UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor, a native of Gilmer, speaks during the American Athletic Conference Kickoff Football Media day at the Loews Arlington Hotel on Tuesday in Arlington. (Andrew Wevers/AAC)

Jeff Traylor’s UTSA Roadrunners are picked to finish second in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Media Poll, the league office announced on Tuesday as part of the AAC Football Kickoff at Loews Arlington.

The Roadrunners received four first-place votes and 368 points as runner-up to Memphis (23 first-place votes, 409 points).

Traylor, the former coach at Gilmer High School, along with his players Jamal Ligon, a senior linebacker who played at Tyler Legacy High School, and Oscar Cardenas, a senior tight end from San Antonio, represented Texas-San Antonio at the AAC Football Media Day in Arlington.

UTSA was tabbed for second in the preseason poll after the Roadrunners won nine games last year, including a 35-17 decision against Marshall in the Frisco Bowl. Traylor’s squad has gone 32-9 in the last three seasons and has been ranked in the top 25 six times during that stretch. The Roadrunners return 14 starters, but will have to replace veteran quarterback Frank Harris.

Memphis is the favorite after the Tigers capped a 10-3 season with a 35-26 win against Iowa State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Ryan Silverfield’s team returns 17 starters from last season, including 10 on an offense that averaged a league-leading 39.4 points and ranked second in total offense at 458.5 yards per game. Memphis will be led by quarterback Seth Henigan, who will be the only fourth-year player nationally to start at quarterback for the same team in all four years. Henigan passed for 3,883 yards (ranking fourth nationally) and 32 touchdowns (fifth nationally) against nine interceptions last season.

Following Memphis and UTSA in the poll include: 3, Tulane (2 first-place votes, 362 points); 4, South Florida (339 points); 5, Army (1 first-place vote, 236 points); 6, Florida Atlantic (228 points); 7, (tie) East Carolina (219 points); Rice (219 points); 9, North Texas (216 points); 10, UAB (192 points); 11, Navy (150 points); 12, Tulsa (95 points); 13, Charlotte (77 points); and 14, Temple (40 points).

Each of the 14 teams in The American will play eight conference games in 2024. The top two teams in the final single-division regular-season standings will meet Friday, Dec. 6 in the 10th American Athletic Conference Football Championship.

The Roadrunners will kick off the 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 31, when they host Kennesaw State at 2:30 p.m. at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Rice’s first game is set for Aug. 31 as the Owls host Sam Houston at Rice Stadium in Houston (7 p.m.), while North Texas’ opener is Aug. 31 against South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama (5 p.m.).