On3 predicts Memphis will play in the Salute to Veterans Bowl this season

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On Monday, On3’s Brett McMurphy released his “Week 0: bowl predictions,” predicting the College Football Playoff teams and all 35 bowl games. McMurphy updates his bowl predictions every week, so it will be interesting to see how it changes throughout the year.

 McMurphy thinks the Tigers will play Louisiana in the Salute to Veterans Bowl against Louisiana. It would be the first appearance by Memphis in the Salute to Veterans Bowl and the 14th meeting against Louisiana.

The Tigers hold a 9-4 record against the Ragin’ Cajins, but they lost the last meeting in 1996. Memphis has played in 12 straight bowl games, and they’ll look to keep the streak alive in Huff’s first season.

Louisiana enters 2026 after a 6-7 season, and its coming off a 20-13 loss to Delaware in the 68 Ventures Bowl. Athlon Sports predicts the Ragin’ Cajins will finish fourth in the Sun Belt West, but it appears McMurphy is higher on Louisiana.

Athlon put three Louisiana players on its preseason All-Conference team

The Salute to Veterans Bowl is the first bowl game of bowl season, and it’s played in Montgomery, Alabama at the Cramton Bowl. Last year, the Tigers wanted to play in an early bowl game because of the transfer portal, and it will be interesting to see if Charles Huff would want an early bowl game for similar reasons.

Huff added more than 70 players from the transfer portal this offseason, and he will likely continue to build his roster through the transfer portal. An early bowl game would allow the coaching staff to focus solely on the portal a few weeks before the portal opens, but most bowl games are before the portal opens.

On3 is the most recent outlet to make bowl predictions, and every outlet has a different prediction for the Tigers.

CBS Sports predicts Memphis will play in the Armed Forces Bowl against Kansas State, while ESPN’s Mark Schlabach projects the Tigers to play in the Frisco Football Classic against New Mexico.

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura didn’t list Huff’s team in a bowl game, which would mark the first time since 2014 Memphis hasn’t gone bowling.

McMurphy, like Brad Crawford, predicts UNLV will represent the Group of Six in the College Football Playoffs. Both of ESPN’s analysts have Boise State in the CFP.

The Tigers will play both teams early in the season, and both games could have postseason implications.

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