Two American Athletic Conference teams came away with wins in the league’s first weekend of the 2020 season.
Memphis made a winner of new head coach Ryan Silverfield in his home debut as the Tigers scored a 37-24 win against Arkansas State at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. QB Brady White led the way with four touchdown passes as part of a 275-yard day, while TE Sean Dykes returned to the lineup after a medical redshirt year to finish with 10 receptions for 137 yards and two TDs. RB Rodrigues Clark rushed for 105 yards and a TD in his first career start.
SMU went on the road for its first win as the Mustangs took a 31-24 decision at Texas State in their season-opener. QB Shane Buechele, who led The American in passing last year, picked up where he left off as the went 26-for-36 for 367 yards and a touchdown. RB TJ McDaniel topped the 100-yard mark against Texas State for the second straight year as he rushed for a game-high 130 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.
Navy, which had not conducted a full-contact practice in its preseason, was handled by a physical BYU squad Monday as the Midshipmen dropped a 55-3 decision to the Cougars at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Navy was limited to 149 yards and seven first downs and uncharacteristically had possession for only 22:40.
Three games that were originally scheduled for Sept. 12 were either postponed or rescheduled, leaving only two contests on this week’s docket.
USF will begin its season Saturday as first-year head coach Jeff Scott and the Bulls welcome The Citadel to Raymond James Stadium (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+). Scott, who previously served as co-offensive coordinator at Clemson, is expecting as many as three quarterbacks to see action in the early part of the season as returning starter Jordan McCloud is challenged by Cade Fortin, a transfer from North Carolina who saw action as a starter in 2018, and Noah Johnson, who was the 2018 SWAC Offensive Player of the Year at Alcorn State.
Tulane, which begins its season Saturday night at South Alabama (7:30 p.m., ESPN2), also will rely on a new starter behind center as Keon Howard is expected to make his first start in a Green Wave uniform. Howard saw limited action for Tulane last season, but made nine career starts at Southern Miss before transferring.
Looking ahead to Week 3, nine of the 11 American Athletic Conference teams will be in action, while intraconference play begins with two key league games (Houston at Memphis Sept. 18, Navy at Tulane Sept. 19).