UCF Remains No. 12 In CFP Rankings; Knights and Cincinnati Represented In National Polls
UCF remains one of four unbeaten teams in FBS football, along with Alabama, Clemson and Notre Dame, as the Knights improved to 8-0 bring a 21-game winning streak into Saturday’s contest against Navy. UCF, which is also ranked No. 11 in this week’s Associated Press and coaches’ polls, is one of two teams from The American in the national rankings. Cincinnati reentered the top 25 this week as the Bearcats stand at No. 23 in the coaches’ poll and No. 21 in the AP poll.
 
Divisional Races Heating Up In Home Stretch
Three weeks remain in the 2018 regular season and the races for The American’s East and West Division titles are undecided leading up to the Dec. 1 American Football Championship. The East Division has UCF alone in first place at 5-0 in conference play, while Cincinnati and Temple are both a game behind the Knights at 4-1. Houston sits atop the West Division at 4-1 in The American after SMU’s win against the Cougars last Saturday. The Mustangs are tied with Tulane for second in the West Division at 3-2 in conference play.
 
A Look At The Numbers
A number of American Athletic Conference players sit atop the national leaderboards in the NCAA’s weekly statistical update. Memphis running back Darrell Henderson is the national leader in all-purpose yards (186.0 yards per game) and total touchdowns (18). ECU defensive end Nate Harvey leads the nation in tackles for loss (2.6 per game) and second in sacks (1.19 per game). Houston quarterback D’Eriq King has accounted for a nation-best 254 points this season. Navy safety Sean Williams leads the way in forced fumbles (0.63 per game)
 
American Teams Continue To Deliver Prime Time Audiences
Last Thursday’s game between UCF and Temple from Spectrum Stadium in Orlando, Florida, continued the trend of American Athletic Conference teams to deliver large viewing audiences to its television partners. The matchup was the highest-rated Thursday-night college football game on ESPN since the opening week of the 2018 season. The total live audience figure will be announced later in the week, but the game will be the 70th for The American since 2015 with an audience of more than one million viewers.
 
Milton, King Among O’Brien Award Semifinalists
The American has two of the 16 semifinalists for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award. UCF’s McKenzie Milton, who leads The American in passing at 301.3 yards per game is a semifinalist for the second straight year, while Houston’s D’Eriq King, the league leader in total offense (338.2 ypg) and touchdown passes (30), was chosen for the first time.
 
Clear Your Saturday
All 12 American Athletic Conference teams will be in action this Saturday, as each of the six conference games will have an impact on either the East or West Division championship race. Three games begin at noon ET as UCF hots Navy (ESPN2), UConn hosts SMU (ESPN3) and Memphis hosts Tulsa (ESPNU). Tulane looks for a third straight win as the Green Wave hosts ECU at 4 p.m. ET (ESPNews). The 7 p.m. nightcaps have Cincinnati hosting USF (ESPNU) and Houston at home against Temple (CBS Sports Network).