Week 3 in the American Conference featured high-powered offenses on full display. North Texas, Navy, Memphis, and East Carolina were head and shoulders better than their opponents in Week 3. All four teams mentioned averaged 41.75 points per game in their matchups last week. For the folks who champion the American Conference as the best in the best league in the Group of Five, they did not get the result they were hoping for when South Florida faced the Miami Hurricanes.
The Bulls suffered a 49-12 defeat to a Miami Hurricanes team that looks to be a heavyweight in the ACC and possibly the College Football Playoff this season. There’s still a path for South Florida to clinch a postseason berth, but it would have been much smoother if they had pulled off the upset in South Beach. As for our newly ranked top team, the Tulane Green Wave, they have demonstrated that they can absorb the loss of no longer having Darian Mensah as their starting QB and continue to be a competitive ball club.
With Ole Miss up next, Tulane has a chance to replicate its 2022 breakthrough and further solidify itself as a legitimate contender in the expanded College Football Playoff.
Team-by-Team Analysis
1. Tulane (3-0): Tulane continued strengthening its case as the American Conference’s top team with a gritty 34-27 win over Duke. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff put on a dual-threat clinic, rushing for four touchdowns and passing 245 yards. His ability to extend plays and deliver in the red zone has given the Green Wave an offensive identity that can wear defenses down.
What stood out most was Tulane’s fast start, racing to a 24-3 lead on four of its first five possessions. That kind of efficiency speaks to head coach Jon Sumrall’s ability to keep his team focused after a sluggish start the week before against South Alabama. Duke fought back, but Tulane’s fourth-quarter composure — capped by Retzlaff’s record-setting performance — showcased why this team is in the CFP conversation among Group of Five programs.
Beyond Retzlaff, Tulane’s defense deserves credit. While former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah threw for 313 yards against his old team, the Green Wave didn’t give up explosive touchdowns; instead, they forced Duke into long, draining drives. That bend-but-don’t-break mentality, along with timely special teams plays like TJ Smith’s blocked kick, made the difference.
At 3-0 for just the third time in 50 years, Tulane’s resume is already impressive with wins over Northwestern, South Alabama, and Duke. But the biggest test is yet to come — a Week 4 clash with Ole Miss that could elevate the Green Wave into the national spotlight if they can secure another Power Four victory.
2. Navy (3-0): Navy’s identity as a ground-and-pound team was fully displayed in their 42-23 road win over Tulsa, but the game wasn’t without turbulence. Quarterback Blake Horvath had a nightmare start, committing three turnovers in the first quarter that spotted the Golden Hurricane a 14-0 lead. What could have spiraled into a disaster became another example of Navy’s resilience.
Horvath settled down after the early miscues, finishing with 159 rushing yards and a touchdown while adding an efficient 84 passing yards and a score. His ability to reset mentally and lead the Midshipmen to 42 unanswered points highlighted why Navy has emerged as a legitimate American Conference contender.
The supporting cast was equally impressive. Alex Tecza and Eli Heidenreich combined for 144 rushing yards and three touchdowns, keeping Tulsa’s defense on its heels all night. Meanwhile, Navy’s defense flipped the script after the shaky start, with MarcAnthony Parker notching 11 tackles and two tackles for loss, and Justin Ross sealing the win with a late interception.
Navy is building a strong resume at 3-0 overall and 2-0 in league play. Their ability to respond to adversity and lean on depth in the backfield reinforces their reputation as one of the most disciplined and dangerous teams in the American. If Horvath can limit turnovers, the Midshipmen may be the league’s most balanced threat alongside Tulane.
3. Memphis (3-0): Memphis made a statement on the road in Week 3, shutting down Troy 28-7 in a game defined by defense and physicality. The Tigers held the Trojans to just 112 total yards and forced two turnovers, including an interception and a fumble recovery, while outgaining them 330-112 overall. Quarterback Brendon Lewis delivered another steady performance with 213 passing yards and a touchdown, while Sutton Smith powered the ground game with 113 yards and two scores.
The Tigers’ defensive front dominated the line of scrimmage, limiting Troy to 40 rushing yards and sacking quarterback Goose Crowder three times before his early exit. The secondary also held up its end, intercepting Crowder and keeping Troy’s receivers in check. Offensively, the balanced attack again leaned on the run, piling up 217 rushing yards behind Smith and Frank Peasant.
This was Memphis’s 13th straight win over a Sun Belt opponent, but more importantly, it showed the team’s ability to impose its will on both sides of the ball. The Tigers now head into a crucial Week 4 matchup against Arkansas with momentum and confidence, needing a signature win to cement their Group of Five playoff aspirations.
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4. North Texas (3-0): North Texas delivered one of the American’s most dominant Week 3 performances, dismantling Washington State 59-10 in Denton. Quarterback Drew Mestemaker was nearly flawless in the first half, completing 14 of 17 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns before finishing with four total scores on the night. The Mean Green’s ground game complemented him perfectly, with Jayden Becks and Mackenzie McGill II combining for three rushing touchdowns as the offense piled up 42 first-half points.
The defense set the tone with four Washington State turnovers before halftime, turning short fields into points and shutting the door on any chance of a Cougar comeback. Evan Jackson’s interception early in the first quarter immediately set up a North Texas touchdown, and the secondary capitalized on Jaxon Potter’s mistakes all night, holding him to 139 yards and three interceptions.
This win is significant because it showcased North Texas’s ability to dominate a Power Four opponent physically and mentally. The balanced offense, opportunistic defense, and efficiency in finishing drives all point to a team ready to contend in the American. If Mestemaker continues to build chemistry with weapons like Brandon Young Jr. and Landon Sides, the Mean Green could be one of the league’s most dangerous dark horses.
5. South Florida (2-1): The Bulls’ dreams of breaking into the top 15 came crashing after a humbling 49-12 loss at Miami. The defeat starkly contrasted their first two weeks, when they knocked off Boise State and stunned Florida in the Swamp to vault into the AP Top 25. Against Miami, though, USF’s offensive rhythm disappeared, and the defense couldn’t contain the Hurricanes’ balanced attack.
Still, this setback may serve as a much-needed reality check. Quarterback Byrum Brown, who had carried the Bulls in the season’s first two games, struggled against Miami’s pressure and couldn’t find the same consistency throwing the football. South Florida’s offensive line, which had been reliable in its early upsets, also showed cracks against a more physical front seven.
The key takeaway isn’t that USF was “exposed,” but that the gap between a solid Group of Five program and a top-10 caliber Power Four team remains wide. What matters now is how Alex Golesh’s team responds. With plenty of weapons on offense and a defense that looked opportunistic before Saturday, the Bulls are still in the mix for an American Conference title run.
If Brown and his playmakers can regroup quickly, South Florida will remain one of the most dangerous teams in the league. Their early-season résumé is still impressive, and the Miami loss doesn’t erase the legitimacy of their playoff hopes within the Group of Five. The Bulls will have opportunities to prove they’re not a flash in the pan, starting with upcoming conference play.
6. Army (1-1): The Black Knights had a bye week in Week 3, allowing them to rest and prepare for their upcoming conference matchup against North Texas.
7. Rice (2-1): The Owls secured a solid 38-17 home victory over Prairie View. This win gives Rice a much-needed boost as they get ready for their first conference game of the season.
8. Temple (2-1): The Owls faced a major test against Oklahoma and lost 42-3. Temple will need to regroup and find their rhythm as it looks to get a win in their next game.
9. East Carolina (2-1): The Pirates dominated Coastal Carolina with a 38-0 shutout victory. The defense looked spectacular, and the offense did enough to get the win.
10. UTSA (1-2): The Roadrunners improved to 1-2 on the season after a 48-20 home victory over Incarnate Word.
11. Charlotte (1-2): The 49ers got a hard-fought 42-35 win over Monmouth. While the win is great, the defense will need to be better as conference play gets closer.
12. UAB (2-1): The Blazers narrowly escaped with a 31-28 win over Akron. It was a good victory, but UAB will need to be more consistent to compete with the top teams in the American Conference.
13. Florida Atlantic (1-2): The Owls fell to in-state rival FIU, losing 38-28. FAU will need to find answers on both sides of the ball to get a win in their upcoming games.
14. Tulsa (1-2): The Golden Hurricane took an early lead over Navy but couldn’t hold on, losing 42-23. The team will need to learn how to close out games if they want to move up in the power rankings.
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