Editor's note: This story was updated in late July to reflect the latest projections and changes to teams and rosters.
It could be said that no one stands to benefit more from the College Football Playoff's imminent expansion than whoever seizes control of the new-look American Athletic Conference.
Sure, plenty of others also will benefit. Multi-loss champions of conferences such as the Pac-12 and Big 12 will get not only guaranteed seats at the 12-team table but also semi-regular playoff byes. The Penn States of the world, excellent teams stuck behind top-five programs in their divisions, could get annual bids too. But if a power emerges from the ranks of the AAC (or, perhaps, the Sun Belt or Mountain West) in the coming years, they, too, could see regular bids and both the financial and recruiting boosts that come with that.
In losing Cincinnati, Houston and UCF to the Big 12, the AAC has taken a hit in terms of overall quality. But the moves have also opened a door for the conference's remaining programs. Can Tulane consolidate power after last year's incredible surge? Can SMU finally put all the pieces together? Can Memphis regain what it has lost in recent seasons? Can a newcomer like UTSA or Florida Atlantic shine?
There is opportunity afoot, and a lot of programs are attempting to seize it. Last week we previewed the AAC's six newcomers; this week let's talk about its eight holdovers. Time to talk AAC!
Every week through the offseason, Bill Connelly will preview another division from the Group of 5 and Power 5 exclusively for ESPN+, ultimately including all 133 FBS teams. The previews will include 2022 breakdowns, 2023 previews and burning questions for each team.