Memphis football bowl predictions
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On Saturday, ESPN and CBS Sports released bowl predictions for the upcoming season. It’s the first bowl predictions that have been released by either outlet in the last few months, and it will likely be the last bowl predictions before the season begins.
ESPN listed predictions from college football writers Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach, while Brad Crawford handled the predictions for CBS Sports.
ESPN predicts Boise State will represent the Group of Six in the College Football Playoff, while Crawford thinks UNLV will be the representative. Memphis will play both teams in non-conference play and could play a major role in deciding who gets the G6 spot.
ESPN (Bonagura): No bowl
Bonagura doesn’t include the Tigers in his bowl predictions, meaning he thinks the Tigers won’t go bowling for the first time since 2013. Memphis ranks seventh in the longest active bowl streak, and a season without a bowl game would be quite a shock to Tiger fans.
Charles Huff and his team have College Football Playoff aspirations, and a season with less than six wins would be an abject failure.
It’s not surprising to see someone pick Memphis to miss a bowl, though. With an entirely new coaching staff and more than 70 news players on the roster, there’s always the chance that the season doesn’t go their way.
Vegas set the Tigers’ win total at 7.5 games, so if they go two games under, that would be a season without a bowl game. Still, a missed bowl game would be surprising.
ESPN (Schlabach): Frisco Football Classic vs. New Mexico
Schlabach predicts Memphis will meet New Mexico in the Frisco Football Classic. The Frisco Football Classic is a new bowl game and was the Xbox Bowl last season.
Last year, the game was played at Ford Center at the Star, but this season it’s slated to be played at Toyota Stadium, home of FC Dallas.
Like the Tigers, New Mexico is a team people are excited to see in 2026. Athlon Sports predicts the Lobos will finish second in the Mountain West, and some people view them as a dark horse to contend for the Group of Six spot in the CFP.
Memphis has played New Mexico only once in program history, and the Lobos won the lone matchup 20-13 in 1986.
CBS Sports: Armed Forces Bowl vs. Kansas State
Crawford predicts Memphis will play Kansas State in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth. If this prediction comes true, it would be the seventh time in the last nine years the Tigers would play a Power Four opponent in their bowl game.
Neither Memphis nor Kansas State have played in the Armed Forces Bowl, but the Wildcats are familiar with the stadium. The bowl is played at Amon G. Carter Stadium, home of the TCU Horned Frogs.
The Tigers have played Kansas State three times in program history, but they’re 1-2 against the Big 12 member. Memphis won the first meeting in 1949, but they lost in the next two matchups in 1971 and 1973.
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