The University of Memphis football team looks to continue their national rise as a program in 2016.
Over the last two seasons, Memphis has made two bowl games and reached their highest ranking in the AP poll in program history.
This Saturday, the new-look Tigers, led by first-year head coach Mike Norvell and new starting quarterback Riley Ferguson, are set to take on Southeast Missouri State in their first regular season game of 2016 at 6 p.m. at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.
Memphis will play 12 regular season games, including eight American Athletic Conference games, and in those 12 games, there are a few that stand out.
1. Ole Miss Rebels - Saturday Oct. 1
Last season, the Tigers upset the No. 13 ranked Ole Miss Rebels at home, causing fans and students to rush the field in celebration. This year, however, the Tigers will travel to Oxford to play in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Under Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss has improved their record each year, including a 13-2 home record the past two seasons. With the return of quarterback Chad Kelly, who was second-team all-SEC last season and selected to the preseason first team all-SEC team, Ole Miss has one of the top signal callers in the SEC leading their offense.
Despite having to go to Oxford to play the No.11 ranked team in the AP preseason poll, Memphis students are still optimistic about the Tigers chances.
“The game last year was incredible,” said Luke Chapman, a senior history major at the U of M. “Even though we are over-matched this year, I think we have a chance to pull the upset again.”
2. Houston Cougars - Friday, Nov. 25
In 2015, the Houston Cougars overcame a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun the Tigers, winning 35-34 on their home field.
After being up 34-14 in the fourth quarter, the Tigers could not find a way to close the game, and Houston scored 21 straight points for the win. At the time, Houston was ranked No. 24 in the AP poll and finished the season ranked No. 8 with a 13-1 record.
The Cougars, who come into 2016 ranked No. 15 in the preseason poll, have to travel to Memphis as the Tigers look to avenge last season’s loss.
Memphis’ students are excited to attend the game against Houston, and plan to help the team as much as they can.
“My friends and I are planning to go and be part of a wild student section,” said sophomore history major Thomas Hall. “We want it (the student section) to be crazy and disruptive for the Houston offense.”
3. Temple Owls - Thursday, Oct. 6
Temple got off to a 7-0 start in 2015, but the Owls won just three of their final four games, including losses in the AAC Championship Game and the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl. Despite sputtering at the end of last season, Temple defeated Memphis 31-12 on November 21 in what would be their second to last win of the season.
The Owls, who had the nation’s No. 13 ranked defense in points allowed per game, held the Tigers to only 12 points (the Tigers’ lowest point total in regular season), and they return seven defensive starters.
The game against Temple comes on a short week. There are only four days of rest between the Saturday game against Ole Miss on October 1 and the Thursday game against Temple on October 6.
