After their big win against Florida State, Memphis is 3-0 and plays at Navy this Saturday. Navy is 2-0 with wins over Bucknell and Temple.
The Tigers have beaten Navy five straight times with the last matchup being a 28-24 Memphis victory last season. In that game, Navy used their flagship triple-option offense to rush for 299 yards while Seth Henigan threw for 218 yards and a touchdown.
Memphis currently is right outside the AP poll and is ranked #23 in the Coaches Poll. A win this weekend will keep the momentum and could push the Tigers into top 25 in the AP poll for the first time since 2020.
The last time these two teams met, Navy kept it close with Memphis, but Memphis would get the win 28-24. Memphis is currently favored by about 10 points to win this Saturday.
Here are 3 keys to another Tiger victory over Navy:
Defense dominance: This game between two high-powered offenses will boil down to who can get more stops. Memphis has been lights-out on that side of the ball. The Tigers are 14th in the country in rushing defense, only allowing an average of 68.3 yards per game (YPG) and only three total rushing touchdowns through three games. They are also forcing opposing passers to be highly inefficient, allowing only 57.6% of passes to be completed and not a single passing touchdown. Look for the focus of the Memphis defense to be on Navy’s junior fullback Alex Tecza, as he averages 6.29 yards per carry.
Air it out: Navy has a subpar pass defense through two games, giving up 241 yards in the air per game. Seth Henigan is also one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country, averaging 247 YPG with a 68.3% completion percentage. If the Tigers offense can keep up with Navy’s signature triple-option and their new modified Wing-T look, they will be in a great place.
Drown out the noise: After a monumental win over Florida State last week, Memphis became the talk of the college football world. All this team needs to do from here is take it one game at a time and make it through the grind that is AAC conference play.
The Tigers look to start AAC play on the right foot in Annapolis and begin their journey for their third AAC title, which should all but guarantee a spot in the newly expanded College Football Playoff. Kickoff is at 2:30 and coverage will be provided by CBS Sports Network.
