It's been a long offseason for Memphis football, so let's recap.
Ryan Silverfield left for Arkansas after the last game of the 2025 regular season. He was eventually replaced by Charles Huff. Kevin Decker and Jason Semore were hired as coordinators, but then Semore left for Georgia Tech about two weeks later and was replaced by Lance Guidry.
Most of the players from the 2025 roster are gone. In their place is a new roster made up almost entirely of transfers, with a good chunk of the new players coming with Huff from Southern Miss.
Huff endeared himself to Tigers fans from the jump, talking about his goals to win a conference championship and Memphis' desire to move to a power conference. There's plenty of excitement around the program and its
new direction.
But now there's actual football to be played. Memphis kicks off its 2026 season at UNLV on Aug. 29 (9 p.m., FOX).
Here's your primer for the game.
Looking for depth charts? Starting QBs? You've come to the wrong place
Memphis and UNLV have never met in football, so there's plenty of room to come up with a name for this rivalry. Something involving Elvis Presley, maybe? Or the other major thing the two cities have in common: Giant pyramids - the Bass Pro Shops in Memphis and the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas.
But maybe the real name should be this: The Secrecy Bowl.
Both coaches provided little information about their teams. UNLV coach Dan Mullen declined to name a starting quarterback and then answered a question about it by saying people are too focused on who starts the game.
Huff said he doesn't want agents reaching out to him when they find out their players won't be starters.
Both teams have had quarterback competitions. At UNLV, it'll either be returner Alex Orji or Auburn transfer Jackson Arnold. At Memphis, it'll either be West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes or South Carolina transfer Air Noland.
UNLV's roster is still in flux
The Rebels have more returning players than the Tigers as Mullen enters Year 2 in Las Vegas. But they also have questions about their roster because of the recent eligibility rulings for Class of 2022 players.
Defensive back Laterrance Welch and linebacker Donovan Spellman are currently ineligible because of the stay granted in the Colorado court ruling that initially made them eligible. Defensive lineman Cohen Fuller has a separate lawsuit that is also ongoing.
"I thought the NCAA was about helping kids," Mullen said Aug. 24.
All three could help UNLV's defense, but it remains to be seen if they'll be available for the game.
What to watch for in Memphis vs UNLV
The one player everyone will be watching is UNLV star running back Jai'Den "Jet" Thomas. He rushed for 1,036 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2025 and is one of the top returning players in the Group of Six.
That means it'll be a stiff test for what's expected to be a deep Memphis defensive line. Stopping the run will be the top priority for the Tigers' defense, and all eyes will be on Southern Miss transfer J'Mond Tapp. The defensive end is probably Memphis' best player heading into the season.
There are plenty of unknowns with Memphis' offense. But no matter who plays quarterback, the Tigers' offense will look drastically different than it has over the past few seasons. Kevin Decker's high-tempo offense will look more like what fans have seen from a Josh Heupel or Alex Golesh offense over the past few seasons.
And that'll effect game flow. Memphis probably won't be winning many time of possession battles this season.
Memphis vs UNLV prediction
UNLV 38, Memphis 35: Expect a shootout. Although there's uncertainty at the quarterback position on both sides, these teams are positioned to score lots of points in 2026. The Rebels ultimately eke out a win with a late field goal.
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis football vs UNLV predictions for Tigers coach Charles Huff's debut game
