Tigers travel to Tulsa for key battle in league race

Saturday, October 26

Tulsa, Okla.

6:00 PM

University of Memphis

Tulsa *

Tickets

Kenneth Gainwell ranks second nationally in all-purpose yards with 1,270.

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Tigers travel to Tulsa for key battle in league race

Oct 25, 2019 | Football

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

UofM needs a victory to keep pace in The American's West Division.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – For the University of Memphis, there will be a lot riding on Saturday's American Athletic Conference football game at Tulsa.

To keep pace with nationally ranked and unbeaten SMU (8-0, 4-0 The American) in the league's West Division, the No. 25 Tigers (6-1, 2-1 The American) will have to get past a scrappy Tulsa team that, while 2-5 overall, gave SMU perhaps its biggest scare of the season.

The Golden Hurricane forced three overtimes before falling to SMU, 43-37, in Dallas. Tulsa amassed 500 yards total offense in the heartbreaking loss.

Memphis also could return to the Associated Press Top 25 rankings with a victory. The Tigers are currently receiving the most votes outside the Top 25. A win potentially could bring additional national attention. ESPN GameDay might consider coming to Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium for two ranked AAC teams.

"It's all about this one," Memphis coach Mike Norvel said. "That's the approach. You have to focus on what you can control, and the only thing we can control is today. If we don't play at a high level, we will get beat. It's all about what we're doing right now."

The Tigers are coming off an impressive 47-17 win over Tulane last weekend, a game in which freshman running back Kenneth Gainwell had more than 200 receiving and 100 rushing yards, a first at the Football Bowl Subdivision level since 1997.

Quarterback Brady White had the best game of his two-year career against the Green Wave. He passed for 358 yards and five touchdowns and led the Tigers to scores on their first eight drives.

Norvell gave much of the credit to his offense's output to the stellar play of the offensive line.

"I thought they played their best game from a protection standpoint," Norvell said. "We challenged them last week, and I thought they responded in a very strong fashion. We kept their front off balance. All in all, it takes everyone to make that happen."

A strong Memphis offense (466 yards per game) could get a further boost against Tulsa. Running back Patrick Taylor, injured in the opener against Ole Miss, is expected to be a game-time decision. Taylor, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound senior, entered the season as the team's starting running back.
Gainwell has stepped in for Taylor and been a pleasant surprise. He is the conference's second-leading rusher at 118 yards per game and leads The American in all-purpose yardage. He ranks second nationally in all-purpose yards (1,270).

Defensively, the Tigers recorded a season-high three interceptions against Tulane. Nationally, the UofM ranks ninth nationally in pass defense.

But Tulsa will be present a challenge, from its ability to nearly pull of the upset at SMU to its unorthodox 3-3-5 defensive alignment.

"It's another week in conference play," Norvell said. "Tulsa has played one of the toughest schedules in the country, and they have been competitive in each one. Going on the road presents challenges. We'll have to control what we can control."