While on the surface, this matchup between unfamiliar opponents looks like a Week 4 non-conference battle, this one counts for an additional column in the standings.
It is the instance of league play for the American Athletic Conference this weekend, and it’s the long-awaited AAC debut for the Rice Owls.
Currently, the South Florida Bulls (1-2, 0-0 AAC) are generating the most attention they’ve received in years. As an average of 4.84 million viewers watched on ABC, the Bulls gave Alabama all it could handle, trading punch-for-punch with the Crimson Tide for nearly four quarters — never trailing until the 4:35 mark of the third quarter.