2018 Memphis Tigers football team

The 2018 Memphis Tigers football team represented the University of Memphis in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers played their home games at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee and competed in the West Division of the American Athletic Conference. They were led by third-year head coach Mike Norvell. They finished the season 8–6, 5–3 in AAC to finish in a three-way tie for the West Division championship. After tie-breakers, they represented the West Division in the AAC Championship Game where they lost to East Division champion UCF. They were invited to the Birmingham Bowl where they lost to Wake Forest.

2018 Memphis Tigers football
AAC West Division co-champion
ConferenceAmerican Athletic Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record8–6 (5–3 American)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorKenny Dillingham (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorChris Ball (3rd season)
Home stadiumLiberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Seasons
← 2017
2019 →
2018 American Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
No. 11 UCF x$   8 0     12 1  
Temple   7 1     8 5  
No. 24 Cincinnati   6 2     11 2  
South Florida   3 5     7 6  
East Carolina   1 7     3 9  
UConn   0 8     1 11  
West Division
Memphis xy   5 3     8 6  
Houston x   5 3     8 5  
Tulane x   5 3     7 6  
SMU   4 4     5 7  
Navy   2 6     3 10  
Tulsa   2 6     3 9  
Championship: UCF 56, Memphis 41
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

Preseason

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Award watch lists

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Listed in the order that they were released

Award Player Position Year
Rimington Trophy[1] Drew Kyser C SR
Chuck Bednarik Award[2] Curtis Akins LB SR
Maxwell Award[3] Darrell Henderson RB JR
Tony Pollard RB JR
Doak Walker Award[4] Darrell Henderson RB JR
John Mackey Award[5] Joey Magnifico TE JR
Butkus Award[6] Curtis Akins LB JR
Jim Thorpe Award[7] T. J. Carter DB SO
Bronko Nagurski Trophy[8] T. J. Carter DB SO
Outland Trophy[9] Trevon Tate OL SR
Paul Hornung Award[10] Tony Pollard RB/KR JR
Wuerffel Trophy[11] Patrick Taylor RB JR
Walter Camp Award[12] Darrell Henderson RB JR
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award[13] Brady White QB JR
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award[14] Patrick Taylor RB JR

AAC media poll

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The AAC media poll was released on July 24, 2018, with the Tigers predicted to win the AAC West Division.[15]

Media poll (West)
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Memphis 171 (23)
2 Houston 146 (4)
3 Navy 129 (3)
4 SMU 72
5 Tulane 68
6 Tulsa 44

Personnel

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Depth chart

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Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 16:00 p.m.Mercer*ESPN3W 66–1433,697
September 82:30 p.m.at NavyCBSSNL 21–2231,762
September 147:00 p.m.Georgia State*
  • Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
  • Memphis, TN
ESPNW 59–2227,678
September 227:00 p.m.South Alabama*
  • Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
  • Memphis, TN
WMCW 52–3527,765
September 287:00 p.m.at TulaneESPN2L 24–4016,631
October 66:00 p.m.UConn
  • Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
  • Memphis, TN
CBSSNW 55–1427,581
October 132:30 p.m.No. 10 UCF
  • Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
  • Memphis, TN
ABC/ESPN2L 30–3138,831
October 203:00 p.m.at Missouri*SECNL 33–6552,917
November 311:00 a.m.at East CarolinaESPNUW 59–4129,127
November 1011:00 a.m.Tulsa
  • Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
  • Memphis, TN
ESPNUW 47–2127,905
November 168:00 p.m.at SMUESPN2W 28–1815,794
November 2311:00 a.m.Houston
  • Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
  • Memphis, TN
ABCW 52–3127,790
December 12:30 p.m.at No. 7 UCF
ABCL 41–56 45,176
December 2211:00 a.m.vs. Wake Forest*ESPNL 34–37 25,717
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

[16]

Game summaries

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Mercer

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 0 0 0 14 14
Tigers 28 28 0 10 66

At Navy

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1 2 3 4 Total
Tigers 0 7 14 0 21
Midshipmen 3 6 0 13 22

Georgia State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Panthers 3 7 6 6 22
Tigers 21 17 7 14 59

South Alabama

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1 2 3 4 Total
Jaguars 7 14 6 8 35
Tigers 7 14 10 21 52

At Tulane

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1 2 3 4 Total
Tigers 7 0 7 10 24
Green Wave 14 3 7 16 40

UConn

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1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 7 7 0 0 14
Tigers 13 28 7 7 55
1 2 3 4 Total
No. 10 Knights 7 10 7 7 31
Tigers 17 13 0 0 30

At Missouri

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1 2 3 4 Total
MEM Tigers 3 17 7 6 33
MIZZU Tigers 21 27 14 3 65

At East Carolina

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1 2 3 4 Total
Tigers 10 14 14 21 59
Pirates 14 3 17 7 41

Tulsa

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1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Hurricane 0 0 14 7 21
Tigers 17 10 7 13 47

At SMU

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1 2 3 4 Total
Tigers 0 7 7 14 28
Mustangs 3 2 7 6 18

Houston

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1 2 3 4 Total
Cougars 7 14 10 0 31
Tigers 3 14 14 21 52

At UCF (AAC Championship game)

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1 2 3 4 Total
Tigers 24 14 3 0 41
No. 7 Knights 7 14 14 21 56

Vs. Wake Forest (Birmingham Bowl)

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1 2 3 4 Total
Tigers 14 14 0 6 34
Demon Deacons 7 17 6 7 37

Players drafted into the NFL

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Round Pick Player Position NFL Club
3 70 Darrell Henderson RB Los Angeles Rams
4 128 Tony Pollard RB Dallas Cowboys

References

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  1. ^ "Rimington Trophy Press Release". May 30, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  2. ^ "2018 Bednarik Award Watch List". July 16, 2018. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  3. ^ "2018 Maxwell Award Watch List". July 16, 2018. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  4. ^ "2018 Doak Walker Award Candidates". July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  5. ^ "2018 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List Released" (PDF). July 20, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  6. ^ "Butkus Award - 2018 Collegiate Watchlist". The Butkus Award. July 23, 2018. Archived from the original on August 20, 2010. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  7. ^ "Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Names 2018 Preseason Watchlist". July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  8. ^ "2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List". July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  9. ^ "22018 OUTLAND TROPHY WATCH LIST UNVEILED". July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  10. ^ "43 PLAYERS NAMED TO 2018 PAUL HORNUNG AWARD WATCH LIST". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  11. ^ "Wuerffel Trophy Unveils 2018 Watch List". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  12. ^ Carbone, Al (July 27, 2018). "Walter Camp Football Foundation Announces 2018 Player of the Year Preseason "Watch List"". Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  13. ^ "Watch List for 2018 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award ® Presented by A. O. Smith Announced". August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  14. ^ "2018 Nominations The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award" (PDF). August 16, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  15. ^ "UCF Tabbed as Favorite in 2018 Preseason Media Poll". TheAmerican.org. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  16. ^ "2018 Memphis Tigers Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved April 27, 2018.