BOISE, ID — For a second there, it looked like Memphis football might be cruising toward the College Football Playoff.
The Tigers (2-1) led Boise State 17-3 in the second quarter on Sept. 12 at Albertsons Stadium. The Broncos (1-1) had no answer for Memphis' explosive offense, and Memphis looked like a dominant team.
And then the bottom fell out. Boise State scored a touchdown on a key fourth-down play, grabbing momentum and riding it through the rest of the game en route to a 38-20 win that ended on a 35-3 run. It established them as the top team in the Group of Six and means Memphis will need help to have a shot at getting to the CFP.
Still, all hope is not lost for the Tigers. Here's a look at where they sit in the playoff race after three games.
How Memphis can still make the College Football Playoff
The Tigers have lost only one game, and there's plenty of football left to be played. They close out nonconference play at home against UT Martin on Sept. 19 and then will open conference play at Charlotte on Oct. 3.
Losing to Boise State has no effect on the American Conference title race, obviously. Memphis still controls its own destiny in that regard, but its playoff margin for error might be gone completely. While the Tigers could lose a conference game and still have a shot at getting to the conference title game, two losses might be too many when it comes to the Group of Six's slot in the CFP.
Absolutely paramount for Memphis if it wants to have a shot at reaching the playoff? Boise State has to lose, probably multiple times. The Broncos are only 1-1, and the strength of their résumé will ride on how well Oregon — which beat them 34-27 in Week 1 but then lost to Oklahoma State in Week 2 — and Memphis do the rest of the year.
The Broncos play at Western Michigan on Sept. 26 in what looks like a game that could have major playoff implications. A Western Michigan win there would put it in the playoff conversation after its — er, sort-of-loss to Michigan during Week 1.
The bottom line for Memphis is this: If the Tigers had won in Boise, they would've controlled their own destiny for the playoff. Now there's plenty of scoreboard watching to be done.
Where Memphis football needs to improve moving forward
Much needs to happen on the field for Memphis to stay in the playoff hunt, of course.
On defense, the Tigers struggled to slow Boise State's rushing attack. The good news is they likely won't face a duo like Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines for the rest of the season, but the Tigers will face multiple teams — including Army and Navy — that will plan to run the ball early and often. Tigers coach Charles Huff said he believed Memphis' defensive front wore down as the game went on, and that'll be something to watch against teams that run as much as Army and Navy do.
On offense, Memphis still hasn't put a complete game together. Boise State loaded up against the run and put up to eight defenders in the box, and was largely successful at taking that away. Jaylin Carter reeled off an 80-yard touchdown, but other than that, Memphis amassed only 55 yards on 25 carries.
The passing game put up gaudy numbers — quarterback Marcus Stokes threw for a career-high 384 yards, while tight end Hunter Tipton had nine catches for a career-high 229 receiving yards — but almost all of Stokes' yardage came on explosive plays down the field. Memphis has not shown an ability to sustain drives with the passing game, and every opposing team that watched the game against Boise State will be working on a similar plan to shut down the run.
“What’s delayed is not denied," Huff said after the game. "We’ve still got a long road ahead. No one in our building talked perfection. We all talked about getting better each week."
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Resetting Memphis' path to College Football Playoff after loss to Boise State
