IRVING, Texas – The Cincinnati Bearcats, who finished the 2020 season ranked No. 8 nationally, has been tabbed as the preseason favorite in the 2021 American Athletic Conference preseason media poll.
 
Cincinnati received 22 of a possible 24 first-place votes in the media poll to finish with 262 points. UCF had two first-place votes and was second in the poll with 241 points, ending a streak of three consecutive seasons as the favorite in The American.
 
The Bearcats, who have gone 31-6 since the start of the 2018 season, went 9-1 overall and 6-0 in American Athletic Conference play last season, winning the American Athletic Conference Championship Game for the first time before falling to Georgia on a last-seconds field goal in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
 
Cincinnati has been ranked in 28 consecutive national polls, dating to Oct. 6, 2019, and carries a 20-game winning streak at Nippert Stadium, marking the fourth-longest active home field winning streak in the nation (behind only Clemson, Notre Dame and Ohio State). Luke Fickell's squad will be led by quarterback Desmond Ridder, the 2020 American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, and a defense headlined by All-America cornerback Ahmad Gardner.
 
UCF was a clear choice of the media to reach The American Championship Game in 2021 as the Knights were second in the preseason poll. Former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn begins his first year on the Knights' sideline, while quarterback Dillon Gabriel returns after he led the NCAA in passing (357.0 yards per game) last season. Gabriel's career average of 314.0 passing yards per game is the best of any active player in FBS.
 
SMU edged Houston for the No. 3 spot in the preseason poll. The Mustangs return 18 starters from last year's team that won seven of its first eight games and was ranked as high as No. 16 nationally. The Cougars, who were hampered by the cancellation or postponement of eight scheduled games last season, look for more stability this season behind the return of 20 starters.
 
The 2020 season saw The American place a team in a New Year's Six bowl for the fifth time in the seven-year history of the College Football Playoff/New Year's Six structure.
 
2021 American Athletic Conference Preseason Media Poll

		Team (First-Place Votes)	Points
	1.	Cincinnati (22)	262
	2.	UCF (2)	241
	3.	SMU	188
	4.	Houston	181
	5.	Memphis	168
	6.	Tulsa	153
	7.	Tulane	132
	8.	East Carolina	85
		Navy	85
	10.	Temple	46
	11.	South Florida	43

 
Preseason Poll Notes
The favorite in the American Athletic Conference preseason media poll has ended up winning the conference title twice in the league's first seven seasons:

	Year	Favorite	Conference Finish	Champion
	2013	Louisville	2nd	UCF
	2014	Cincinnati	t-1st	UCF, Cincinnati, Memphis
	2015	Cincinnati	t-3rd East	Houston
	2016	Houston	t-3rd West	Temple
	2017	South Florida	t-2nd East	UCF
	2018	UCF	1st East	UCF
	2019	UCF	2nd East	Memphis
	2020	UCF	t-3rd	Cincinnati

 

 
 
 
All-Time Preseason Media Polls
 
 

2020
      Team                Points
1.    UCF (10)              204
2.   Cincinnati (7)       201
3.   Memphis (2)        192
4.   SMU                    146
5.   Navy (1)               125
6.   Tulane                 118
7.    Houston              114
8.   Temple                88
9.   Tulsa                    49
10. East Carolina       42
11.  South Florida        41
 
 
2019
American Championship
      Team                Points
      UCF                      12
      Cincinnati             8
      Memphis               6
      Houston                4
       
East Division
      Team                Points
1.    UCF (19)              169
2.   Cincinnati (11)     157
3.   South Florida       107
4.   Temple                101
5.   East Carolina       66
6.   UConn                  30
       
West Division
      Team                Points
1.    Memphis (15)      165
2.   Houston (14)       162
3.   Tulane                 108
4.   SMU (1)                87
5.   Navy                     70
6.   Tulsa                    38
 
 
2018
American Championship
      Team                Points
      UCF                      19
      Memphis               7
      South Florida        3
      Houston                1
       
East Division
      Team                Points
1.    UCF (25)              175
2.   South Florida (5) 140
3.   Temple                132
4.   Cincinnati            91
5.   UConn                  51
6.   East Carolina        41
       
West Division
      Team                Points
1.    Memphis (23)      171
2.   Houston (4)         146
3.   Navy (3)              129
4.   SMU                     72
5.   Tulane                 68
6.   Tulsa                    44
 

2017
American Championship
      Team                Points
      South Florida       26
      Houston                2
      Memphis               1
      Navy                      1
       
East Division
      Team                Points
1.    South Florida (30) 169
2.   UCF                     126
3.   Temple                119
4.   Cincinnati           100
5.   East Carolina       63
6.   UConn                  42
       
West Division
      Team                Points
1.    Memphis (22)      169
2.   Houston (6)         137
3.   Navy (1)               128
4.   Tulsa (1)              102
5.   SMU                     64
6.   Tulane                  30
 
 
2016
American Championship
      Team                Points
      Houston               27
      South Florida        2
      Temple                  1
       
East Division
      Team                Points
1.    South Florida (15) 164
2.   Temple (9)           144
3.   Cincinnati (6)      130
4.   UConn                  89
5.   East Carolina       55
6.   UCF                      48
       
West Division
      Team                Points
1.    Houston (30)      180
2.   Navy                    128
3.   Memphis             124
4.   Tulsa                    92
5.   SMU                     65
6.   Tulane                  41
 
 
2015                                       
American Championship
      Team                Points
      Cincinnati            22
      Memphis               5
      Houston                2
      UCF                       1
        
East Division
      Team                Points
1.    Cincinnati (29)    179
2.   UCF (1)                 135
3.   Temple                116
4.   East Carolina      105
5.   South Florida       53
6.   UConn                  42
        
West Division
      Team                Points
1.    Memphis (13)      153
2.   Houston (10)       149
3.   Navy (7)               148
4.   Tulane                  74
5.   SMU                     59
6.   Tulsa                    47