AAC Week 10 Preview: UTSA Visits FAU Thursday, Plus Updated Snap Count Power Rankings

11/04/2026 | Snap Count Press | San Antonio Snap Count

AAC Week 10 preview: UTSA at FAU, Thursday 6:30 p.m. CT

The bye is over, and the Roadrunners walk straight into the toughest two-week stretch of their season. UTSA (7-1, 4-0) visits Florida Atlantic on Thursday night, then comes home to face North Texas on Nov. 14. Win both, and the Roadrunners can start thinking seriously about the American Conference championship game.

Week 10 has six league games across three days, plus Army’s Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy game against Air Force. Memphis is the only American team with the week off. If you missed it, here’s our Week 9 preview, and our updated Snap Count Power Rankings are below. All times are Central.

UTSA (7-1, 4-0) at Florida Atlantic (5-3, 2-2): Thursday night in Boca

Thursday, 6:30 p.m. CT, ESPN, from Flagler Credit Union Stadium in Boca Raton. FAU leads the all-time series 3-2, but UTSA won both meetings as American members: 36-10 in Boca Raton in 2023 and 38-24 at the Alamodome in 2024.

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This is a quarterback matchup on paper. FAU’s Caden Veltkamp has thrown for 2,536 yards and 23 touchdowns with five interceptions, and he just threw for 452 yards and five scores in a 48-41 loss at North Texas. Easton Messer caught 16 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns in that game. The Owls can score with anyone. The question is whether they can get stops: they gave up 48 points and 193 rushing yards to Jahiem White last Thursday.

That sets up nicely for UTSA’s ground game. Will Henderson III has 664 rushing yards and five touchdowns, and Owen McCown has completed 169 of 243 passes for 1,751 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. Defensively, the Roadrunners forced six turnovers in their last game, a 42-19 win at Tulane before the bye. Owen Pewee leads the team with four sacks, and Brandon Tucker leads it with 56 tackles.

Players to watch

Owen McCown, QB, UTSA: 1,751 passing yards, 10 TD, 4 INT.
Will Henderson III, RB, UTSA: 664 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 109 carries.
Owen Pewee, UTSA: four sacks, three of them at Tulane.
Caden Veltkamp, QB, FAU: 2,536 yards, 23 TD, 5 INT.
Easton Messer, WR, FAU: 74 catches, 898 yards, nine touchdowns.

What’s at stake: UTSA and North Texas are the only teams without a conference loss. A Thursday win keeps the Roadrunners there heading into the Homecoming showdown with the Mean Green at the Alamodome on Nov. 14 (8 p.m. CT, ESPNU).

South Florida (6-2, 2-2) at East Carolina (4-4, 2-2): Friday night in Greenville

Friday, 6:30 p.m. CT, ESPN2, from Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Both teams won last week. USF beat UAB 30-10 by scoring the last 30 points and holding the Blazers to 17 rushing yards. ECU beat Temple 17-9 with three interceptions.

USF’s defense is playing as well as anyone’s in the league. C.J. Hicks has five sacks and was named the American’s Defensive Player of the Week. Michael Van Buren Jr. has thrown six touchdowns and no interceptions. For ECU, TJ Engleman Jr. has 689 rushing yards and five touchdowns, and he ran for 107 against Temple. The Pirates’ passing game has been the problem: Mitch Griffis has four touchdowns and five interceptions.

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Players to watch

C.J. Hicks, USF: five sacks; the American’s Defensive Player of the Week.
D.J. Crowther, RB, USF: 578 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
TJ Engleman Jr., RB, ECU: 689 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Ray Ray Joseph Jr., WR, ECU: 33 catches, 303 yards, three touchdowns.

Tulsa (4-4, 1-3) at Tulane (4-4, 2-2): Saturday morning in New Orleans

Saturday, 11 a.m. CT, ESPNU, from Yulman Stadium. Tulsa comes off a bye after losing 38-35 to Army on a field goal at the horn. Tulane needed overtime to beat Charlotte 38-31 last Friday after trailing 24-14 at halftime. Johnnie Daniels ran for 99 yards and two touchdowns in that one, and he has 493 yards and six scores this season.

Tulsa’s defense has two players worth watching: Kyran Duhon has six sacks, and Chris Thompson Jr. has 81 tackles. Baylor Hayes has thrown for 1,343 yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. Both teams are 4-4, so the winner gets to within one win of bowl eligibility.

Players to watch

Johnnie Daniels, RB, Tulane: 493 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Dickson Agu, Tulane: 78 tackles.
Oran Singleton Jr., WR, Tulsa: 43 catches for 535 yards and four touchdowns.
Kyran Duhon, Tulsa: six sacks.

Charlotte (1-7, 1-3) at UAB (4-4, 2-2): Bounce-back spot for the Blazers

Saturday, 2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN+, from Protective Stadium in Birmingham. UAB led USF 10-0 after one quarter and didn’t score again. Ryder Burton has 1,333 passing yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. Marlin Dean leads the defense with 7.5 sacks. Charlotte took Tulane to overtime last week, and Conner Harrell has 831 passing yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions.

Temple (2-6, 1-3) at Navy (2-6, 1-4): Two teams looking for a spark

Saturday, 2:30 p.m. CT, CBS Sports Network, from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. Navy led Notre Dame 14-13 at halftime before losing 35-13. Jackson Gutierrez has 979 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. Temple’s Ajani Sheppard threw three interceptions at ECU, his first of the season.

Rice (1-7, 0-4) at North Texas (6-2, 4-0): Homecoming in Denton

Saturday, 3 p.m. CT, ESPNU, from DATCU Stadium. North Texas outlasted FAU 48-41 on Thursday. Tayven Jackson threw for 404 yards and four touchdowns, and Jahiem White ran for 193 yards and two scores. Jackson has 2,577 yards and 22 touchdowns this season, and White has 1,054 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Rice quarterback Jacurri Brown leads the Owls in both passing and rushing, with 669 yards on the ground.

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Keep an eye on this one. If the Mean Green take care of Rice and UTSA wins Thursday, the Nov. 14 game at the Alamodome will be between the league’s last two unbeatens in conference play.

Non-conference: Air Force (6-2) at Army (5-3)

Saturday, 6:30 p.m. CT, CBS, from Michie Stadium. It’s the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy game. Army ran for 320 yards at Memphis but threw for just 45 and lost 49-22. Cale Hellums has 874 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. Air Force’s Liam Szarka has one touchdown pass and four interceptions this season, and Evan Medders leads the Falcons with 490 rushing yards.

Snap Count Power Rankings: after Week 9

UTSA (7-1, 4-0): no change. Rested and back at it Thursday in Boca.
North Texas (6-2, 4-0): no change. Outlasted FAU 48-41.
Memphis (7-2, 4-1): up one. Beat Army 49-22 with Marcus Stokes throwing for 371 yards and four TDs.
Army (5-3, 4-2): down one. Ran for 320 yards but couldn’t keep pace in Memphis.
South Florida (6-2, 2-2): up one. Scored 30 straight to beat UAB 30-10.
Florida Atlantic (5-3, 2-2): down one. Lost a shootout in Denton.
East Carolina (4-4, 2-2): up two. The defense forced three interceptions in a 17-9 win over Temple.
Tulane (4-4, 2-2): no change. Escaped Charlotte in overtime.
UAB (4-4, 2-2): down two. Shut out after the first quarter at USF.
Tulsa (4-4, 1-3): no change. Had a bye week.

Our rankings are based on strength of schedule, quality of wins and how much each loss should count. Who’s too high? Who’s too low? Let us know on X.

American Conference standings

Team	American	Overall
UTSA	4-0	7-1
North Texas	4-0	6-2
Memphis	4-1	7-2
Army	4-2	5-3
South Florida	2-2	6-2
Florida Atlantic	2-2	5-3
UAB	2-2	4-4
East Carolina	2-2	4-4
Tulane	2-2	4-4
Tulsa	1-3	4-4
Temple	1-3	2-6
Charlotte	1-3	1-7
Navy	1-4	2-6
Rice	0-4	1-7

Standings through Week 9 games.

Snap Count picks (our opinion)

These are our opinions, nothing more.

UTSA 38, FAU 31: Veltkamp and Messer will get theirs, but the Roadrunners run it and win the turnover battle.
USF 24, ECU 17: Hicks and the Bulls’ defense make the difference.
Tulane 28, Tulsa 24: Daniels keeps the chains moving at home.
North Texas 45, Rice 17: Homecoming in Denton should be a party.

Sources

UTSA is back, and the race for the American title gets serious. Want more American Conference coverage all week long? Follow @SASnapcount210 on X.