The October air is settling in, and we’re almost halfway through the regular season. Week 6 is firmly in the books, and it was a weekend featuring 11 of the 14 American Conference teams in action — with
five conference clashes and a non-conference battle between Navy and Air Force taking the stage. Below is the weekend scoreboard, as the teams begin to separate in the conference standings.
- South Florida 54, Charlotte 26
- Navy 34, Air Force 31
- Army 31, UAB 13
- Temple 27, UTSA 21
- Florida Atlantic 27, Rice 21
- Memphis 45, Tulsa 7
Here are the lowlights and highlights of Week 6 in the American:
The worst of Week 6
Charlotte’s injury-riddled ride to 1-4
Charlotte’s nightmare season continues. The 49ers were doomed from the jump against South Florida, entering a road matchup against the Bulls with 18 injuries listed on the availability report — 4 out for the season, 12 out for the game, and 2 questionable. One of those reported season-ending absences is starting quarterback Conner Harrell who suffered a leg injury in the prior outing vs. Rice.
The banged-up 49ers were struggling before the injuries piled up, and things only got worse Friday. They trailed 26-0 before registering their first point in the second quarter and ultimately fell 54-26. Charlotte registered four takeaways but those were completely offset by four turnovers. Grayson Loftis, starting in place of Harrell, went 2-of-11 for -1 passing yard and an interception against a relentless Bulls defense. Most things that could go wrong did go wrong. Charlotte is now 1-4 with a one-score win against an FCS team and four double-digit defeats. A brutal schedule featuring North Texas, East Carolina, Georgia, and Tulane lies ahead as Tim Albin looks for his first FBS win in his debut season.
UTSA collapses in Philadelphia
The Roadrunners entered the season expected to make significant noise in the American Conference, returning nearly a whole slate of offensive starters, including quarterback Owen McCown and running back Robert Henry Jr. UTSA seemed to fit that label Week 1 at Texas A&M, fighting the Aggies neck-and-neck for three quarters before bowing out in the third. However, UTSA finds itself at 2-3 and 0-1 in the American after a stunning Week 6 loss at Temple.
The Roadrunners squandered a 14-3 advantage in Philadelphia, burdened by two fourth down failures and two interceptions — one off a deflection in the red zone right as they were preparing to take a fourth quarter lead. UTSA’s typically dominant run game featuring Henry couldn’t get going, and the Roadrunners rushed for a collective 70 yards on 30 carries. The Roadrunners’ lone FBS win was a 1-point survival at 1-4 Colorado State, and Jeff Traylor and Co. need a tremendous bounce-back as a difficult schedule looms ahead.
UAB struggles against another option team
UAB was once the standard of the Conference USA with three-straight conference title appearances and league championships in 2018 and 2020. But in three years since joining the American, the success has not translated. Perhaps the Blazers’ greatest nemesis in their new conference is service academy option teams. After a decisive 31-13 loss to Army in Week 6, UAB is now 0-5 against Army and Navy since 2023, dropping those five contests by a collective score of 185-71 and never coming within 14 points during the timespan.
Although facing option teams certainly skews the statistic, UAB ranks fourth-to-last nationally in defending the run, allowing 228 yards per game. In those five aforementioned service academy matchups, the Blazers yield an average of 290 rushing yards and have surrendered 31+ points every time. UAB hasn’t come remotely close in these games, and the Blazers problem persisted beyond the run defense — committing 11 penalties and missing two field goals Saturday vs. Army.
The best of Week 6
Memphis becomes first bowl eligible team
There is one 6-0 bowl eligible team in the country, and it’s the Memphis Tigers. Memphis is now ranked No. 23 in the AP Poll for its highest ranking since 2020 (2019 for a poll that included all FBS teams), and the Tigers are now firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation. All they must do is win their first American Conference title since 2019, and they’re virtually a lock.
Memphis is one of two teams, along with Texas Tech, to cover every spread this year — consistently outperforming expectations against each opponent. On Saturday, the Tigers absolutely clobbered Tulsa 45-7 and showcased the relentless of its defense and the true firepower of its passing attack. Ryan Silverfield has an incredibly well-balanced team, and this is his most impressive stretch to date. He’s won 28 of his last 33 games, but this season has especially been a masterclass in roster-building and coaching. Memphis lost 19 of 22 offensive/defensive starters from last year’s 11-2 team, and it hasn’t missed a beat with a roster full of newcomers.
K.C. Keeler already has Temple on the upswing
Temple had been treading through repetitive 3-9 seasons, replicating the same exact record four years in a row from 2021-24. The Owls hadn’t seen a bowl game since 2019 and were in desperate need of a reset. On Dec. 1, 2024 they hired 66-year old head coach K.C. Keeler — a program builder with a tremendous reputation after leading Delaware and Sam Houston to FCS national championships and facilitating Sam Houston’s transition to the FBS. He led the Bearkats to a 9-3 record in 2024, and they were a team built off great defense, favorable turnover margins, and sound fundamental football.
Those exact same qualities are evident in this 2025 Temple team. The Owls are currently the only FBS program to remain turnover-free through Week 6, and they’re a +7 in the turnover battle. Temple also showcased a potent defense this week, securing two picks and limiting the nation’s leader in rushing yards per game, Robert Henry Jr., to 42 yards. The Owls also added a semblance of verticality to the offense with the improved connection of Evan Simon to tight end Peter Clarke. They’re now 3-2 with losses to undefeated Oklahoma and undefeated Georgia Tech. Already matching its highest win total of the 2020s through five games, Temple showed real potential for a bowl push in year one under Keeler.
Eli Heidenreich turns Navy into passing juggernaut
Navy defeated Air Force 34-31 in a game that did not feel like the typical service academy matchup. There were 65 combined points and both teams passed for more yards than they attained on the ground. Navy threw for 339 and rushed for 180, utilizing a heavier dose of traditional shotgun dropbacks than normal — some single back, some with two running backs.
The reason Navy offensive coordinator Drew Cronic can expand his playbook and incorporate this much passing — the connection between Blake Horvath and Eli Heidenreich. Horvath delivered perfect throw after perfect throw in a 20-of-26 performance with 339 yards and three touchdowns, firing for the fifth-most passing yards in Navy history. Setting a program-record was his trusty No. 1 receiver Heidenreich, who corralled eight receptions for a Navy all-time best 243 yards and three touchdowns. Navy’s threat of the run game allowed Heidenreich to consistently burn coverage, oftentimes being the furthest player downfield. He is now 270 yards off from becoming Navy’s all-time career receiving yards leader, and given the Midshipmen’s offensive versatility, that record is almost certain to transpire later this season.
