Game notes
- Time and date: Friday, November 7 at 9:00 p.m. ET
- Network: ESPN
- Location: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium — Memphis, TN
- Spread: Memphis (-3.5)
- Over/under: 54.5
- All-time series: Memphis leads, 25-15-1
- Last meeting: Memphis 34, Tulane 24 — November 28, 2024
- Current streak: Memphis, 1 (2024)
Setting the scene
Friday night sets up a perfect showcase for perennial American Conference contenders. Memphis rattled off three-straight American Championship appearances from 2017-19, and Tulane currently rides its own
three-game streak from 2022-24. As one expects when the conference releases the schedule each year, this matchup matters significantly to the league’s title prospects.
Memphis (8-1, 4-1 American) is currently positioned as one of the five highest-ranked conference leaders by the College Football Playoff committee, likely in a position to clinch the playoff by winning out. Tulane (6-2, 3-1 American) remains firmly in the conference title race and looks to play spoiler, just as Memphis did in New Orleans last Thanksgiving by knocking No. 17 Tulane out of the CFP picture.
Tulane Green Wave outlook
Tulane doesn’t drop conference games often. The Green Wave are 25-3 in their last 28 regular season conference matchups, but one of those losses transpired a week ago at UTSA. Tulane came out uncharacteristically flat, falling to a 31-6 first half deficit before bowing out in 48-26 fashion. Rather than return home to New Orleans, Tulane receives another test in a difficult road environment, aiming to keep its chance at a fourth-straight title appearance in tact.
The Green Wave ranked 16th in scoring offense last year at 35.1 points per game, and this year that rank is down to 81st and 25.9 points per game — over nine points lower. Tulane is remarkably consistent on offense, falling in the range of 23 to 34 points in seven of eight contests so far. Sometimes the manner in which the Green Wave rack up their yardage changes, but the output on the scoreboard doesn’t typically waver from week-to-week.
The unit is headlined by dual-threat quarterback Jake Retzlaff. Early in the season, Retzlaff was able to skate past Northwestern and Duke with 100+ rushing performances. He still eyes his first such game since mid-September, but the BYU transfer had progressed as a passer in this offense up until the UTSA game. While Tulane’s aerial attack sometimes lacks explosiveness, it typically plays sound football. Retzlaff only has three interceptions all year and two transpired last Thursday in San Antonio.
The regular season is in the final stretch, but the Green Wave are still figuring out the running back room. Javin Gordon has been the most frequented option with 77 carries for 328 yards, but Tulane remains in search of its first 90-yard rushing performance by a non-Retzlaff player in 2025. Running back is still a committee based approach, and so is wide receiver, as no Tulane receiver has a 100-yard game this season.
Defensively, the Green Wave had been sharper for much of the season, but they allowed a near-perfect 31-of-33, 370-yard performance by UTSA quarterback Owen McCown a week ago. Tulane is 103rd against the pass and 103rd in total yards allowed. The Green Wave were one of the best turnover-forcing units a year ago and appeared to continue that trend early in the season, but they didn’t generate a single takeaway during the month of October. Four of Tulane’s six interceptions transpired in Week 1, and cornerbacks Javion White and Jahiem Johnson (combined 10 pass breakups) look to create those havoc plays again.
Other names to watch on this Tulane defense include defensive ends Harvey Dyson III and Santana Hopper which combine for seven of the group’s 15 sacks. Additionally, inside linebacker Sam Howard — who play through a broken fibula injury last week — will be leading the linebacking crew while in the midst of the recovery process.
Memphis Tigers outlook
Memphis is in the driver’s seat for a CFP spot, and the Tigers are right where they want to be for a game of this magnitude — home. Memphis rides a 12-game win streak at the Liberty Bowl, and no deficit is too large for the Tigers in their den. In their last home outing, they erased a 14-point fourth quarter deficit to upend South Florida. Earlier in the year, they stormed from 18 down to defeat Arkansas.
However, there is a giant question mark entering this game. Memphis quarterback Brendon Lewis suffered his second lower-body injury in a three-week span, limping off the field in the fourth quarter of last week’s 38-14 win over Rice. Lewis practiced earlier in the week, and the Tigers hope to receive the dual-threat services of the quarterback who completes 69.1 percent of his passes, has 10 touchdowns to four interceptions, and ranks ninth in the FBS in QB rushing yards. If Lewis isn’t able to go, head coach Ryan Silverfield will decide between redshirt freshman Arrington Maiden or true freshman AJ Hill — both whom have earned QB2 reps this year.
Especially if Lewis is unable to go, Memphis will look to reignite the running backs, which were the headliners of the offense for much of the season. Teams have stacked the box against the Tigers lately, denying Memphis of stellar performances from the backfield. But the Greg Desrosiers Jr. and Sutton Smith combo is more than capable of producing breakaway runs, averaging 6.0 and 5.9 yards per carry, respectively.
Another skill position player guiding Memphis’ 12th-ranked scoring offense (37.7 points per game) is wide receiver Cortez Braham Jr. Braham has become a walking highlight reel on his way to 632 receiving yards and an American-high seven receiving touchdowns, serving as the top target in this offense.
On the other side of the ball, the Tigers have been sharp, checking in at 24th in the country in points allowed per game. Memphis’ two-game stretch vs. UAB and South Florida was far from its standard, but the Tigers righted the ship against a Rice option offense and had the Owls at negative yardage over halfway through the second quarter. Turnovers are an integral part of Memphis’ defensive success, tying for 10th in the country in both takeaways and in turnover margin — led by two interceptions and two forced fumbles by safety Kamari Wilson.
The Tigers also exhibit stellar linebacker play, assisting the effort in limiting teams to 128 rushing yards per game and 3.9 per carry. Sam Brumfield is the leader of the corps, checking in at first on the team in tackles (66), tackles for loss (12), and sacks (4.5). Strong safety Chris Bracy is a fellow backfield invader with 9.5 tackles for loss, and he’s been noticeable on the back-end as well with a conference-best seven pass deflections.
Prediction
With high stakes, this matchup between perennial American Conference contenders should not disappoint. Tulane is looking to rid itself the bad taste from last week’s thrashing at UTSA, and this presents the perfect bounce-back opportunity in Memphis. The Tigers have a consistent history of winning at home, but Tulane is one of just two opponents to emerge victorious in the venue since 2023. Memphis may face adversity with Brendon Lewis’ status up in the air, and if he’s available, how effective will he be in the mobility department — an essential portion of the Tigers’ offense?
This one comes down to the wire, decided on a last-second field goal.
Prediction: Tulane 27, Memphis 24
