TV Schedule: Friday, October 23, 8:00 p.m. ET ESPN
Stadium: Chapman Stadium, Tulsa, Okla.
Line: MEM (-10.5)
After a stunning upset of Ole Miss last Saturday, Memphis finally broke into the polls and got the recognition they deserve. The Tigers have started the season 6-0 behind the coaching prowess of Justin Fuente, football’s newest high-demand coach.
The Tigers came back from a 14-point first quarter deficit to beat Ole Miss 37-24 and hand them their second loss of the season. They don’t know much about losing this season thanks to averaging 46 points per game (sixth in the FBS).
Memphis finished last season with a 10-3 record and a win over BYU in the Miami Beach Bowl. This season is off to an even better start for the Tigers with the help of QB Paxton Lynch who has been averaging 319.8 yards per game and passed for three TDs against Ole Miss.
As a team, the Tigers are averaging 532.8 yards per game (14th in the FBS) and face a Tulsa team that allows 525 (244th in the FBS).
Despite playing in the same conference, Tulsa’s season is wildly different from Memphis’. Tulsa is 3-3 after losses to Oklahoma, Houston and East Carolina. The only ranked opponent they’ve faced this season ended in a 52-38 loss to No. 16-ranked Oklahoma.
Although the Golden Hurricanes average 550.5 yards per game (good enough for a top 10 FBS ranking), Tulsa will have to find the same magic Memphis had last week to pull off this upset. And it doesn’t seem like the Tigers will relinquish it anytime soon.
Prediction: Memphis 42, Tulsa 31
Hannah Fields is a Tennessee Titans and SEC Football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow her on Twitter @hanfran7, “Like” her on Facebook or add her to your network on Google.