Media predicts that UCF will once again win the AAC in 2018

UCF and Memphis were picked to return to the AAC title game after a classic in 2017

By Chip Patterson

Jul 24, 2018 at 9:39 am ET • 1 min read

Scott Frost has left for Nebraska, but Josh Huepel inherits a roster with plenty of key contributors from UCF's 13-0 season, which includes a Peach Bowl win and AAC Championship in 2017. (We'll leave it to you to get into the "national championship" debate.) With star quarterback McKenzie Milton returning to lead the way, the Knights have been picked to win the AAC again in 2018 in the media's preseason poll.

UCF was chosen to win the AAC East with Memphis, the defending champions from the AAC West, chosen to win its side of the conference. Still, as they did last year, the Tigers fell short of the Knights when it comes to the predicted league title game.

The two teams had a combined 21-1 record coming into last year's AAC Championship Game, and the matchup produced a classic with UCF edging Memphis 62-55 in double overtime. This year, the teams will play each other in the regular season (Oct. 13 at Memphis), and the media is calling for a potential rematch at the end of the year.

South Florida, in Year 2 under Charlie Strong, received three votes to win the league and came in second behind UCF in the balloting for the East. Houston and Navy trail Memphis is the balloting for the West.