About the American Conference
The American Conference — rebranded from American Athletic in 2025 — is college football's most competitive Group of Five league. Memphis, Tulane, Tulsa, Army, and Navy anchor a conference that sends multiple teams to bowl games annually and produces NFL talent across its 14 programs. The American's 2026 season follows the departure of UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston to the Big 12, replaced by a new generation of competitive programs.
Army and Navy's Army-Navy Game — played every December regardless of conference standings — remains one of American sports' most iconic annual events. The American's geographic footprint spans the East Coast from West Point to Florida, with programs in Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, and North Carolina creating a regionally diverse league.
Select any team below to view their live countdown, full 2026 schedule, and cross-linked opponent pages. Every game on every schedule links to that opponent's own CFBCountdown page.
Conference History & Legacy
The American Athletic Conference was born in 2013 from the remnants of the old Big East Conference, and has established itself as the most competitive league in the Group of Five. Despite losing Houston, UCF, and Cincinnati to the Big 12 in 2024, the AAC rebuilt by adding Army, Navy's traditional rival, and maintaining competitive stalwarts like Memphis, Tulane, and South Florida. The conference has sent representatives to New Year's Six bowl games multiple times, proving that Group of Five programs can compete at the highest level.
The AAC features some of college football's most historically significant programs. Army and Navy bring military tradition and the annual Army-Navy Game — America's game — into the conference. Memphis has emerged as one of the most successful Group of Five programs of the past decade, while Tulane's 2022 Cotton Bowl victory demonstrated the conference's capability on the biggest stages. East Carolina, South Florida, and Temple provide passionate fan bases rooted in their communities.
AAC game days offer authentic college football atmospheres without the corporate feel of Power Four events. Venues like Memphis's Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, and Tulane's intimate Yulman Stadium in New Orleans provide unique settings that reflect each program's character. The conference's television deal with ESPN ensures national exposure for its biggest matchups, keeping the AAC relevant in the national college football conversation.