University of Memphis Athletics
NOTES: Memphis Hosts Boise State on Saturday
Sep 28, 2023 | Football
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis football team returns home to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium to host Boise State on Saturday, Sept. 30. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2 starting at 3 p.m.
SETTING THE SCENE
• This past Saturday, the Tigers headed to St. Louis for a road game against Missouri, falling in a hard-fought contest, 34-27.
• Memphis is 25-1 in the team's last 26 home games against non-conference opponents.
• The Tigers (53) rank in a tie for fourth in the FBS in home wins since 2014, trailing only Clemson (61), Alabama (60) and Ohio State (57).
• Memphis has posted 81 victories since 2014, tying for 15th-most in the nation during that stretch.
• The 81 wins are the most among American Athletic Conference schools during that span.
• The Tigers have forced at least one turnover in 19 of their last 22 games, piling up 42 takeaways over that span.
• Memphis is one of nine teams in the FBS with nine or more consecutive bowl-game appearances along with Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin and Mississippi State.
SCOUTING BOISE STATE
• Boise State moved to 2-2 on the season with a 34-31, road win at San Diego State on Friday, Sept. 22.
• The Broncos started the year with an 0-2 mark with losses to No. 10/11 Washington and UCF, but have rebounded with two-straight wins over North Dakota and the Aztecs.
• In 2022, Boise State posted a 10-4 record, including an 8-0 mark in the Mountain West. The Broncos fell to Fresno State in the MWC Championship, but defeated North Texas in the Frisco Bowl.
• Boise State was the overwhelming favorite to win the Mountain West this season in a preseason poll conducted of the league's media, earning 28 of the 37 first-place votes.
• Three Broncos were named to the Preseason All-Mountain West team - running back George Holani, offensive lineman Cade Beresford and linebacker DJ Schramm.
INSIDE THE SERIES
• Saturday's game will mark the first meeting between Memphis and Boise State.
• The two teams are scheduled to meet three more times - 2026, 2030 and 2031.
• The Tigers are 7-4 in program history against current Mountain West programs.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
• The Tigers (53) rank in a tie for fourth in the FBS in home wins since 2014, trailing only Clemson (61), Alabama (60) and Ohio State (57).
• Memphis has had a great home field advantage at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, posting a record of 43-7 (.860) since head coach Ryan Silverfield joined the staff in 2016.
• As head coach, Silverfield is 18-4 (.818) at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS IN MEMPHIS
• Memphis is 25-1 in the team's last 26 home games against non-conference opponents.
• Among the games during that stretch for the Tigers include victories over Mississippi State (2021), Ole Miss (2019, 2015), UCLA (2017) and Kansas (2016).
• The lone loss during that stretch came against UTSA, 31-28, on Sept. 25, 2021.
DO-IT-ALL WATSON
• Running back Blake Watson has done it all for Memphis this season, ranking 12th in the nation and leading the AAC in all-purpose yards at 138.8 per game.
• The Old Dominion transfer ranks 28th in the NCAA in rushing yards (342) and 29th in both receptions per game (6.0) and rushing yards per game (85.5).
• Watson leads the Tigers with 24 receptions on the year and is second on the team with 213 receiving yards.
ONE OF THE ELITE PROGRAMS IN THE NATION
• Memphis has posted 81 victories since 2014, tying for 15th-most in the nation during that stretch.
• The 81 wins are the most among American Athletic Conference schools during that span.
• The Tigers also rank 16th in the country in winning percentage dating back to 2014 with their 81-39 (.675) mark.
• Memphis' streak of nine-straight seasons with a record of .500 or better is tied for the fourth-longest streak among Group of 5 and independent schools and is the longest such streak in the AAC.
FORCING TURNOVERS
• Dating back to the 2021 season, Memphis has forced at least one turnover in 19 of the last 22 games.
• Over that stretch, the Tigers have totaled 26 interceptions and 16 fumbles.
• Memphis has forced multiple turnovers in 13 of those 22 contests.
MEMPHIS IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
• Entering Saturday's game, the Tigers rank in the top-25 nationally in 15 statistical categories.
• As a team, the Tigers are ranked 12th in time of possession (33:01), 14th in fewest penalties per game (4.00) and 16th in fewest penalties (16).
• Defensively, Memphis is ranked third in the country in third down conversion percentage defense (.226), third in fumbles recovered (6), 10th in fourth down conversion percentage defense (.250), 17th in first downs defense (63), 18th in passing yards allowed (169.8), 20th in turnovers gained (8), 20th in defensive touchdowns (1) and 23rd in team tackles for loss (7).
• Offensively, the team is ranked fifth in fourth down conversion percentage (.889) and 24th in completion percentage (.691).
• Memphis is tied for the NCAA lead in both blocked kicks allowed (0) and blocked punts allowed (0).
HENIGAN AT IT AGAIN
• For the third-consecutive season, quarterback Seth Henigan ranks nationally amongst the best QBs in the country.
• Henigan is ranked 10th in the NCAA in completions per game (25.5), 20th in passing yards per game (276.8), 22nd in passing yards (1,107) and 27th in completion percentage (.694).
• Entering Saturday's game, Henigan ranks fourth in program history in career completions (596), fourth in attempts (949), fifth in passing yards (7,593) and fifth in passing touchdowns (53).
• His 12 300-yard passing games are tied for second in program history, behind only Riley Ferguson (13).
• The junior is the youngest third year starting quarterback (20 years old) in the FBS this season.
MARTIN MAKING AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT
• Linebacker Chandler Martin has made an immediate impact for the Tigers after transferrring from East Tennessee State.
• Martin leads Memphis with 26 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss on the season.
BOWL STREAK
• Memphis is one of nine teams in the FBS with nine or more consecutive bowl-game appearances along with Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin and Mississippi State.
• In 2022, the Tigers defeated Utah State, 38-10, in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, improving the program's record to 7-8 in bowl games.
• The 2021 EasyPost Hawai'i Bowl was canceled due to COVID issues in the Hawai'i program last year and Memphis was named champions.
• Ryan Silverfield has led the program to bowl games in all three seasons as head coach and has been on staff for the past seven years, with Memphis earning bowl berths each season.
GILLIS STEPS UP AGAINST MISSOURI
• With both scholarship kickers injured against Missouri on Sept. 23, Tanner Gillis stepped up in a big way for Memphis.
• The team's backup punter kicked field goals from 22 and 43 yards, while also converting on all three of his PATs.
• For his effort, Gillis was named to the AAC's Weekly Honor Roll.
Single-game tickets for the 2023 Memphis Football season are now available at GoTigersGo.com. Additionally, fans can also utilize a new ticket offering this season, allowing fans the choice of how to customize their gamedays at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
With the Flex Pack, fans can purchase six or more ticket vouchers starting at $99, and from there, can choose how they would like to allocate their vouchers. For example, one voucher could be used for each of Memphis' six home football games, two vouchers could be used to attend each of three games, four vouchers could be used for one game and two more for another, and so on.
The Memphis Football Flex Pack can be purchased online at THIS LINK or by calling the Memphis Ticket Office at (901) 678-2331.
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Football, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
SETTING THE SCENE
• This past Saturday, the Tigers headed to St. Louis for a road game against Missouri, falling in a hard-fought contest, 34-27.
• Memphis is 25-1 in the team's last 26 home games against non-conference opponents.
• The Tigers (53) rank in a tie for fourth in the FBS in home wins since 2014, trailing only Clemson (61), Alabama (60) and Ohio State (57).
• Memphis has posted 81 victories since 2014, tying for 15th-most in the nation during that stretch.
• The 81 wins are the most among American Athletic Conference schools during that span.
• The Tigers have forced at least one turnover in 19 of their last 22 games, piling up 42 takeaways over that span.
• Memphis is one of nine teams in the FBS with nine or more consecutive bowl-game appearances along with Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin and Mississippi State.
SCOUTING BOISE STATE
• Boise State moved to 2-2 on the season with a 34-31, road win at San Diego State on Friday, Sept. 22.
• The Broncos started the year with an 0-2 mark with losses to No. 10/11 Washington and UCF, but have rebounded with two-straight wins over North Dakota and the Aztecs.
• In 2022, Boise State posted a 10-4 record, including an 8-0 mark in the Mountain West. The Broncos fell to Fresno State in the MWC Championship, but defeated North Texas in the Frisco Bowl.
• Boise State was the overwhelming favorite to win the Mountain West this season in a preseason poll conducted of the league's media, earning 28 of the 37 first-place votes.
• Three Broncos were named to the Preseason All-Mountain West team - running back George Holani, offensive lineman Cade Beresford and linebacker DJ Schramm.
INSIDE THE SERIES
• Saturday's game will mark the first meeting between Memphis and Boise State.
• The two teams are scheduled to meet three more times - 2026, 2030 and 2031.
• The Tigers are 7-4 in program history against current Mountain West programs.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
• The Tigers (53) rank in a tie for fourth in the FBS in home wins since 2014, trailing only Clemson (61), Alabama (60) and Ohio State (57).
• Memphis has had a great home field advantage at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, posting a record of 43-7 (.860) since head coach Ryan Silverfield joined the staff in 2016.
• As head coach, Silverfield is 18-4 (.818) at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS IN MEMPHIS
• Memphis is 25-1 in the team's last 26 home games against non-conference opponents.
• Among the games during that stretch for the Tigers include victories over Mississippi State (2021), Ole Miss (2019, 2015), UCLA (2017) and Kansas (2016).
• The lone loss during that stretch came against UTSA, 31-28, on Sept. 25, 2021.
DO-IT-ALL WATSON
• Running back Blake Watson has done it all for Memphis this season, ranking 12th in the nation and leading the AAC in all-purpose yards at 138.8 per game.
• The Old Dominion transfer ranks 28th in the NCAA in rushing yards (342) and 29th in both receptions per game (6.0) and rushing yards per game (85.5).
• Watson leads the Tigers with 24 receptions on the year and is second on the team with 213 receiving yards.
ONE OF THE ELITE PROGRAMS IN THE NATION
• Memphis has posted 81 victories since 2014, tying for 15th-most in the nation during that stretch.
• The 81 wins are the most among American Athletic Conference schools during that span.
• The Tigers also rank 16th in the country in winning percentage dating back to 2014 with their 81-39 (.675) mark.
• Memphis' streak of nine-straight seasons with a record of .500 or better is tied for the fourth-longest streak among Group of 5 and independent schools and is the longest such streak in the AAC.
FORCING TURNOVERS
• Dating back to the 2021 season, Memphis has forced at least one turnover in 19 of the last 22 games.
• Over that stretch, the Tigers have totaled 26 interceptions and 16 fumbles.
• Memphis has forced multiple turnovers in 13 of those 22 contests.
MEMPHIS IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
• Entering Saturday's game, the Tigers rank in the top-25 nationally in 15 statistical categories.
• As a team, the Tigers are ranked 12th in time of possession (33:01), 14th in fewest penalties per game (4.00) and 16th in fewest penalties (16).
• Defensively, Memphis is ranked third in the country in third down conversion percentage defense (.226), third in fumbles recovered (6), 10th in fourth down conversion percentage defense (.250), 17th in first downs defense (63), 18th in passing yards allowed (169.8), 20th in turnovers gained (8), 20th in defensive touchdowns (1) and 23rd in team tackles for loss (7).
• Offensively, the team is ranked fifth in fourth down conversion percentage (.889) and 24th in completion percentage (.691).
• Memphis is tied for the NCAA lead in both blocked kicks allowed (0) and blocked punts allowed (0).
HENIGAN AT IT AGAIN
• For the third-consecutive season, quarterback Seth Henigan ranks nationally amongst the best QBs in the country.
• Henigan is ranked 10th in the NCAA in completions per game (25.5), 20th in passing yards per game (276.8), 22nd in passing yards (1,107) and 27th in completion percentage (.694).
• Entering Saturday's game, Henigan ranks fourth in program history in career completions (596), fourth in attempts (949), fifth in passing yards (7,593) and fifth in passing touchdowns (53).
• His 12 300-yard passing games are tied for second in program history, behind only Riley Ferguson (13).
• The junior is the youngest third year starting quarterback (20 years old) in the FBS this season.
MARTIN MAKING AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT
• Linebacker Chandler Martin has made an immediate impact for the Tigers after transferrring from East Tennessee State.
• Martin leads Memphis with 26 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss on the season.
BOWL STREAK
• Memphis is one of nine teams in the FBS with nine or more consecutive bowl-game appearances along with Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin and Mississippi State.
• In 2022, the Tigers defeated Utah State, 38-10, in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, improving the program's record to 7-8 in bowl games.
• The 2021 EasyPost Hawai'i Bowl was canceled due to COVID issues in the Hawai'i program last year and Memphis was named champions.
• Ryan Silverfield has led the program to bowl games in all three seasons as head coach and has been on staff for the past seven years, with Memphis earning bowl berths each season.
GILLIS STEPS UP AGAINST MISSOURI
• With both scholarship kickers injured against Missouri on Sept. 23, Tanner Gillis stepped up in a big way for Memphis.
• The team's backup punter kicked field goals from 22 and 43 yards, while also converting on all three of his PATs.
• For his effort, Gillis was named to the AAC's Weekly Honor Roll.
Single-game tickets for the 2023 Memphis Football season are now available at GoTigersGo.com. Additionally, fans can also utilize a new ticket offering this season, allowing fans the choice of how to customize their gamedays at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
With the Flex Pack, fans can purchase six or more ticket vouchers starting at $99, and from there, can choose how they would like to allocate their vouchers. For example, one voucher could be used for each of Memphis' six home football games, two vouchers could be used to attend each of three games, four vouchers could be used for one game and two more for another, and so on.
The Memphis Football Flex Pack can be purchased online at THIS LINK or by calling the Memphis Ticket Office at (901) 678-2331.
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Football, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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