Poll: UC Bearcats favored to win AAC
NEWPORT, R.I.– Great expectations are getting to be a way of life for the University of Cincinnati football team, at least in the American Athletic Conference.
UC was tabbed an overwhelming choice to win both the AAC East and the conference's inaugural league title game here Tuesday, in media voting announced at the league's annual media day at the Hyatt Regency Newport. UC was AAC tri-champion last year, when the Bearcats were picked to win the league.
UC received 29 of 30 first-place votes as AAC East choice, and 22 of 30 voters picked the Bearcats to win the championship game.
Following UC in the East balloting were Central Florida (one first-place vote), Temple, East Carolina, South Florida and UConn.
"When you're predicted to do something, it's a recognition of the past performances of other teams," UC coach Tommy Tuberville said. "The target's on our back. At Cincinnati it's always going to be on your back, if you keep winning like we've been winning. We'll accept it and use it to our advantage, and challenge our players and see what happens."
In the West, Memphis (13 first-place votes) was the narrow pick to win. Next came Houston (10 first-place votes), Navy (seven first-place votes), Tulane, SMU and Tulsa.
In the championship game balloting, UC had 22 votes, Memphis five, Houston two and Central Florida one.
The conference is splitting into two divisions this year. Navy joins the AAC this year for football only, giving the league 12 teams overall.
UC returns 15 starters from last year, including junior quarterback Gunner Kiel, who tied a UC season record with a league-leading 31 touchdown passes in 2014. Kiel has his top seven receivers back from last season and will be protected by an offensive line that has 76 career starts, led by all-league tackle Parker Ehinger. Running back Mike Boone returns after leading the Bearcats in rushing (650 yards) and touchdowns (nine) last year. Defensive end Silverberry Mouhon and cornerback Adrian Witty will help lead the defense.
"It's very humbling to be picked up there," Mouhon said. "It's exciting, and at the same time it's a blessing. Going into camp, I feel great about our team."
Kiel, Ehinger and Mouhon represented UC with Tuberville on Tuesday at AAC media day.
"There are a lot of talented teams that we have to go and beat," Kiel said. "I feel like Memphis is just like a Notre Dame or USC, or Central Florida is just like a Penn State or Baylor or one of those teams. Anybody can beat anybody on any given Saturday, the way college football is now."
UC also was voted to win the AAC in 2014, when the league had a single 11-team division. The Bearcats went 9-4 overall and 7-1 in the AAC, as UC shared the league championship with Memphis and Central Florida.
"Obviously I love being picked as the preseason favorite, but it's going to be about living up to the expectations," Ehinger said. "The biggest thing is all three aspects of the team, offense, defense and special teams, clicking on all levels in every game."
Nationally, UC generally is considered about a Top 40 team. The Bearcats received one vote in the preseason Amway Coaches poll last week.
COMMISSIONER SPEAKS: AAC commissioner Mike Aresco, in his annual Media Day remarks, praised what he called, "the so-called Power Five" conferences but said his league also deserves some respect.
"I would like to see more attention put on us," Aresco said.
The winner of the AAC championship game will have the opportunity to participate in one of the College Football Playoff New Year’s Bowls if it is the highest-ranked team among the champions of Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference and Sun Belt Conference. Not the easiest road, but Aresco remains undaunted.
"Our goal is to be in the Power Five conversations as the sixth power conference," Aresco said. "We believe we already are ... The autonomy structure is permissive. We can adopt whatever legislation (the Power Five) adopt."
Aresco said the inaugural AAC title game would be, "a big promotional vehicle for us." The game will be Saturday, Dec. 5 at noon (ET) and will be televised nationally on either ABC or ESPN. The divisional champions will meet in the championship game at the home site of one of the participants.
"We know we have to be extremely efficient and extremely hard-working," Aresco said. "We have to compete smarter than our competition. America is about upward mobility and opportunity, and that is what the American Athletic Conference represents."
FIRST WORKOUT: The Bearcats begin practice Thursday at their Sheakley Athletics Center practice field on campus.
After two days on campus, the team on Saturday begins its annual two-week stay at the Higher Ground Conference & Retreat Center in West Harrison, Ind., about 30 minutes northwest of the main UC campus.
KICKING OFF: The UC season opener is Sept. 5 against Alabama A&M at newly renovated Nippert Stadium (7 p.m., ESPN3)
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AAC preseason media poll
American championship
TEAM – VOTES
Cincinnati 22
Memphis 5
Houston 2
Central Florida 1
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EAST
TEAM – FIRST-PLACE VOTES – PTS
1. Cincinnati (29) 179
2. Central Florida (1) 135
3. Temple 116
4. East Carolina 105
5. South Florida 53
6. UConn 42
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WEST
TEAM – FIRST-PLACE VOTES – PTS
1. Memphis (13) 153
2. Houston (10) 149
3. Navy (7) 148
4. Tulane 74
5. SMU 59
6. Tulsa 47