Tulsa Hosts Memphis Tonight on Homecoming

Game 7: Tulsa (3-3, 0-2 The American) vs. Memphis (6-0, 2-0 The American)
Date / Time:	Friday, Oct. 23, 2015/7:01 pm (CT)
Site:	Tulsa, Oklahoma
Stadium:	H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000)
Coaches:	Tulsa – Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State '95); Memphis – Justin Fuente (Murray State '99)
TV:	ESPN
Talent:	Dave Flemming (pxp), Mack Brown (analyst), Allison Williams (sidelines)
Radio:	Big Country 99.5 FM
Talent:	Bruce Howard (pxp), Rick Couri (analyst), Jeremie Poplin (sideline)
Live Stats:	http://www.sidearmstats.com/tulsa/football/
Series:	Memphis leads 15-10
First Meeting:	Memphis 48, Tulsa 12 (Sept. 23, 1961), Tulsa, Okla.
Last Meeting:	Memphis 40, Tulsa 20 (Oct. 31, 2014), Memphis
Game Notes:	Tulsa \| Memphis \| American Conference

Intermittent morning rain is expected to subside this afternoon making for dry conditions when Tulsa plays the nation's 17^th-ranked Memphis Tigers on Homecoming tonight at H.A. Chapman Stadium. Tickets still remain. Ticket office hours run through 4:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the gates beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The game will kickoff at 7:01 p.m. (CT) and will be viewed by a national audience on ESPN.

The Tigers come into the game with a 6-0 overall record and 2-0 mark in American Athletic Conference play. Memphis is riding a 13-game winning streak dating back to last season, while Tulsa has a .500 record of 3-3 after coming off of a 30-17 road loss at East Carolina.

Both teams are ranked among the nation's leaders in passing and total offense. Tulsa is sixth in total offense (550.5 ypg) and eighth for passing (354.5 ypg), while Memphis ranks 10^th for total yards (532.8) 11^th for passing (343.2 ypg).

The Tulsa defense will face another stearn test tonight. The Hurricane defense has forced nine turnovers on the year, while the offense has turned those into 34 points.

Tulsa is led in tackles by senior safety Michael Mudoh, now ranked second nationally with 72 stops, while linebacker Matt Linscott has added 55 tackles and his 10.5 TFLs for 41 yards is eighth nationally. Fellow linebacker Trent Martin has 49 tackles and eight TFLs for the Hurricane from his inside spot.

The Hurricane defensive front is led in the interior by Derrick Luetjen and Jesse Brubaker and on the outside by Derrick Alexander and Jeremy Smith.

Memphis' offense is led by 6'7" quarterback Paxton Lynch, who has completed 71.4 percent of his passes for 1,919 yards and 13 touchdowns. Lynch has used 14 different receivers, with eight of those catching balls for more than 100 yards. Anthony Miller and Mose Frazier lead the way with 436 and 362 yards, respectively.

The Tigers run game is just as versatile as 14 players have had at least one carry on the season. Jarvis Cooper leads the way with 320 yards and a 4.8 average, while Sam Craft has 219 yards and leads the team with five rushing TDs. The Memphis' offensive line averages 6'5" and 309 pounds.

When the Hurricane has the ball it will face a defense that has been stout against the run, ranking 24^th nationally by allowing just 116.3 yards rushing per game. Overall, Memphis ranks 104^th in total defense, while giving up 445.3 yards per game. Just like on offense, the Tigers defensive unit has good depth.

Linebacker Genard Avery and safety Reggis Ball share the team-lead for tackles with 29 apiece, while seven other Tiger defenders have totaled more than 20 stops. Nose tackle Donald Pennington tips the scales at 295 and is a huge force in the middle, while being flanked by 6'5" bookends Christian Johnson and Ernest Suttles.

Corner Arthur Maulet has tallied 20 solo tackles and is the team leader for pass break-ups with five and interceptions with two for 71 return yards.

Tulsa's Dane Evans ranks among the top-15 nationally for most all passing statistics. He has completed 59.5 percent of his passes for 2,127 yards and 11 touchdowns. Despite the loss of receiver Keevan Lucas, the Hurricane passing game still has been able to put up over 350 yards on the season.

Senior receiver Keyarris Garrett leads the receiving corps with 698 yard on 45 receptions, while Josh Atkinson is on a streak of five straight 100-yard games and has totaled 576 yards on 36 receptions.

The Tulsa ground attack is led by Zack Langer with 596 yards and the sixth-most TDs in the country with 11 rushing touchdowns. Junior James Flanders, hampered with early season injuries, made his first appearance last week at East Carolina and responded with 54 yards on 13 carries. But, D'Angelo Brewer (362 yards) and Ramadi Warren (6.2 avg), from Memphis, have also been slowed by injuries.

It's a Homecoming of sorts for some Memphis coaches as well. Fourth-year Head Coach Justin Fuente is a native Tulsan and played his high school football at Tulsa Union High School. For TU Head Coach Bill Blankenship serves as an offensive consultant for the Tigers, while former Hurricane defensive coordinator Brent Guy coaches safeties for the Hurricane.

Memphis defensive coordinator Galen Scott coached at Tulsa for two seasons (2008-09) under Todd Graham, coaching linebackers and the secondary. Receivers coach Holmon Wiggins coached Tulsa running backs in 2011 under Blankenship and director of athletic performance Rohrk Cutchlow served as Tulsa's strength & conditioning coordinator in 2011.

Tulsa Hosts Memphis Tonight on Homecoming

Players Mentioned

Derrick Alexander

Josh Atkinson

D'Angelo Brewer

Jesse Brubaker

Dane Evans

James Flanders

Keyarris Garrett

Zack Langer

Matt Linscott

Keevan Lucas

Derrick Luetjen

Trent Martin

Michael Mudoh

Jeremy Smith

Ramadi Warren

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