MEMPHIS TIGERS NOTES:
SETTING THE SCENE
• The University of -Memphis football team will face Utah State in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 2:15 p.m. in Dallas, Texas. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
• The bowl marks the ninth-straight year that the Tigers have been bowl eligible, which ranks ninth amongst all NCAA teams and is the best stretch of any non-Power 5 team.
• Memphis is 6-8 all-time in bowl games, with the 2021 EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl being canceled due to COVID issues in the Hawai’i program last year.
• 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.
• The Tigers had six players earn All-American Athletic Conference accolades following the season, led by defensive back Quindell Johnson and kicker Chris Howard earning first-team honors.
• Tight end Caden Prieskorn and linebacker Xavier “Zay” Cullens earned second-team All-AAC accolades, while defensive lineman Jaylon Allen and defensive back Davion Ross were named Honorable-Mention All-AAC.
• The Tigers have forced at least one turnover in 14 of their last 17 games, piling up 31 takeaways over that span.
SCOUTING UTAH STATE
• Utah State comes in to the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl with an overall record of 6-6 on the season and a mark of 5-3 in Mountain West play.
• The Aggies defeated three bowl teams during the year – Air Force, San Jose State and UConn.
• Utah State has earned a bowl berth in five of the last six seasons and 10 out of the last 12 years.
• The Aggies had nine players earn All-MWC honors, led by first-team selection OL Alfred Edwards who was named First-Team.
• Utah State ranks 25th in passing yards allowed (198.4), 31st in tackles for loss (6.7), 43rd in passes intercepted (11).
• DB Ike Larson leads the nation with three blocked kicks and is 17th in nation with four interceptions.
• RB Calvin Tyler Jr. is 31st in the nation with 1,043 rushing yards.
INSIDE THE SERIES
• The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl will mark the eighth all-time meeting between Memphis and Utah State. The Tigers hold a 4-3 advantage over the Aggies in the series.
• The teams first met on the field in 1965 and played seven times from then until the 1977 season.
• The two programs have never met in a bowl game before.
ONE OF THE ELITE PROGRAMS IN THE NATION
• Memphis has posted 77 victories since 2014, tying for 15th-most in the nation during that stretch.
• The 77 wins are the most among American Athletic Conference schools during that span.
• The Tigers also rank 19th in the country in winning percentage dating back to 2014 with their 77-38 (.670) mark.
BOWL STREAK
• The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl marks the ninth-straight year that the Tigers have been bowl eligible, which ranks ninth amongst all NCAA teams and is the best stretch of any non-Power 5 team.
• Memphis is 6-8 all-time in bowl games, with the 2021 EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl being canceled due to COVID issues in the Hawai’i program last year.
• 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.
JOHNSON, HOWARD HEADLINE ALL-AAC HONOREES
• The Tigers had six players earn All-American Athletic Conference accoladesfollowing the season, led by defensive back Quindell Johnson and kicker Chris Howard earning first-team honors.
• Tight end Caden Prieskorn and linebacker Xavier “Zay” Cullens earned second-team All-AAC accolades, while defensive lineman Jaylon Allen and defensive back Davion Ross were named Honorable-Mention All-AAC.
• Memphis has had 17 student-athletes earn All-AAC honors under head coach Ryan Silverfield.
SILVERFIELD SECURES ANOTHER TOP-5 RECRUITING CLASS IN PROGRAM HISTORY
• For the third-straight year, head coach Ryan Silverfield hasrecruited one of the top-5 classes in program history.
• The 2023 class, which includes 22 student-athletes, is ranked No. 61 by Rivals, making it the fifth-best class in program history. It ranks as the second-best class among Group of Five programs.
• The 2022 class was the best class in program history (No. 47), while the 2021 class is the second-best in school history (No. 49).
• Both classes were ranked No. 2 in the AAC those seasons behind only Cincinnati.
• Prior to Silverfield, Memphis has never had a top-50 recruiting class in Rivals rankings.
DISCIPLINED TEAM
• Memphis is ranked fifth in the nation in both total penalties (48) and in fewest penalties per game (4.00).
• The team is also ranked ninth in the country in both fewest penalty yards (424) and fewest penalty yards per game (35.33).
• The Tigers did not have any penalties at No. 25/25 Tulane on Oct. 22, marking the first time since 2020 against Houston the team accomplished that feat.
FORCING TURNOVERS
• Dating back to the 2021 season, Memphis has forced at least one turnover in 14 of the last 17 games.
• Over that stretch, the Tigers have totaled 21 interceptions and 10 fumbles.
• Memphis has forced multiple turnovers in 10 of the last 17 contests.
DEFENSE SHINES IN SHUTOUT WIN OVER NORTH ALABAMA
• The 59-0 shutout win over North Alabama on Nov. 19 was the first for Memphis since 2015 against SMU (63-0) and was the largest margin of victory (59) since the Tigers beat Bowling Green 77-13 in 2016 (64).
• The Tiger defense did not allow the Lions to cross midfield for the entire game. The furthest UNA moved the ball was to its own 44-yard line.
• The Memphis defense allowed just 24 yards passing – the fewest since allowing 20 against Navy in 2017.
HENIGAN IN THE RECORD BOOKS
• In just 23 career games, quarterback Seth Henigan has moved into the Memphis record books.
• The sophomore ranks fifth all-time at Memphis in attempts (809), completions (500), yards (6,597) and touchdown passes (44). Additionally, Henigan’s numbers for attempts (416), completions (275) and passing yards (3,275) rank ninth, fourth and seventh, respectively, for a single season at Memphis.
RUSHERS SHOW OUT AGAINST NORTH ALABMA
• The Tigers rushed for a season-high 246 yards in a 59-0 win over North Alabama on Nov. 19.
• Memphis ran for five scores on the day, with both Asa Martin and Jevyon Ducker rushing for two and true freshman Sutton Smith getting the fifth.
• Running back An’Darius Coffey had his best game as a Tiger, rushing for a game-high 83 yards on 14 carries. Smith ended the contest with a career-high 55 yards to go with his score, while Ducker racked up 54 yards on 10 carries.
SPREADING THE BALL AROUND
• A total of 14 players have at least one catch this season for the Tigers.
• Seven players have at least one touchdown reception and nine players have at least 11 receptions.
• Memphis has had three games this year that at least 10 players had at least one reception – Temple (11), No. 25/25 East Carolina (10) and Tulane (10).
TIGER PLAYERS IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
• Tight end Caden Prieskorn is tied for seventh in the nation amongst all tight ends with six receiving touchdowns.
• Linebacker Xavier “Zay” Cullens ranks second in the country with his four fumble recoveries.
• Defensive back Quindell Johnson ranks 17th in the NCAA in interceptions with four.
• Kicker Chris Howard ranks ninth in the country in field goals per game (1.67), 22nd in field goal percentage (.870), and 17th in total points scored (105).
• Punter Joe Doyle ranks fifth in the NCAA in punting (46.7) and is tied for the AAC lead.
MEMPHIS IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
• Entering bowl season, the Tigers rank in the top-25 nationally in 11 statistical categories.
• Memphis ranks fifth in fewest penalties (48) and fewest penalties per game (4.0), ninth in fewest penalty yards (424) and fewest penalty yards per game (35.33), tenth in defensive touchdowns (3), 12th in kickoff-return average (23.11), 20th in passes intercepted (13) and 22nd in scoring offense (35.1) and passing yards per game (278.8).
• The Tigers, along with most of the country, are tied for first in blocked kicks allowed (0) and blocked punts allowed (0).
• Memphis leads the AAC in kickoff-return average (23.11) and passes intercepted (13). Additionally, the Tigers rank second in the AAC in defensive touchdowns (3) and turnovers gained (19).
TOUGH SCHEDULE
• Four of the Tigers’ losses this season came to teams that were either ranked at the time or were ranked during the season.
• Houston (as high as No. 24/25), Mississippi State (No. 22 currently), Tulane (currently No. 16 currently) and UCF (as high as No. 17/18) were those teams.
• Four of Memphis’ six losses on the year also came by seven points or less this season.
BEST AGAINST THE BEST
• Since 2015, Memphis has posted a record of 8-11 (.421) against top-25 ranked opponents.
• The winning percentage is the best mark for any non-Power 5 team in the country.
MADE IN MEMPHIS
• Since 2015, 13 Memphis players have been drafted by the National Football League.
• OL Dylan Parham was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, while WR Calvin Austin III was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round.
• With the selections, Memphis has had at least one player selected in nine-straight NFL Drafts, with 15 players being taken over that span.
• On current NFL rosters, four former Tigers are listed at running back (Antonio Gibson, Tony Pollard, Kenneth Gainwell and Patrick Taylor Jr.).
• Currently, 16 Tigers are on NFL rosters – RB Tony Pollard (Dallas), RB Patrick Taylor Jr. (Green Bay), PK DB Jacobi Francis(Houston), DB Chris Claybrooks(Jacksonville), Riley Patterson (Jacksonville), OL Dylan Parham (Las Vegas), DL Bryce Huff (New York Jets), K Jake Elliott (Philadelphia), RB Kenneth Gainwell (Philadelphia), WR Calvin Austin III (Pittsburgh), CB Arthur Maulet (Pittsburgh), WR Anthony Miller (Pittsburgh), LB Genard Avery (Tampa Bay), LB JJ Russell (Tampa Bay), RB Antonio Gibson (Washington) and DB Bobby McCain (Washington).
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
• Memphis has had a great home field advantage at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, posting a record of 41-7 (.854) since head coach Ryan Silverfield joined the staff in 2016.
• As head coach, Silverfield is 16-4 (.800) at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
• With the win over Tulsa on Nov. 10, the Tigers became just the fourth FBS team since 2014 to win 50 games at home, joining Clemson, Alabama and Ohio State.
UTAH STATE AGGIES NOTES:
KICKOFF COVERAGE
• Utah State (6-6, 5-3 MW) is playing in a bowl game for the 10th time in the last 12 seasons and for the 16th time in school history, as it faces Memphis (6-6, 3-5 AAC) in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 1:15 p.m. (MT). USU is 6-9 in its previous 15 bowl games, which includes an 0-1 record against current members of the American Athletic Conference.
• Utah State posted a 24-13 win against Oregon State in the 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl and will be looking to win back-to-back bowl games for just the second time in school history, joining the 2012-14 teams that won a school-record three-straight bowls. USU also played in five-straight bowl games from 2011-15, which is a school record, as well.
• Utah State’s Blake Anderson is just the second head coach in school history, along with Matt Wells (2013-14), to lead the Aggies to bowl games in each of his first two seasons. Overall, Anderson is the fifth head coach in school history to coach in multiple bowls, along with E. Lowell Romney (1946-47), John Ralston (1960-61), Gary Andersen (2011-12, 2019) and Wells (2013-15, ‘17). Anderson could also join Wells as the only head coaches in school history to win consecutive bowl games in their first two seasons.
• Utah State graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. has rushed for 2,051 yards in his collegiate career, which includes 1,927 yards in his two seasons as an Aggie, and is just 73 yards shy of becoming the 11th player in school history to rush for 2,000 yards in a USU career. Tyler, who has rushed for 1,043 yards this season, is one of 15 players in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season 19 total times.
• Utah State graduate senior OL Alfred Edwards will be starting his 53rd career game this week, which will set the school record, breaking the previous mark of 52 career starts by Tyler Larsen (2009-13). Edwards will also be starting in his school-record fourth bowl game, breaking the previous record of three bowl game starts by Kyler Fackrell (2012-13, ‘15), Nick Vigil (2013-15), Zach Vigil (2012-14), Nevin Lawson (2011-13) and Larsen (2011-13). Edwards will also join Jordan Nielsen (2012-15) and Frankie Sutera (2011-14) as the only Aggies to ever play in four bowl games.
SCOUTING MEMPHIS
• Memphis is 6-6 on the season and tied for eighth in the American Athletic Conference with a 3-5 record. The Tigers enter the bowl game after losing their season finale at SMU, 34-31. The Tigers are led by sophomore QB Seth Henigan, who is 265-of-416 (.637) passing for 3,275 yards (272.9 ypg) with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Redshirt sophomore RB Jevyon Ducker leads the team in rushing with 461 yards on 97 carries (4.8 ypc/38.4 ypg) with five touchdowns, and redshirt junior TE Caden Prieskorn has 46 receptions for 593 yards (12.9 ypr/49.4 ypg) with six touchdowns. Defensively, senior LB Xavier Cullens has a teambest 104 tackles, which includes 7.5 tackles for loss, to go along with four fumble recoveries. As a team, UM is averaging 35.1 points and 420.7 yards of offense per game (278.8 passing, 141.9 rushing), and allowing 27.3 points and 371.9 yards of offense (250.2 passing, 121.8 rushing). Ryan Silverfield is 20-16 in his third season as a collegiate head coach.
AGGIES AND TIGERS SERIES HISTORY
• Utah State trails 4-3 in the all-time series against Memphis. The first meeting in the series was in 1965 with UM winning at home 7-0. USU then won three of the next four games, followed by consecutive wins by the Tigers in the last two matchups. This will be the first meeting between the two teams since Memphis posted a 31-26 home win in 1977. This will be the second neutral-site game in the series as USU posted a 28-14 win in Salt Lake City in 1967.
UTAH STATE vs. THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
• Utah State is 4-7 all-time against current members of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) with a 3-4 record against Memphis, a 1-0 record against UCF, and 0-1 records against Cincinnati, Houston and South Florida.
• The last time Utah State played a current member of the AAC was during the 2001 season when it lost at South Florida 34-13, and defeated UCF at home, 30-27.
• This will be Utah State’s second meeting against a current AAC team in a bowl game as it lost to Cincinnati 35-19 in the 1997 Humanitarian Bowl, in Boise, Idaho. The Bearcats were a member of Conference USA at the time, while USU played in the Big West Conference.
ANDERSON vs. THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
• Utah State head coach Blake Anderson is 0-1 all-time against Memphis and 2-3 all-time against current members of the American Athletic Conference, which includes a 31-13 win against UCF in the 2016 Cure Bowl. In 2020, Anderson’s Arkansas State team open the season with a 37-24 loss at Memphis.
THE MOUNTAIN WEST vs. THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
• The Mountain West is 15-11 all-time against current members of the American Athletic Conference, including a 6-0 record in bowl games. In the 2020 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Nevada defeated Tulane, 38-27. In the 2020 New Mexico Bowl, Hawai’i defeated Houston, 28-14. In the 2017 Hawaii Bowl, Fresno State defeated Houston, 33-27. In the 2016 Las Vegas Bowl, San Diego State defeated Houston, 34-10. In the 2015 Hawaii Bowl, San Diego State defeated Cincinnati, 42-7. And in the 2009 Armed Forces Bowl, Air Force defeated Houston, 47-27
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State is 4-5 all-time against teams from the state of Tennessee with a 3-4 record against Memphis, a 1-0 record against Tennessee Tech and an 0-1 record vs. Tennessee. USU last played a team from the Volunteer State in 2018 when it posted a 73-12 home win against the Golden Eagles.
• Utah State has 33 players on its roster from the state of Utah and Memphis has 39 players on its roster from the state of Tennessee.
SERIES NOTABLES BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND MEMPHIS
• Memphis has outscored Utah State 148-105, for an average score of 21.4 to 15.0.
• The team that scores first is 4-2 in the series, as USU has a 2-2 record and UM has a 2-0 record. Furthermore, the team that leads at the half is 6-0 in the series as USU is 2-0 and UM is 4-0.
• The team with more rushing yards and more yards of total offense has won four of the six games in the series where stats are available.
• The team with more penalties has won five of the six games in the series where stats are available.
• Utah State has committed more turnovers in all but one game in the series.
• Utah State has had two 100-yard rushers, one 100-yard receiver and two 200-yard passers in series history, and Memphis has had three 100-yard rushers, one 100-yard receiver and no 200-yard passers
AGGIES WITH BOWL GAME EXPERIENCE
• Utah State has 37 players on its roster that have played in at least one bowl game in graduate senior QB Logan Bonner, graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs, graduate senior PK Connor Coles, graduate senior OL Alfred Edwards, graduate senior OL Chandler Dolphin, graduate senior OL Wade Meacham, graduate senior DT Phillip Paea, graduate senior S Hunter Reynolds, graduate senior OL Jacob South, graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr., senior CB Michael Anyanwu, senior OL Wyatt Bowles, senior CB Ajani Carter, senior RB Cooper Jones, senior DT Hale Motu’apuaka, senior WR Justin McGriff, senior ILB AJ Vongphachanh, graduate junior DE Daniel Grzesiak, junior DE Patrick Joyner Jr., junior P Stephen Kotsanlee, junior OL Calvin Knapp, junior QB Cooper Legas, junior ILB Kaleo Neves, junior OL Jackson Owens, junior CB Jaden Smith, junior TE Josh Sterzer, junior OLB Anthony Switzer, junior DT Poukesi Vakauta, junior WR Kyle Van Leeuwen, junior DE Byron Vaughns, junior RB Jordan Wilmore, sophomore LS Jacob Garcia, sophomore OL Cole Motes, sophomore CB Jamie Nance, sophomore PK Elliott Nimrod, sophomore WR Kyrese Rowan and sophomore QB Levi Williams.
• Of the 37 players that have played in bowl games for Utah State, nine have appeared in multiple bowl games (Carter, Edwards, Grzesiak, Joyner, Motu’apuaka, Neves, Reynolds, Rowan, Williams) and one has played in three bowls (Edwards).
• Utah State also has 13 players that have started in bowl games (Anyanwu, Bonner, Dolphin, Edwards, McGriff, Motes, Motu’apuaka, Reynolds, Tyler, Vaughns, Vongphachanh), while Edwards is the only player that has started in two bowl games. In fact, Edwards has started in all three bowl games he has played in during his career.
AGGIES IN OVERTIME
• Utah State is 6-6 all-time in overtime, winning three of its last five. USU is 4-3 in one overtime, 2-2 in double overtime, and 0-1 in triple overtime. USU’s last overtime game was a 26-20 loss against New Mexico State in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl on Dec. 29, 2017.
TEAM NOTABLES
UTAH STATE FACES MEMPHIS IN SERVPRO FIRST RESPONDER BOWL
• Utah State (6-6, 5-3 MW) will play Memphis (6-6, 3-5 AAC) in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 1:15 p.m. (MT). The game will be nationally televised on ESPN (Xfinity Ch. 35/668HD, DISH Ch. 140, DirecTV Ch. 206) with Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Charles Arbuckle (analyst) and Nicole Rigoni (reporter) on the call. The game can also be heard nationally on ESPN radio with Brian Estridge (play-by-play), Justin Fuente (analyst) and Chris Mykoskie (reporter).
UTAH STATE NOTABLES HEADING INTO THE BOWL GAME
• Utah State is playing a 13th game for the 10th time in the past 12 seasons after not playing in more than 12 games prior to its current run. The school record for games played in a season is 14 set in 2013, and tied in 2014 and 2021.
• Utah State is 18-19 (.486) all-time in games played during the month of December and 0-0 all-time in known games played on Dec. 27.
• Utah State will be playing on a Tuesday for the first time since the 2015 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, when it lost to Akron, 23-21.
• Utah State is playing a game in the state of Texas for the first time since 2019 when it lost to Kent State in the Frisco Bowl, 51-41.
A LOOK AT UTAH STATE
• Utah State is 6-6 on the season and finished tied for second place in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with a 5-3 league record following its 42-23 loss at Boise State in its regular season finale. Offensively, USU is led by junior QB Cooper Legas, who is 128-of-209 (.612) passing for 1,465 yards (162.8 ypg) with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. leads the team in rushing with 1,043 yards on 237 carries (4.4 ypc/86.9 ypg) with seven touchdowns, and graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs has a team-best 70 receptions for 844 yards (12.1 ypr/70.3 ypg) and four touchdowns. Defensively, senior LB AJ Vongphachanh leads the team with 92 tackles, which includes 8.0 tackles for loss, while graduate senior S Hunter Reynolds has 88 tackles, which includes 2.5 tackles for loss. As a team, USU is averaging 23.3 points and 362.3 yards of total offense (200.2 passing, 162.1 rushing), and allowing 30.6 points and 396.6 yards (198.4 passing, 198.2 rushing).
UTAH STATE WINS SIX GAMES FOR 39TH TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY
• Utah State has won at least six games 39 times in school history and 10 times in the past 12 seasons. With a victory in its bowl game, USU will finish the season with seven or more wins for the eighth time in the past 12 years, joining the 2011 (7 wins), 2012 (11 wins), 2013 (9 wins), 2014 (10 wins), 2018 (11 wins), 2019 (7 wins) and 2021 (11 wins) teams, and for the 28th time in school history.
• Utah State also finished Mountain West play with a 5-3 record, marking the ninth time in the last 12 years that it has won at least five league games. Overall, USU has now won five or more conference games 19 times in school history.
UTAH STATE MILESTONES THAT EQUAL SUCCESS
• Utah State has won 43 of its last 53 games when it has a 100-yard rusher, including a 5-1 record this year, and 49 of its last 57 contests when rushing at least 40 times in a game, including a 5-2 record this year. USU has also won 66 of its last 71 games when scoring at least 30 points, including a 4-0 record this season.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2023
• Heading into the 2023 season, Utah State will return 15 starters (O-5, D-10) and 45 letter-winners (O-20, D-22, S-3) from this year’s team. USU will lose seven starters (O-6, D-1) and 11 letter-winners (O-6, D-4, S-1).
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
• Utah State has won or shared 13 league titles in school history (1921, 1935, 1936, 1946, 1960, 1961, 1978, 1978, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2012, 2021).
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has only had eight players (5 offense, 3 defense) start all 12 games this year in graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs, graduate senior OL Chandler Dolphin, graduate senior OL Wade Meacham, graduate senior S Hunter Reynolds, graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr., senior
ILB AJ Vongphachanh, graduate junior DE Daniel Grzesiak and freshman OL Weylin Lapuaho.
