How to watch Memphis’ first game against UNLV
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After a busy offseason full of roster moves and questions, Memphis officially starts its season tonight against UNLV. The Tigers will travel to Las Vegas for the massive Group of Six non-conference game, which is part of an eight-game week zero slate.
The Rebels enter the season as the favorites to win the Mountain West, and Dan Mullen will look to build off the 10-4 record he finished with in his first season in Vegas.
On Thursday, Mullen named Auburn transfer Jackson Arnold as UNLV’s starting quarterback. Arnold threw for 1,309 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions last season.
It will be interesting to see if Mullen plays backup quarterback Alex Orji any tonight. The head coach said he would play both quarterbacks, but it’s unclear if he will actually do that or if that was theatrics after neither coach released a depth chart.
At the running back position, the Rebels return Jai’Den Thomas, who ran for 1,036 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. He’s one of the favorites to win Player of the Year in the Mountain West, and the Tigers need to slow him down early.
J’Mond Tapp met with the media earlier this week and talked about about the Rebels’ running backs.
“They’re going to run the ball down our throats if we don’t stop the run because the running backs that they have is a good duo,” Tapp said. “They have a good power back, and then number nine, he’s basically a power back that’s elusive.”
Defensively, UNLV has some questions, but they return safety Jake Pope, who recorded 80 tackles last season.
Here’s a look at how to watch the Tigers’ first game of the season against UNLV:
TV: FOX
Stream: FOX One
Radio: 98.9 The Roar of Memphis
Line: UNLV -4.5
Time: 9:00 p.m. CT
What to watch for in Memphis’ season-opener:
Who is Memphis’ starting quarterback?
Most people believe it will be West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes, but Charles Huff has yet to officially name a starter for tonight’s game. Stokes threw for 3,297 yards, 30 touchdowns and 13 interceptions as a redshirt sophomore at the Division II level last season, and it will be interesting to see how he makes the jump up to the FBS.
The Tigers also face questions at the running back position. Charles Huff and his staff added multiple running backs during the offseason, but it appears Southern Miss transfer Jaylin Carter, Colorado transfer Dallan Hayden and Cincinnati transfer Manny Covey have separated themselves as the top three backs in the room.
All three are expected to play, and it will be interesting to see who starts and what the rotation looks like between the three. Carter followed the staff from Hattiesburg, but Hayden and Covey bring Power Four experience, with the later being named to the Doak Walker Watch List.
There has been a lot of talk about the offensive weapons this offseason, but that won’t matter if the Tigers don’t have a solid offensive line. Huff added a lot of intriguing players to the line, and it will be the first look to see how the unit is meshing.
Most of the talk and excitement this offseason has been around the defense. Huff brought several starts with him from Southern Miss, and most believe that the defense will be the strong part of the team this season.
J’Mond Tapp, Ian Foster and Mike Montgomery have all received preseason recognition, and Huff’s secondary last year led the country in interceptions. They’ll have an opportunity tonight to show how strong they will be against a challenging foe.
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