Preview: Memphis matchup could have postseason implications

[PonyPride]

PF.com preview: SMU/Memphis matchup could have major postseason implications
Mustangs, Tigers enter Saturday's game with matching 8-2 records

Posted on 11/17/2023 by PonyFans.com

It’s a whole new game.

The SMU Mustangs face much stiffer competition than in recent weeks when they travel east to take on the Memphis Tigers at 11 a.m. Saturday in game that can be seen on ESPN2 and heard on KTCK (1310 AM / 96.7 FM) “The Ticket.” Both teams enter the game with sterling 8-2 overall records; the Mustangs are undefeated in six games against American Athletic Conference opponents, while Memphis is 5-1 in AAC games.

The Tigers enter Saturday’s game riding a three-game winning streak; their two losses have come against Missouri (34-27) and Tulane (31-21). They won their last outing, a 44-38 overtime victory over Charlotte, after which head coach Ryan Silverfield quickly turned his attention toward the Mustangs.

Saturday’s game will be the 16th since SMU and Memphis first met in 1976. SMU won last year, 34-31, at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

Memphis has been a model of consistency in recent years. Since 2014, the Tigers have won 86 — tied for the 13th-most victories in the nation over that time, and the most among AAC teams. The Tigers have won 55 home games during that time, tying Memphis with Michigan for the fifth-most home wins among FBS teams during that time. The Tigers’ victory over North Texas made them bowl-eligible for the 10th consecutive season.

“Memphis has kind of been the gold standard in this league, year in and year out,” SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee said. “They’ve won some championships, but even in the years that they don’t, they’ve been the most consistent program in The American since its inception. So we’ve got a lot of respect for their program, but this team in particular that Ryan has.”

Silverfield expressed similar admiration for Lashlee’s Mustangs.

“We’ve watched the film and put it to bed, and understand what we have ahead of us in SMU,” Silverfield said. “The accolades … I don’t know how many hours we’ve got, because there’s a long list of them for what SMU is — they’re top 10 in the country in scoring offense, they’re top 10 in the country in scoring defense, they’re sixth in the country in sacks, they’re undefeated in this conference, they’re playing at an extremely high level. I believe all of their conference wins are by … averaging by 30-plus points.

“They’ve got a very, very, very talented team … but so do we. I’m really excited about the challenge ahead for us.”

The Tigers are a potent offensive team, outscoring their opponents by an average of 39.7-28.9 points per game, and outgain opponents by an average of 452.3-414.7 yards per game. They actually gain fewer yards on the ground than their opponents — 155.8 per game for Memphis, compared to 172.5 per game for opponents — but it is in the passing game where the Tigetrs are particularly potent, outgaining opposing teams through the air by an average of 296.5-242.2 yards per game.

The Memphis offense is powered by quarterback Seth Henigan, the 6-3, 210-pound graduate of Ryan High School in Denton, Texas who somehow is only a junior at Memphis. Through 10 games, he has completed 240 of 362 passes (66.3 percent) for 2,864 yards and 22 passing touchdowns against just eight interceptions. He also is his team’s third-leading rusher in 2023, with 79 carries for 229 yards (2.9 yards per carry) and four touchdowns. In the Tigers’ 44-38 win last week at Charlotte, he completed 32 of 48 passes for 329 yards and a pair of scores en route to winning the AAC’s Offensive Player of the Week award.

Henigan is among the most productive quarterbacks in the country. His 309.3 yards per game of total offense ranks 10th in the country, and he ranks 14th in passing yards and touchdowns.

“He’s super-tough, just knows how to put the ball in the end zone,” SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee said of Henigan. “He’s a winner, he’s a gamer, he’s got grit. They’re a good, complete football team. There’s a reason they’re 8-2 and 7-1, 6-1, 5-1 — whatever they are in the league — because they’re really good.”

Henigan is the headliner, but hardly the Tigers’ only offensive weapon. Running back Blake Watson, a 5-9, 195-pound transfer from Old Dominion, has flourished this season, piling up 909 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns on 152 carries (6.0 yards per carry). His 12 rushing touchdowns and 14 total touchdowns both are the ninth-most in the NCAA this season.

“Biggest thing is we’ve got to stop the run,” Lashlee said. “I mean, that running back — he’s as good as anybody in the league. He transferred in there … he’s really good. He’s big, he’s physical, he’s fast, he can catch it — he’s an all-around player. So (it’s) no different than any other week: you’ve got to stop the run … or contain the run.”

Stopping the run is always critically important for any defense, but the Tigers are dangerous through the air, as well. Junior receiver Roc Taylor (6-3, 215) is the team’s top target in the passing game, and his 50 receptions lead three Tigers with at least 40 catches this season. His 779 receiving yards (15.6 yards per catch) are the most on the Memphis offense, and his four receiving touchdowns are tied for the team lead. Watson has 43 receptions out of the backfield for 393 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while redshirt junior wideout Demeer Blankumsee has 40 catches for 669 yards and a team-high 16.7 yards per catch. Taylor and Blankumsee are tied with redshirt senior receiver Joe Scates (6-2 / 210) for the team lead with four receiving touchdowns.

The Memphis defense plays with three down linemen, three linebackers and a “BUCK” — Jaylon Allen (6-3, 240) — who is something of a defensive end/linebacker hybrid. While many defensive systems now rely on five defensive backs to handle pass coverage, the Tigers often employ just four in the secondary.

“Memphis is really good — best defense we’ve played … probably since East Carolina,” SMU offensive coordinator Casey Woods said. “They’re big and they’re athletic and they’re fast and they’re physical. They do a really nice job stopping the run with their front six — they play a more traditional defense than we’ve seen in the past few weeks here.”

Linebacker Chandler Martin (6-0, 215) leads the Tigers with 78 tackles, and his 11.5 tackles for loss are 4.5 more than his nearest teammate (Allen). The other two starting linebackers are much bigger than Martin: Geoffrey Cantin-Arku (6-3, 240) is the team’s second-leading tackler with 61, while Cincir Evans (6-4, 240) has 33 and three sacks.

Safety Simeon Blair (5-10, 208) is third on the team with 50 and is tied for third with 3.5 tackles for loss. He also has a pair of interceptions, which trails only safety Cameron Smith’s three pickoffs.

Running back Sutton Smith is exceptional in the return game, ranking sixth in the country and second in the AAC with an average of 28.2 yards per kickoff return.

[PonyTales]

Am I the only one who is as worried about Watson as I am about Henigan?
This game makes me nervous.

[Horseshoe]

Their offense has some studs, but our defense is better.
SMU 33-17

[Hoofbeat83]

Am I the only one who is as worried about Watson as I am about Henigan?
This game makes me nervous.

LOL EVERY game makes me nervous. I live with frayed nerves as an SMU fan. I really want this one for many reasons, the least of which I want to see what the coach can do to break the cycle of our not winning games like this.