Around the American Week 7: UAB rallies, Army rolls and UTSA survives
UAB delivers a dramatic comeback, Army overwhelms Florida Atlantic and UTSA survives Navy. Plus, Tulane’s defensive breakthrough, Charlotte’s first win and the roster developments shaping the American.
By Keegan H. · Published
Around the Conferences continues with the American, part of CFBDepth’s new weekly series covering every FBS conference. Each installment looks beyond the results to examine the performances, personnel developments and turning points shaping the weeks ahead.
The American’s Week 7 slate offered several very different ways to win. UAB needed a frantic final drive and overtime to rescue a game East Carolina had controlled. Army scored almost every time it touched the ball, while UTSA survived another late exchange with Navy to remain unbeaten in conference play.
Tulane’s defense changed the direction of its night against Memphis, Charlotte finally ended its losing streak, and Tulsa recovered from an early deficit at Rice. South Florida also returned to the win column, although its comfortable final margin left plenty for the offense to address during the bye.
UAB turns a last chance into an overtime escape
UAB 30, East Carolina 17 (OT)
East Carolina had kept UAB out of the end zone for nearly an entire game. With the Blazers taking over at their own 7-yard line, trailing 17–9 with 1:37 remaining and no timeouts, the Pirates needed one more stop to finish the job.
Ryder Burton instead produced the drive that changed the night. UAB covered 93 yards in 10 plays and 62 seconds, finishing with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Bam McReynolds. Burton ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game with 35 seconds left.
The execution carried into overtime. CJ Smith’s 18-yard reception on third-and-10 extended UAB’s possession, and Burton found Rod Robinson II for the go-ahead touchdown. On ECU’s third play of its response, Delvon Gulley intercepted Emory Williams and returned the ball 80 yards to end the game.
That finish rewarded the work that had kept UAB within reach. Jonah Delange made field goals from 41, 26 and 50 yards, and the defense allowed just three points after ECU built a 14–0 lead. Jo Pierce finished with a career-high 16 tackles. Burton threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns, with Smith catching eight passes for 119 yards.
ECU’s frustration extends well beyond the final possession. T.J. Engleman Jr. carried 26 times for 104 yards, but the passing game produced only 126 yards. An early touchdown on Dawson Quarterman’s recovery of teammate Ismael Smith Flores’ fumble helped build the lead; the offense could not sustain that scoring pace.
The result moved UAB to 4–3 overall and 2–1 in the American while ending ECU’s three-game winning streak. For the Pirates, establishing a lead was manageable. Turning productive rushing stretches into enough points to protect it proved much harder.
Army’s ground game leaves Florida Atlantic chasing
Army 56, Florida Atlantic 24
Army attempted two passes, completed one for two yards and still scored eight touchdowns. That captures how thoroughly the Black Knights controlled this game on the ground.
Cale Hellums rushed for 195 yards and five touchdowns on 25 carries, tying the program’s single-game rushing touchdown record. Army finished with 479 rushing yards and scored touchdowns on its first seven possessions, giving Florida Atlantic little opportunity to interrupt the game’s rhythm.
The opening sequence established the pressure immediately. Elijah Walton intercepted a pass deflected by Jack Bousum on FAU’s first offensive play, and Samari Howard scored on a 30-yard run on Army’s next snap. The Owls answered twice to tie the game at 14, showing they could move the ball against the Black Knights. They could not keep exchanging touchdowns indefinitely.
Army scored the next 28 points, turning that first-quarter tie into a 42–14 advantage early in the third. Jake Rendina’s 61-yard touchdown run supplied the final score in that stretch. The takeaways accelerated the separation: Army forced three turnovers and turned each into a touchdown.
FAU had substantial offensive production of its own. Caden Veltkamp threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns, while Easton Messer caught 14 passes for 102 yards. Those numbers kept the offense moving but could not compensate for a defense that failed to force a punt until the fourth quarter. The Owls’ four-game winning streak ended at West Point.
There were meaningful personnel developments for Army beyond Hellums’ record day. Godspower Nwawuihe returned for his first action since the Temple game and added 56 rushing yards. Freshman Deion Miller made his first start at inside linebacker, while backup quarterback Bryson Luter finished the scoring with a 69-yard touchdown run.
Army moved to 4–2 overall and 3–1 in the conference, with a rushing attack producing contributions throughout the rotation ahead of Friday’s visit to Tulsa.
UTSA finds the final answer against Navy
UTSA 38, Navy 34
The game at the Alamodome followed a tragic pregame demonstration in which a U.S. Air Force service member was injured and later died. The American Conference expressed condolences to his family and military colleagues.
On the field, UTSA overcame a 14–0 deficit and four fourth-quarter lead changes to reach 6–1 overall and 3–0 in the American. Owen McCown delivered the decisive drive, moving the Roadrunners 75 yards in six plays before finding A’Marion Peterson for a 41-yard touchdown with 2:24 remaining.
McCown finished with 359 passing yards and three touchdowns without an interception. UTSA also created an extra possession with a successful onside kick after tying the game at 14 in the second quarter. That recovery set up Peterson’s short rushing touchdown and helped turn an early deficit into a halftime lead.
Navy kept finding explosive responses. Jackson Gutierrez rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns, threw for 120 yards and two more scores, and caught a 63-yard pass from Braxton Woodson. Tight end Jordan Collins caught touchdown passes of 25 and 92 yards, with the latter setting a Navy record for its longest touchdown pass.
Woodson’s return to substantial action following an ankle injury was particularly encouraging for the Midshipmen. He added 73 rushing yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown, giving Navy another way to create offense alongside Gutierrez. Their combined production made the attack dangerous even as the lead kept changing.
UTSA eventually supplied the defensive sequence it needed. Owen Pewee’s third-down tackle for loss and pressure on the ensuing incompletion ended Navy’s best chance to answer Peterson’s touchdown. The Midshipmen fell to 2–4, including a 1–4 record in five consecutive games decided by one score.
The Roadrunners earned bowl eligibility and preserved their conference position. Navy left with productive quarterback options and another close result that offered little comfort in the standings.
Tulane’s defense makes Memphis pay for its mistakes
Tulane 31, Memphis 17
Memphis gained 488 yards and still spent much of Friday night trying to undo the damage from possessions that ended without points. Tulane forced six turnovers and recorded seven sacks, producing the defensive performance it needed to end a three-game losing streak.
The Green Wave trailed 10–3 early in the second quarter before scoring 20 unanswered points to reach halftime ahead 23–10. Two more Cooper Helmke field goals and Trace Johnson’s 38-yard touchdown pass to Destyn Hill helped turn the deficit into a lead. TJ Smith then delivered the biggest swing with a 76-yard interception return for a touchdown on the final play before the break.
Johnson’s first collegiate start ended with 165 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception. The freshman did enough to contribute to the turnaround, but Tulane’s defense gave him substantial help by repeatedly interrupting Memphis drives and creating opportunities for the offense.
Kevin Adams III was central to that effort, recording nine tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. He earned American Defensive Player of the Week honors for a performance that showed up both in the tackle totals and in possession-changing plays.
The Tigers still made the finish uncomfortable. Marcus Stokes threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns, Stonka Burnside caught seven passes for 151 yards, and Jaylin Carter rushed for 135 yards. A late touchdown brought Memphis within 23–17, leaving Tulane needing to finish a game its defense had worked hard to secure.
Johnnie Daniels supplied that finish. Facing fourth-and-1 near midfield, he broke a 48-yard touchdown run with 1:34 remaining. A successful two-point conversion made it a two-touchdown margin.
Tulane improved to 3–3 and 1–1 in conference play, with UTSA coming to New Orleans next. Memphis dropped to 5–2 and 2–1. The Tigers had enough production to stay competitive; three interceptions and three lost fumbles repeatedly prevented that production from becoming points.
Charlotte gets its breakthrough behind Harrell
Charlotte 38, Temple 31
Charlotte finally had a finish to match its offensive production. The 49ers scored 31 second-half points, ended a 15-game losing streak and gave Tim Albin his first victory over an FBS opponent as Charlotte’s head coach.
Conner Harrell was the central figure in his second consecutive start since returning from a knee injury. He completed 23 of 31 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns, then added two rushing scores. Henry Rutledge supplied 123 rushing yards, while Derrick Eley caught six passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.
That combination gave Charlotte answers as Temple kept responding. Harrell’s touchdown pass to Gus McGee put the 49ers ahead early in the fourth quarter. After the Owls tied the game again, Harrell’s 10-yard scoring run restored the lead before Aiden Bui’s 47-yard field goal with 1:48 remaining created a ten-point cushion.
Bui’s opportunity was a genuine personnel development. Albin said Ian Kelly had been dealing with a lower-body bruise and that Bui had earned the kicking duties that week. His late make proved significant when Temple added a field goal and forced Charlotte to secure an onside kick to finish the win.
Temple had chances to establish more control earlier. Leading 14–7 late in the first half, the Owls recovered a fumble and took over at Charlotte’s 2-yard line, then came away without points. That missed opportunity became more costly when Charlotte scored on its first two possessions after halftime.
Ajani Sheppard provided a spark after replacing Jaxon Smolik, throwing for 236 yards and accounting for three touchdowns. Peter Clarke caught five passes for 127 yards, and his touchdown set Temple’s career record for receiving scores by a tight end.
Those performances could not cover a difficult defensive half. Charlotte improved to 1–6 with something concrete to build on around Harrell; Temple fell to 2–5 with another productive offensive outing undermined by missed opportunities and stops it could not make.
Tulsa settles down after Rice’s early burst
Tulsa 38, Rice 17
Jacurri Brown’s touchdown runs of 50 and 78 yards gave Rice the start it wanted. Tulsa’s response over the rest of the afternoon showed why those explosive plays did not become a sustained advantage.
Trailing 17–7 in the second quarter, the Golden Hurricane scored the game’s final 31 points. Baylor Hayes completed 20 of 27 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, helping Tulsa recover without having to rely on the kind of long scoring runs Rice had produced early.
The decisive swing came late in the first half. After Hayes’ touchdown pass to Javon Ross cut the deficit, Devin Robinson forced a fumble on a sack of Brown. Hudson Ball recovered and returned it to the Rice 5-yard line. Three plays later, Hayes found Oran Singleton Jr. for an eight-yard touchdown, giving Tulsa a 21–17 halftime lead.
Singleton finished with seven catches for 87 yards. The backfield also shared the work productively: Trequan Jones and Damari Alston each carried 12 times, with Jones gaining 77 yards and Alston adding 52. Jones’ 45-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter finished the scoring, giving Tulsa a final explosive play from a rotation that had supported Hayes throughout the afternoon.
Rice never recovered its early offensive rhythm. Brown finished with 154 rushing yards, but the Owls generated only 62 passing yards and did not score after their first three possessions. His intermittent injury absences brought Gael Ochoa into the game and added an availability concern to the offensive problems.
Tulsa’s defense also deserves credit for sustaining the turnaround. Kyran Duhon recorded two sacks, and Tyson Williams finished with a career-high 12 tackles as the Golden Hurricane held Rice scoreless after halftime.
Tulsa improved to 4–3 with its first American victory of the season and now faces Army’s rushing attack. Rice fell to 1–6 and heads to Florida Atlantic needing both a healthier quarterback situation and a way to sustain drives after the early explosives.
South Florida’s defense carries it into the bye
South Florida 29, Kent State 2
South Florida finished with a comfortable margin, but the first half gave the Bulls little reason to feel comfortable about their offense. USF produced only 101 yards before halftime and needed a defensive touchdown to take control of the scoreboard.
Kent State led 2–0 and had another chance near the goal line when Dru DeShields lost a fumble. C.J. Hicks recovered and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown, tying a program record and turning a dangerous situation into a USF lead.
The defense kept the game manageable while the offense searched for a response. Kent State finished with 228 total yards and no offensive points. Michael Williams II contributed 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss, and a late safety supplied the final points of the night.
USF eventually established a more convincing offensive stretch. A 15-play, 73-yard drive consumed eight minutes and 30 seconds in the third quarter and ended with Luke Kromenhoek’s one-yard touchdown run. Michael Van Buren Jr. later found Cameron Seldon for a 36-yard score, helping the Bulls pull away.
Van Buren threw for 193 yards, while Seldon caught four passes for a career-high 60 yards. That connection provided an encouraging downfield play for an offense that had spent much of the evening struggling to generate momentum.
The bye comes at a useful time. USF reported that this was its first game of the season starting the same offensive line in consecutive weeks, an indication of how much the group’s availability has fluctuated. More continuity could help, but the first-half performance also leaves the Bulls with clear execution issues to address.
South Florida improved to 5–2 and completed an unbeaten nonconference schedule for the first time since 2018. Its next opportunity comes against UAB on October 31, when an earlier offensive response would reduce the burden on a defense that did much of the work against Kent State.
The next set of tests
Army’s visit to Tulsa on Friday, October 23, immediately tests whether the Golden Hurricanes can carry their second-half defensive performance into a game against a more sustained rushing attack. Army arrives with Hellums leading the production and several other runners contributing meaningful gains.
Saturday’s UTSA–Tulane matchup puts two of the week’s most consequential winners together. McCown’s ability to keep the Roadrunners moving meets a Green Wave defense coming off six takeaways and seven sacks. Tulane will want that pressure to travel from one game to the next without depending on another six-turnover night.
Navy hosts North Texas, while Rice visits Florida Atlantic. Navy’s quarterback usage and Rice’s quarterback availability remain worth following, although their Week 7 offensive performances presented very different concerns. UAB and South Florida are idle before meeting on Halloween, giving the Blazers time to build on their dramatic finish and the Bulls time to improve the starts that have made their games more difficult.
