Coach Ryan Silverfield and the Memphis Tigers are off to a hot start, filled with momentum and excitement, as they took care of business during week one against UT Chattanooga and again on Saturday night on the road against Georgia State. Memphis might not share the optimism that South Florida has after two games, but the Tigers have shown signs of being a great team with a winnable schedule that could lead them into the College Football Playoff conversation. As always, though, through two full weeks of play, three glaring takeaways and thoughts can be assessed of the Tigers as they shift the focus to another road game at Troy on Saturday morning. 

First, in an offensive system that has had stellar quarterbacks for years, having a quarterback who can beat you with his arm, while also utilizing his legs as a valuable asset, is a significant advantage. On Saturday, Lewis had 196 yards through the air with no touchdowns, while being the second leading rusher for the Tigers with 68 yards on nine carries, with a touchdown of his own. Having a dual-threat quarterback leading the charge for Memphis gives the Tigers multiple ways in which they can beat an opponent. Combined with an explosive offensive unit that lights up the scoreboard, it gives the Tigers the needed potential to win another American Championship. 

Second, staying on the topic of the offensive side of the ball, Memphis has depth at both receiver and running back this season. Take the Georgia State game, for example. The Tigers combined for 401 total yards on the offensive side of the ball. With Sutton Smith leading the way on the ground with 74 yards and a touchdown, while Jamari Hawkins had his day with 79 yards and no touchdowns. Like we’ve seen in the past from the program, Memphis has a plentiful amount of playmakers on this year’s team, starting with the fearless leader at quarterback, all the way down to the offensive line. 

Lastly, the 38-16 win over Georgia State might not have been a flashy victory, but the Tigers continue to take care of business while maintaining the Memphis standard that has been the pillar of this program since 2014. In prior years, Memphis would have been in a dog fight all game with the potential of dropping the game to a scrappy team like the Panthers of Georgia State, but not the 2025 Memphis Tigers, they appear to be on a misson not only to secure an American Championship trophy, but to take the program to the next step by reaching the College Football Playoffs. 

We’ll see what the Tigers are made of over the next two weeks as they travel to Troy on Saturday morning, before returning home on the 20th as they welcome the Arkansas Razorbacks to the Liberty Bowl. If and it’s a big if, if the Tigers can manage a 4-0 record after the next two weeks to open the season, then the conversation goes from a ten-win season to a potential College Football Playoff participant. The other big if heading into the next few weeks around the AAC is the potential for an undefeated matchup between USF and Memphis on October 25th at the Liberty Bowl, with the winner having a front-row seat to the College Football Playoffs. 

Photo Credits- Memphis Football on X