Tigers Football Preview: Houston

Friday, November 25

Memphis, Tenn.

11:00 AM

University of Memphis

#18/21 Houston

Tickets

Photo by: Nikki Boertman

Nov 24, 2016 | Football

Memphis FB Game Notes Houston FB Notes The American FB Notes

Senior Day ceremonies to start at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – It's special. Those words seem trite, but so aptly describe the emotional moment that will occur around 30 minutes before kickoff of Friday's University of Memphis regular-season finale against No. 18/20 nationally-ranked Houston.

Game time is 11 a.m. (CT) at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. ABC is televising Friday's contest.

Thirty minutes prior to kickoff, 20 seniors will be honored for their hard work and dedication to the Tigers program the past four seasons. Senior Day's significance is not lost on Tigers head coach Mike Norvell.

"We get to honor our seniors Friday, and that's something that's very important to me," Norvell said. "I told the guys when I got here, 'We're not building for the future. We're building for now.' Even through the highs and lows of the season, you see these guys – even the fifth-year seniors – continuing to grow and maximize every day."

*Pick up a copy of the Memphis GameDay Program/Senior Day Edition Friday.*

The four-year seniors in this class are going down as one of the best in program history. The group has 29 wins in its four seasons, the most since the 1964 class won 30 games. The 29 victories over a four-year period are the fifth-most in school history. The seniors also have won 26 games the past three seasons (2014-16), the most for a three-season period in program history.

In December, the seniors will play in their third-straight bowl game. It is only the second time in program history a four-year class will have three-straight bowl appearances. The first three-consecutive bowl stretch in school history was from 2003-05.

"Senior Day is fun," said Norvell. "It's been good spending this season with them. These seniors have been a part of the winningest group in program history over the last three seasons. These guys played a big role in that.

"I'm motivated each day to make sure we're giving them the best opportunity. That's how I want them to approach practice, approach games, approach life. I want the best for them every day. The relationships we have are going to last the rest of our lives."

After the pregame ceremonies, the Tigers have a game to play against a talented Cougars squad. Houston brings a three-game win streak into Friday's match-up, and Norvell sees Friday as both a challenge for his Tigers and an opportunity for Memphis – the football team, university and city.

"Houston is a team that is capable of anything," Norvell said. "They are the only team in the country with two top-five wins. They have a coaching staff that puts their players in positions to be successful. This is a game that we know is a great challenge and a great battle, as it has been the past few seasons.

"It's a nationally-televised game. It's what you hope for. It's also a wonderful opportunity for the city of Memphis to be showcased. Since I got here, the support from the community is something that I'm so excited and pleased about. There's only so many opportunities you get throughout a season to get showcased not only as a program, but also as a community.

"It's an 11 a.m. kickoff. It's beautiful weather. And, Memphis gets a chance to shine. I'm looking forward to seeing our city supporting the Tigers on Friday."

Television: ABC (Memphis/Mid-South, WATN Channel 24)
Radio: 600 WREC/102.9 FM (Flagship station); 91.7 FM (WUMR/student station)
Internet Video: ESPN3.com
Live Stats: memphis.statbroadcast.com; gotigersgo.com/fblivestats
LiveTweet: @Tigersmedia, @MemphisFB

Tigers Tidbits/Five Notes To Know
• Friday's game is the 25^th meeting between the two programs, with Houston holding a 15-9 advantage. The Cougars have won six straight in the series dating back to the 2006 campaign. Of the last six encounters, four were decided by 10 or fewer points. The Cougars won last season's contest, a narrow 35-34 victory in Houston. The Tigers' last win in the series was a 35-20 victory in Houston in 2005, and Memphis' last win over the Cougars in the Bluff City was in 2004.

• For players, coaches and fans at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Friday, you will be a part of history. The Tigers are playing their first home game on Black Friday in program history. Memphis has played on Black Friday before, but it was a 2009 road contest at Tulsa. The Tigers dropped a narrow 33-30 overtime decision to the Golden Hurricane on Nov. 27, 2009. Memphis has played on Thanksgiving Day seven times in its history.

• The 2016 four-year seniors enter Friday's game with 29 victories from 2013 through the Nov. 18 victory over Cincinnati. The 29 wins in a four-year span are the most by a Tigers' four-year class since the 1964 senior group posted 30 victories from 1961-64. In program history, the 29 wins over a four-year period are tied for the fifth-most behind the 1963 class (33 wins) and the 1950 (30), 1962 (30) and 1964 (30) classes. The seniors also are a part of the winningest three-year period in program history. The last three seasons (2014-16), Memphis has 26 wins, surpassing the previous three-year mark of 25 victories set from 1961-63.

• When Senior Day is on the final weekend of the regular season as it is Friday, the Tigers have been quite successful in the 2000s. Memphis has a 6-3 record when its Senior Day has fallen on the regular season's final day since the 2000 campaign. The Tigers' success rate has gone up in recent seasons, as they are 6-1 when their Senior Day game is on the final weekend since 2005.

• With their Nov. 18 victory at Cincinnati, the Tigers won their seventh game of the season. As a result, Mike Norvell tied Richard Williamson for the most wins by a first-year head coach in program history. Williamson also had seven wins (7-4 record) in his first season at the helm in 1975. The Nov. 18 also secured a winning campaign for Norvell. He is only the third head coach in program history to have a winning record in his first season.

Scouting Houston
The Cougars bring a 9-2 overall record and a 5-2 American Athletic Conference mark into the Black Friday match-up with the Tigers. Houston is on a three-game win streak entering Friday. Included in those three-straight wins was an impressive 36-10 victory over No. 3 Louisville Nov. 17. The Cougars are the only team in the nation with two wins over top-five teams this season (No. 3 Oklahoma/No. 3 Louisville).

While the focus is on Houston's high-powered offense, it's the Cougars defense quietly doing the damage to the opposition. Houston is second in rushing defense (93.5 ypg) and 10^th in total defense (304.1 ypg) nationally. Among the American Athletic Conference teams, the Cougars lead in rushing defense and are second in total and scoring defense (20.3 ppg). In the last three contests, Houston held its foes to 17.3 points per game.

Leading the Cougars defense is freshman DT Ed Oliver, who is second nationally in TFL (19.5) and leads the country's defensive lineman in PBU (9). Oliver is second on the Houston squad with 61 tackles. LB Steven Taylor is tops on the team with 64 stops and 8.5 sacks.

On the offensive side, QB Greg Ward Jr. directs a high-scoring attack that averages 37.5 points a game. Ward, a dual threat QB, has passed for 2,841 yards (247-of-368) and rushed for 453 yards (159 carries), both team highs. Ward has 18 TD passes and also rushed for nine scores.

RB Duke Catalon is Houston's second-leading rusher with 450 yards on 118 carries and three TD. WR Linell Bonner leads three Cougars with over 600 yards receiving at 841 yards. Chance Allen (742 yards) and Steven Dunbar (621) are the other two favorite Ward targets. Dunbar has a team-best five TD catches.