The Week 10 AP Poll was issued Sunday afternoon, and a familiar face reappeared.
The Memphis Tigers (7-1, 3-1 American) secured the final spot at No. 25, reemerging in the rankings after a one-week checkout.
Just seven days after a stunning loss to UAB as 23.5-point favorites, Memphis rebounded with a statement victory, storming back from 14 down in the fourth quarter to upset No. 18 South Florida 34-31 .
Memphis’ third ranked win under head coach Ryan Silverfield positioned the Tigers back into the rankings as the lone American Conference representative. They are three spots below their 2025 peak at No. 22, and there are several opportunities to improve upon that ranking. Memphis travels to Rice this Friday for a nationally televised affair and then concludes with a gauntlet of Tulane, East Carolina, and Navy — three contenders in a crowded American title race.
The crowded race is showcased in the fringes of the AP Poll. Four different American Conference teams landed in the ‘others receiving votes’ designation. Navy (7-0, 5-0 American) is the first team out, receiving 86 points from voters compared to No. 25 Memphis’ 140. The Midshipmen are one of six remaining spotless teams after Week 9 and the only one outside the top 10. Tulane (6-1, 3-0 American) is the second team out at 59 points as one of two teams perfect in American play, with its lone defeat coming at the hands of No. 7 Ole Miss.
South Florida (6-2, 3-1 American) is the fifth team out at 22 points, falling out of the top 25 after missing a tying field goal attempt at the buzzer Saturday in Memphis. Finally, North Texas (7-1, 3-1 American) is the ninth team out at 4 points. The Mean Green handled Charlotte 54-20 Friday night behind an American record 608 passing yards from quarterback Drew Mestemaker.
Memphis vs. South Florida initiated a late-season stretch of the conference’s marquee matchups. Of the five teams ranked or receiving votes, here are the upcoming matchups pitting them together:
- Saturday, Nov. 1 — Navy at North Texas
- Friday, Nov. 7 — Tulane at Memphis
- Saturday, Nov. 15 — South Florida at Navy
- Thursday, Nov. 27 — Navy at Memphis
Navy and Tulane are the only two with undefeated American records, while Memphis, South Florida, North Texas own one league defeat apiece. East Carolina and Temple also remain in the heat of the race, both wielding one conference loss headed into Week 10. The 2025 American Conference Championship will kick off from the home stadium of the team with the best conference record on Friday, Dec. 5.
