"AAC really are a Power Five conference" - UAB HC wants Pac-12 to be replaced in P5

The American Athletic Conference is eyeing a spot among the Power Five conferences, and many believe the AAC has a good case after the disintegration of the Pac-12. The realignments have left an opening for one of the Group of Five conferences to elevate to the Power Five, and the American might just be it.

While speaking to Ryan Hennessy of WVTM in Birmingham, Alabama, UAB Blazers coach Trent Dilfer was not shy about his thoughts about the AAC becoming a Power Five conference.

"Now watching the Pac-12 disintegrate, [the AAC] really are a Power Five conference. I think that needs to be the next narrative. Not where we're going, why aren't we a Power Five conference? We should be," Difler said.

Dilfer was hired by the UAB Blazers, an AAC team, in Nov. 2022. However, the former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl XXXV champion may not be too far off considering the opportunity Group of Five conferences have to elevate their status.

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Can the AAC actually wind up becoming a Power Five conference?

The talk of the AAC being a Power Five conference has been going on for a few years, as there are some quality programs in it. However, they may not be the best option to become a Power Five conference out of the Group of Five.

One idea that has been floating around is the Pac-12 merging with the Mountain West. The intellectual property of the Pac-12 would still establish the conference as a Power Five, which would keep the AAC on the outside looking in.

Another conference has some serious conversations about being elevated to Power Five, and that would be the Mid-American Conference.

A big reason why it is a contender is because the conference has high-octane offenses battling it out. MAC games are typically in the 30s to 40s in terms of points every week, which makes it a lot of fun to watch. The defenses are non-existent, but from an entertainment standpoint, which sports are, the MAC is second-to-none.

The AAC Power Five hype may be strong, but in all reality, it might not come to fruition. A big reason is college football is a national sport, and there are already the Southeastern and Big Ten Conferences in that portion of the United States.

Having a conference on the West Coast would connect more to the vision of the Power Five conferences than what the American brings to the table.