ESPN's Bill Connelly previews a turbulent 2026 American Athletic Conference season where Navy starts atop projections despite replacing their starting quarterback. The Midshipmen, under fourth-year coach Brian Newberry, posted a 21-5 record over the past two seasons behind aggressive run defense and Drew Cronic's modernized option offense.

Five of seven teams finishing with top-60 SP+ rankings in 2025 lost head coaches, creating unprecedented roster turnover. FAU and Tulsa enter 2026 with two of the three best returning production averages in the Group of 6, while Charlotte ranks just 107th nationally in returning production.

Memphis emerges as the hinge team under new coach Charles Huff, who brought multiple transfers including DE J'Mond Tapp and quarterbacks Marcus Stokes and Air Noland. The Tigers face a brutal six-week stretch against Navy, UTSA, and USF that will likely decide the conference title race.

With six teams projected within four points of each other, the American Athletic Conference title hunt appears wide open. Navy's experience in Newberry's system gives them a slight edge, but the conference's extreme parity suggests multiple teams could emerge as contenders.