Memphis football picked for first time to win AAC: See the full preseason poll

Memphis football has been picked to win the American Athletic Conference, according to the media poll released Tuesday morning.

The Tigers received 23 out of 30 first-place votes in the poll, which was released during AAC media days ahead of the 2024 season. This is the first time they have been picked to finish first in the preseason poll.

Memphis was followed by UTSA, Tulane and South Florida. The Tigers face all three on the road in 2024, including a Thanksgiving Day trip to New Orleans against the Green Wave.

UTSA received four first-place votes, Tulane received two and Army — which was picked to finish fifth — received one. The Black Knights are new to the conference after SMU, which won the AAC last season, left for the ACC.

Memphis football and place in AAC

Memphis has been a member of the AAC since its inception in 2013 and has won the AAC football title once. That was in 2019, when the Tigers hosted "College GameDay," won the conference title and earned a berth in the Cotton Bowl.

Coach Ryan Silverfield's team are seeking greater goals this season, which might be the most highly anticipated in program history. The College Football Playoff has expanded to 12 teams, and the Group of Five is guaranteed one of those spots. The AAC champion will be among the top contenders for that spot.

Memphis also enters this season with more returning firepower than any team in the conference and most teams in the Group of Five. Quarterback Seth Henigan , receiver Roc Taylor and linebacker Chandler Martin are among the returners on a team that went 10-3 in 2023 and beat Iowa State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

UTSA and Tulane both have new quarterbacks this season.

Full AAC preseason media poll:

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis football picked for first time to win AAC: See the full preseason poll