memphis *
Sat., Nov. 12 at East Carolina *
Sat., Nov. 19 USF *
Sat., Nov. 26 Navy *
TULANE
Thu., Sept. 1 at Wake Forest
Sat., Sept. 10 Southern
Sat., Sept. 17 Navy *
Sat., Sept. 24 Louisiana
Sat., Oct. 1 at Massachusetts 4
Fri., Oct. 7 at UCF * (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Fri., Oct. 14 Memphis * (ESPNU)
Sat., Oct. 22 at Tulsa *
Sat., Oct. 29 SMU *
Sat., Nov. 12 at Houston *
Sat., Nov. 19 Temple *
Sat., Nov. 26 at UConn *
TULSA
Sat., Sept. 3 San Jose State
Sat., Sept. 10 at Ohio State
Sat., Sept. 17 North Carolina A&T
Sat., Sept. 24 at Fresno State
Fri., Oct. 7 SMU * (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Sat., Oct. 15 at Houston *
Sat., Oct. 22 Tulane *
Sat., Oct. 29 at Memphis *
Sat., Nov. 5 East Carolina *
Sat., Nov. 12 at Navy * (CBSSN)
Sat., Nov. 19 at UCF *
Fri., Nov. 25 Cincinnati *
* American Athletic Conference game
1 NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
2 EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Fla.
3 M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Md.
4 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
All times Eastern; all dates and times subject to change
Additional television listings will be announced as they become available