Memphis 2018 Football Schedule Released

Schedule

9/1 vs. Mercer

9/8 at Navy

9/14 vs. Georgia State

9/22 vs. South Alabama

9/28 at Tulane

10/6 vs. UConn

10/13 vs. UCF

10/20 at Missouri

11/3 at ECU

11/10 vs. Tulsa

11/16 at SMU

11/23 vs. Houston

Quick Facts

• Last year’s game that was supposed to be against Georgia State was replaced with a conference game against UCF, but the Tigers get the Panthers back on the schedule this year.
• The non-conference slate once again will include two Sun Belt teams, a Power 5 team, and an FCS team.
• This is Memphis’ first meeting with both South Alabama and Georgia State, and they trail the series with Missouri 2-1.
• Playing Missouri will be the first time Memphis played another Tigers team since 2015 when they faced Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl.
• Four games are scheduled for Friday nights, and the other eight are scheduled for Saturdays.

Analysis

• The biggest storyline going into next year will be who replaces Riley Ferguson, and it appears that his replacement might get some time to settle in. The first game against Mercer shouldn’t be an issue, but the second game against Navy will be tough. The Midshipmen, however, will be coming off of a road trip to Hawai’i, so that might help the Tigers out. South Alabama and Georgia State round out the first four games.
• By the time their schedule gets difficult, Memphis should know their identity. UCF comes to the Liberty Bowl on October 13th, and the Tigers will be looking to avenge their two losses in 2017. Memphis then heads to Missouri the next week, which is perfect for this team. With turnover on both sides of the ball, and the defense needing to show improvement, we shouldn’t have to worry about pressure on the Tigers until around this time.
• After the Missouri game, the Tigers get a week off to prepare for the final four games of the conference. This could be a vital stretch for them to return to the AAC Championship Game. If they beat Tulane earlier in the season, SMU and Houston would be the only two teams in their way. The Mustangs and Cougars are Memphis’ last two games.

Summary

There are a few games that will tell us who the 2018 Memphis Tigers are, and we will know their identity eight games in. The second game of the year against Navy will be tough, and the two game stretch of UCF and Missouri will tell us if this team can compete like the 2017 squad. Personnel changes and experience will be the two biggest factors that determine the success for Memphis this year, and there’s plenty of returning talent on the roster to make another championship run.