Tigers vs. Cyclones in AutoZone Liberty Bowl this Friday

Memphis set for clash with Iowa State on home turf to cap season

From the University of Memphis

GoTigersGo.com

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis football team will face Iowa State in the 65th AutoZone Liberty Bowl at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tenn. on Friday, Dec. 29. The game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ESPN.

The Tigers’ selection to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl marks the 10th-straight year that Memphis has earned a bowl bid, which is tied for the ninth-longest streak in the nation and is the best among all non-Power 5 teams.

The game will mark the second time the two programs have met and will be a rematch of the 2017 AutoZone Liberty Bowl, when Iowa State edged the Tigers, 21-20. The Cyclones posted a record of 7-5 on the season overall and a mark of 6-2 in Big 12 play in 2023. Among the teams’ wins in 2023 were Oklahoma State (34-27) and then-ranked No. 19 Kansas State (42-35) in the last game of the regular season.

Tickets Still Available

Tickets for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl are on sale now through the Memphis Ticket Office online at www.GoTigersGoTix.com or via phone at (901) 678-2331.

By purchasing through Memphis Athletics, fans are guaranteed to be sitting with other Memphis fans in the Tiger section (Sections 117-123), helping enhance the national perception of Memphis Tiger Football and directly helping support the athletic department financially.

Picks and Predictions

The Memphis Tigers displayed one of the most explosive offensive attacks in the country this year, averaging 39.7 points per game. Yes, a lot of that production came against weaker opponents, but one can not ignore the fact that this was good enough for seventh in the nation. It’s also worth noting that not a single team was able to hold Memphis below 21 points, and only three held them to less than 30.

The Tigers offense is led by quarterback Seth Henigan, who threw for 3,519 yards and 28 touchdowns this season while completing 66.4% of his passes. If anything, Henigan got better down the stretch, throwing for 15 scores against just two interceptions over Memphis’ last six games. Great through the air, the Tigers are also strong on the ground. Memphis averages a solid 4.6 yards per rushing attempt, but that understates the team’s real productivity.

Leading running back Blake Watson has rushed for 1,045 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 5.9 yards per carry, making him an excellent option that keeps the defense more than honest.

Just looking at the numbers, one might be wondering how they aren’t even ranked in any of the major polls. The issue is that as good as the Tigers have been on offense, they’ve been nearly as bad on the defensive end. Memphis is giving up a disgusting 422.7 yards per game, as well as an average of 29 points. Each of its last 10 opponents has scored at least 21 points, with seven eclipsing 31. This is a thoroughly unbalanced team that needs to outscore the opposition in shootouts to win.

The Iowa State Cyclones will try to challenge that game plan. The Cyclones are solid defensively, ranking 35th in the nation by allowing 21.7 points per game. They’ve kept some strong offenses largely in check this year, such as holding Texas to just 26 points (albeit in a loss).

But while Iowa State is good on defense, it's not elite.

While some mid-major powerhouses may struggle when they face the best of the best, the Cyclones don’t reach that territory, and Memphis won’t be overwhelmed or struck by awe when they face off against the Iowa State defense. These are not the Iowa Hawkeyes here, thankfully.

The Cyclones may well win this game, as they have a solid enough offense that will be able to take advantage of a Memphis defense that is weak even by AAC standards. But that just tells me that both teams can light up the scoreboard on Friday.

Rather than predict who will be able to get the best of what should be an exciting offensive battle, fans are just going to bank on this game being a shootout, something both teams have found themselves in plenty of times this year.

Follow the Tigers

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