East Carolina has been picked sixth among 14 teams in the new American Athletic Conference’s preseason football media poll released Tuesday.
Multiple coaches noted that Tulane was seventh in last year’s poll before winning the league championship.
ECU was picked sixth among 11 teams last season and finished in a tie for sixth.
The Pirates are scheduled to host the Green Wave, voted first in the 2023 poll, on Nov. 4. That will be the week after ECU travels to Texas-San Antonio. which is picked second for the upcoming season.
The Pirates will play four of the top five, according to the 2023 predictions, as well as three of the bottom four — Tulsa (No.11), Rice (12) and Charlotte (14).
ECU opens league play at Rice on Sept. 30. The Pirates have their first AAC home game on ESPN on Thursday, Oct. 12, against Southern Methodist, voted third for the upcoming season.
That nationally televised matchup will be followed by what shapes up as a budding rivalry with the 49ers on Oct. 21.
Teams and their projected preseason ratings that ECU is not scheduled to play include Memphis (4), North Texas (7), Alabama Birmingham (8), Temple (10) and South Florida (13).
2023 AAC Preseason Media Poll
Team (First place votes) Points
1. Tulane (20) 457
2. UTSA (9) 440
3. SMU (3) 397
4. Memphis (1) 362
5. Florida Atlantic 312
6. East Carolina 303
7. North Texas 261
8. UAB (1) 209
9. Navy 199
10. Temple 182
11. Tulsa 160
12. Rice 138
13. South Florida 86
14. Charlotte 64
2022 AAC Preseason Media Poll
Team (First-Place Votes) Points
1. Houston (7) 243
2. Cincinnati (10) 242
3. UCF (7) 225
4. SMU 187
5. Memphis 162
6. East Carolina 157
7. Tulane 115
8. Tulsa 93
9. South Florida 71
10. Navy 61
11. Temple 28
2022 AAC Final Standings
1. Tulane 7-1
2. UCF 6-2
2. Cincinnati 6-2
4. SMU 5-3
4. Houston 5-3
6. Navy 4-4
6. ECU 4-4
8. Memphis 3-5
8. Tulsa 3-5
10. Temple 1-7
11. South Florida 0-8
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