Two teams saw their undefeated record come to an end this week in the American Athletic Conference. UCF upset Louisville 38-35, knocking the Cardinals down to fourth place and bumping up the Knights to a first-place tie with Houston. UH suffered a heartbreaking one-point loss to BYU. Both teams combined for 1,164 offensive yards, but Brigham Young pulled out with the 47-46 win. Even with the loss, UH remains undefeated in conference play along with UCF and USF.
Offensive Player of the Week:
UCF junior running back Storm Johnson was a key player in the Knights’ first win against a top-10 opponent in school history. Johnson rushed for 109 yards, had four receptions and scored two touchdowns in the Knights’ 38-35 win. Â Johnson leads the AAC in scoring with 10 points per game and is second in the conference in rushing with 94 yards per game.
Defensive Player of the Week:
Mathews
Junior linebacker Derrick Mathews ended Houston’s game against BYU with 12 tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks. Mathews also scored eight points for UH with a 29-yard interception return for a touchdown and a safety in the third quarter.
Special Teams Player of the Week:
Averaging 45.3 yards on seven punts, Temple senior punter Paul Layton helped the Owls secure a great field position in their 33-14 win against Army. Layton currently ranks second in the AAC in punting average.
Scores from around the AAC:
Cincinnati had a huge 41-16 win over Connecticut, improving the Cardinals to 4-0 at home. SMU blew a 28-point halftime lead but did eventually pull out a 34-29 win over Memphis. Temple smacked Army 33-14, the first win for Owls head coach Matt Rhule.
Compiled by Kathleen Murrill
I like our chances to beat UCF…if we can cut down the turnovers and remain one of the best ballhawking defenses in college football