Headquarters: Providence, RI.
Commissioner: Michael Aresco
Bowl Games: Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, Belk Bowl, New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Russell Athletic Bowl, BBVA Compass Bowl
The American Athletic Conference was established in 2013 and participates in Division 1 athletics of the NCAA. The AAC or "The American" as it has become known as, houses it's members throughout the South and Eastern parts of the United States. With institutions participating from Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and future members from North Carolina, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Maryland, the Conference covers a huge portion of the country.
Due to turmoil in the Big East Conference during the 2010 - 2013 NCAA conference realignment period the American Athletic Conference became one of two successors to the 34 year old conference. The AAC will inherit the old Big East structure and will sponsor football while the second will keep the Big East name but will not sponsor football. Along with the former structure of the old Big East, the American Athletic Conference will also inherit the conference's Bowl Championship Series Berth's. The AAC however will not become apart of the "Power Six" Conference but rather the "Group of Five" sharing access to one of six premier bowls with C-USA, MAC, Mountain West, and the Sun-Belt when a 4-team playoff system begins in 2014.