Tigers prepare for AAC battle against unbeaten, 10th-ranked UCF

Saturday, October 13

Memphis, Tenn.

2:30 p.m. CT

University of Memphis

#9/10 UCF

Tickets

Patrick Taylor rushed for 161 yards in last weekend's win over UConn,

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Tigers prepare for AAC battle against unbeaten, 10th-ranked UCF

Oct 12, 2018 | Football

Memphis Notes (vs. UCF)UCF Notes (vs. Memphis)American Athletic Conference Notes

UofM will meet nationally ranked opponent at home for fourth-straight year

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – For the fourth consecutive season, the University of Memphis will play host to a nationally ranked opponent at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Saturday when the Tigers battle No. 10 UCF.

A year ago, the teams battled twice, including a memorable, instant-classic-of-a-game, for the American Athletic Conference title. The Knights won the AAC Championship game, 62-55, in double overtime, surviving a relentless challenge by the Tigers.

40943 — *Pick up your Memphis GameDay Program at Saturday's contest.*

Memphis trailed, 48-34, early in the fourth quarter, but rallied with two touchdowns in the final 9:02 to force OT.

This time, the setting is a regular-season game and an opportunity. Memphis (4-2, 1-2 AAC) has a chance to upset a nationally ranked team for the fourth-straight year, after beating Ole Miss in 2015, Houston in 2016 and UCLA in 2017.

The Knights will enter on an unprecedented roll. UCF (5-0, 2-0) has won 18 straight games, the nation's longest active winning streak and a school and conference record. Quarterback McKenzie Milton, who finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting a year ago, ranks fifth nationally in total offense and sixth in points responsible for.

Behind Milton, UCF has scored 25 touchdowns this season requiring less than 2:39. Four of the Knights' drives against South Carolina State took fewer than 45 seconds.

"You see the experience they have," said Memphis coach Mike Norvell. "They have played a lot of football games.

"Their quarterback is one of the best in the country. I know he is getting mentioned for the Heisman trophy, and I think that is well deserved not just by the way he plays, but by the way he commands the offense. No disrespect to how they played last year, because that was impressive, but they are playing faster."

While UCF is on a two-season win streak, Memphis is on a roll of its own. The Tigers have won a program-record 12 straight regular-season home games and are led by running back Darrell Henderson, the nation's leading rusher and leading scorer.

Henderson needs only 66 yards to surpass 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season.

The Tigers are coming off a 55-14 AAC home victory over UConn last weekend, a game in which Henderson (174) and Patrick Taylor (161) combined to rush for 335 yards and six touchdowns.

"Our guys love playing in the Liberty Bowl," Norvell said. "We love being able to represent this community and playing in front of our home crowd. That needs to be a factor Saturday. It's going to be a beautiful day.

"It's going to be a showcase game. There are going to be a lot of people watching this game. Not only do we get to showcase our football program and the young men in it, it's an opportunity to showcase our community and show where this program, not only what we have done in the last four or five years, but what's going on off of it."

Norvell understands last year's title game – which was regarded as one of college football's best games in 2017 – set a standard and raised the profile of the league, which consistently has been placing teams in the Top 25. And it also helped the Memphis brand.

"I think it impacted the program in a positive way because of the audience," Norvell said. "It was a great game. It was sickening we came up one play short of being successful in it, but it showed the heart of Memphis and the progression of what we are doing. At the end of the day, it was a great game to watch and be a part of."