AAC Football: Top 5 expansion candidates for the conference

If UCF and South Florida get snatched up by a Power Five conference, Florida Atlantic provides a way to remain in the Sunshine State. The defending Conference USA champion offers the American Athletic Conference a contingency plan. In 2017 the Owls fielded one of the most explosive offenses in the country and exhibit all the classic traits of a speed-fueled Florida program.

With Lane Kiffin at the helm in Boca Raton, FAU has emerged as a rising star among mid-major squads. After three straight 3-9 seasons under Charlie Partridge, the Owls turned to Kiffin and immediately became an 11-3 squad. Consolidating those gains will be critical over the next few years, but they could be the next rising power in Florida.

After all, the Owls have fielded a football team for less than two decades. They are about to enter just their 15th FBS season. The results have been mixed in the first 14 seasons at the top level. FAU has finished at .500 or better in only five of those campaigns.

As long as UCF and South Florida are in the AAC, there is little incentive to bring aboard Florida Atlantic. But in the next few years, if realignment fires up again and the Knights and Bulls get snagged away by another league, the Owls will be in good position to fill the void.