After a grueling start to the season, Coach Charles Huff and the Memphis Tigers have finally reached their first bye week, with plenty of momentum to build on as they prepare to open conference play next Saturday at Charlotte. Coming into the season, if you had told any Memphis fan they would be sitting at 2-1 heading into the bye week, many of them would have taken that result and run with it; that would mean the Tigers would have split the UNLV and Boise State games, then take care of business against a regional rival in Arkansas State which the Tigers did, and now the Tigers are in a position to control their own destiny to not only win the American Conference, but to have a chance to reach the College Football Playoff, given they would have to have a little help needing Boise State to at least two at this point, but there’s a path forward for the Tigers to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time ever.
So, let’s talk about it and break down the first three games of the season for the Tigers ahead of the conference opener next Saturday against Charlotte.
Starting with the offense, which has done well in the system, with Marcus Stokes and Jaylin Carter leading the charge. Leading the way is Marcus Stokes, who has taken Memphis by storm with his on-field ability and his love for the city off the field. Through three games, Marcus Stokes has thrown for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns, with only two interceptions through his first two games as a Memphis Tiger. Many fans on social media have even given Marcus Stokes the nickname Memphis Manziel for playmaking that mirrors the old days with Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M. With Jaylin Carter, you have a dynamic running back with six rushing touchdowns through three games and 437 rushing yards.
Next up is a guy who deserves all the credit in the world for being one of the best tight ends in the country. Hunter Tipton has become Marcus Stokes’ go-to tight end, making the plays that open the offense up for success. Coming into the 2026 season, many in the program expected a lot from Tipton, but those expectations are often rarely met due to uncontrollable factors; however, through the first three games, those expectations have not only been met but exceeded. Over three games, Tipton has 307 receiving yards, three touchdowns, and an average of 19.2 yards per reception. With his three touchdowns, Hunter Tipton leads the Tigers in receiving touchdowns through the first three games.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Tigers’ defensive line has been a unit of menaces through three games, and its talented, rich linebacker core has given the Tigers a defense that is feared and respected. Starting with the defensive line, Elijah Kinsler leads the Tigers in sacks with 3.5, while J’Mond Tapp comes in second with 2.5 sacks through the first three games. At linebacker, Mike Monthomery and Zach Ruffin lead the Tigers with 25 tackles each. Those two have become two of the most feared linebackers in the American Conference. In the secondary, Ian Foster and Dylan Smith both have a combined 44 tackles through three games. As a unit, the Tigers have four interceptions, with Dylan Smith leading the way with two, while Zach Ruffin and Ahmere Foster each have one.
On special teams, the Tigers once again have a field-goal kicker who gets the job done, with Philippe LaForge at five for six this year. That said, all six attempts have come from under 40 yards.
Overall, the Tigers have been successful through the first three weeks of the season. Is there room for improvement? Yes, but that doesn’t mean the first three games haven’t been a success for the Tigers; there’s a lot of positive, and the negatives are easy to fix. If you’re Coach Charles Huff and/or a Memphis fan, optimism about the current state of the season is a very fair feeling. If Memphis takes care of business, the Tigers will compete for the American Conference Championship while also competing for the College Football Playoffs. Memphis now has a five-game stretch before the final bye week of the season; those games will come against Charlotte, UAB, Tulane, East Carolina, then closing with Army on Halloween. Let’s say the Tigers take care of business in all five games; then the game at Navy on November 14th turns into a monster matchup with potential American Championship and College Football Playoff implications. As it was in the preseason, control what you can control and let the rest take care of itself.
Memphis returns to action next Saturday as they travel to Charlotte.
Photo Credits- Memphis Athletics
