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Memphis may not have won the conference championship, but they will get one more chance to play in front of their fans. And it’s as close as you can get from home. Memphis will literally play in it’s own stadium for their bowl game against an Iowa State team that has turned some heads in the Big 12.
Iowa State finished the year 7-5, after being a bottom dweller in the conference for numerous years. Matt Campbell’s second season with the Cyclones had them atop the conference early in the season.
Memphis finished the year No. 20 in the College Football Playoff rankings with a record of 10-2. They went undefeated at home for the first time since the Liberty Bowl was opened, and their only two losses came to conference champion UCF.
This game is a perfect opportunity for the Tigers to compete against a Power 5 program. Some projections had them taking on another Group of 5 team, but I’m really glad they get to take on a Power 5 program.
If you like receivers, this game could be for you. Memphis boasts Anthony Miller as their star, and the Cyclones have one of their own. Allen Lazard didn’t produce the stats of years past, but he made some spectacular catches throughout the year.
Essentially a home game, we should expect to see a good turnout for the final game of what has been a phenomenal season for this program.
Gameday is scheduled for 12/30 with a start time of 11:30am CT. The game can be seen on ABC.