FOOTBALL FEVER:
Tigers open AAC campaign vs. Temple
Tigers schedule set, includes seven home games.
The University of Memphis’ 2016 football schedule is set.
And at least on paper, it looks to be every bit as challenging as 2015.
The Tigers will open American Athletic Conference play at home against Temple on a Thursday night, just five days after a trip to Ole Miss. They’ll finish the regular season with a grueling three-game stretch, hosting South Florida, visiting Cincinnati on a Friday and returning home to play Houston in the regularseason finale, which is also on a Friday.
Back-to-back road games against Tulane and Navy, a home game against Tulsa and a trip to SMU round out the conference slate.
Memphis’ schedule has a few drawbacks, including an early bye week (Week 2) and a short turnaround between games against Ole Miss and Temple, two teams with extremely physical defenses. The
Tigers will also play two Friday road games, which may create travel difficulties for fans.
But there are positives to the arrangement. In Mike Norvell’s first season as a head coach, Memphis will play seven home games and five road games, including one that is only a short drive away in Oxford. At least five of its games will be nationally broadcast, including a pivotal Thursday night game against Temple.
The Tigers recently completed t hei r winningest two-year stretch in program history, following a 10-3 season in 2014 with a 9-4 finish last year.
They are scheduled to play their annual spring game April 22.