ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Navy football team was picked to finish first in the American Conference by Athlon Sports in its annual preseason magazine. The magazine also picked Navy to defeat Memphis in the American Conference Championship Game.

Senior center Cam Nichols and junior linebacker MarcAnthony Parker were the only Navy players named to the preseason all-conference team.

In its American Conference unit rankings, the Mids were ranked (out of 14 teams) fourth at quarterback, 12th at running back, 13th at wide receiver, second at offensive line, seventh at defensive line, second at linebacker and sixth at defensive back.

The magazine predicted Navy would play Arizona State in the Armed Forces Bowl and projected Boise State to earn the Group of Six's automatic berth into the College Football Playoff.

Of the 12 games to watch in the American Conference, Navy had four selected: the Oct. 17 game at UTSA, the Oct. 31 game against Notre Dame in Foxborough, the Nov. 21 home game against Memphis and the Dec. 12 Army-Navy Game presented by USAA at MetLife Stadium.

Navy was ranked No. 60 out of 138 teams in Athlon Sports' preseason rankings.

Athlon Sports' American Conference Projected Standings

1.      Navy

2.      Memphis

3.      UTSA

4.      Army

5.      ECU

6.      USF

7.      Tulane

8.      Temple

9.      FAU

10.  Tulsa

11.  North Texas

12.  Rice

13.  UAB

14.  Charlotte