The wait is finally over. The game that Memphis fans have had circled on their calendars for months finally takes place this Saturday in Tallahassee, on the road versus Florida State (FSU).
The Tigers come into this game with all the momentum they could ask for: a shutout of North Alabama, a 38-17 rout over back-to-back Sun Belt champions Troy, and a #25 spot in the most recent coaches' poll.
Florida State is seeking its first win this season, coming off a Week 0 upset against Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland, and a home loss to the #24 ranked Boston College Eagles. These losses sit squarely on the shoulders of Seminoles quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who has only scored one touchdown between both games, had a quarterback rating (QBR) of just 31.0 in their loss to Boston College, and missed wide open receivers on multiple occasions in both games.
And then there’s Mike Norvell.
Mike Norvell holding the AAC Football Championship Trophy. Norvell left for Florida State at the conclusion of the 2019 season.
For the first time since the 2019 AAC Championship game, Mike Norvell and Ryan Silverfield will be on the field at the same time.
Silverfield, who was an assistant under Norvell from 2016 until the 2019 Cotton Bowl, shared some remarks on his relationship with Norvell in a press conference on Monday:
“Look, him and I are very close friends. We sat within an arm's length of each other for four years,” said coach Silverfield. “I’m excited for this matchup. it’s good for our university.”
With all these factors at play, Memphis is still an underdog going into the contest, with most betting lines favoring Florida State by about a touchdown.
Here are three keys for Memphis to pull the upset:
Establish the run: Florida State has one of the worst rush defenses in the country, giving up an astonishing average of 226.5 rushing yards per game through the first two games. Despite the season ending knee injury to Sutton Smith, Memphis boasts a rushing attack averaging 135 yards per game, led by power back Mario Anderson Jr.
Dominate in the trenches: The Tigers offensive line needs to dominate the front seven of FSU for Memphis’ explosive offense to work its magic in both the rushing and passing attacks. They have only allowed one sack through two games and allowed the offense to put up 78 points in those games.
Take the crowd out: Doak-Campbell stadium is regarded as one of the toughest places to play in the country. It doesn’t matter if the team is 13-0 or 0-13, Florida State fans will show up and support their team regardless. If Memphis can control time of possession and squeeze the life out of the Seminoles on both sides of the ball, the environment will become essentially irrelevant, and the Tigers will have a much better chance of success.
With this game being the one of the biggest of the season, Memphis will have a chance to seize the attention of a national audience and place themselves in the driver’s seat for the group of five spot in the college football playoff.
The game will kick off at 11:00 a.m. CT on ESPN.
