Tigers Football Preview: No. 24/25 Navy

Saturday, October 22

Annapolis, Md.

2:30 PM

University of Memphis

#24/25 Navy

Tickets

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Oct 21, 2016 | Football

Memphis Game Notes Navy Game Notes American Football Release

Memphis, Midshipmen vie for top spot in American West Division Saturday.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Oh, my, how the college football tables have turned in the University of Memphis-Navy short series.

Last season, the early November Memphis-Navy match-up featured the unbeaten and nationally-ranked Tigers (No. 15) and a powerful Midshipmen squad. Memphis also was riding a 15-game win streak entering that encounter at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

Navy, though, won the contest 45-20 and ended the Tigers' quest for a perfect season.

Now, the proverbial shoe is on the other foot, and the 2016 Memphis squad hopes the result turns in its favor Saturday. The Tigers and Midshipmen kick off their American Athletic Conference clash at 2:30 p.m. (CT), and CBS Sports Network is televising the contest.

Entering Saturday's showdown, Navy is the ranked team at No. 24 (AP)/No. 25 (coaches) in this week's national polls. And, although they don't have an overall win streak as the Tigers did a year ago, the Midshipmen have won 13-straight contest in the friendly confines of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The 13 home wins – the last a 46-40 victory over No. 6 Houston Oct. 8 – are tied for the longest home win streak in program history, and a victory over Memphis Saturday would set a new mark.

But, as it has been all season with head coach Mike Norvell, Saturday is the "next step" for the Tigers.

"It's another 60-minute game," said Norvell. "It's going to be physical. It will be a game that you have to play disciplined, and you have to trust your keys. It's going to come down to fundamentals.

"It is going to be a fun game to be a part of as a coach and a player. Both teams are undefeated in the division and the conference, and now it's about going out and seeing who can execute their plan."

Indeed, Saturday's winner gains not only a victory, but also a upper hand in the race for The American West Division title and a spot in the league's championship game Dec. 3. Memphis and Navy both bring unbeaten conference records into Saturday's game, with the Midshipmen at 3-0 and the Tigers at 2-0.

Saturday's encounter isn't the first time Norvell is facing Navy. In 2012, Norvell, as a member of the Arizona State staff, coached against the Midshipmen in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco, Calif. Norvell came away from that meeting impressed by the Navy program and its staff.

"I had the opportunity four years ago to go against them in a bowl game," Norvell said. "The respect that I have for their coaching staff and for the job and requirements it takes to be a Navy football player, I don't know if there is a program I respect more because of my experiences being around them.

"These are the guys that are going to be protecting our country one day. We have a tremendous respect for the young men that we are going to face this week."

Television: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 600 WREC/102.9 FM (Flagship station)
Live Stats: navy.statbroadcast.com
LiveTweet: @Tigersmedia, @MemphisFB

Tigers Tidbits/Five Notes To Know
• Navy holds a 1-0 series lead. The Midshipmen won last season's encounter, a 45-20 victory over the No. 15 Tigers at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

• Saturday's trip to Annapolis, Md., is Memphis' first in program history. Overall, the Tigers are 4-2 against the U.S. Service Academies. Prior to last season's meeting with Navy, Memphis had only played Army a total of five times (4-1). The Tigers made trips to West Point, N.Y., twice in 1985 and 2000.

• For a second-straight week, Memphis plays an opponent that had an unscheduled bye week prior to playing the Tigers. Memphis meets Navy Saturday after the Midshipmen's Oct. 13 game at East Carolina was postponed to Nov. 19. The game was moved as a result of heavy flooding in the Greenville, N.C., area from Hurricane Matthew. Last week, the Tigers played Tulane after the Green Wave received an unexpected open date Oct. 7. Tulane was scheduled to play at UCF, but Hurricane Matthew postponed that contest to Nov. 5. Memphis posted a 24-14 win over Tulane Oct. 14.

• The Tigers defense is playing a primarily rushing offense for a second-consecutive week when they face Navy Saturday. The Memphis defense is allowing 140.0 yards per game on the ground and meets its toughest rushing foe to date. The Midshipmen are ranked 13^th nationally in rushing offense (262.4). Last week, Memphis faced a run-dominated offense in Tulane. The Green Wave entered the Oct. 14 clash averaging 246.6 rushing yards (13^th nationally). The Tigers defense stepped up to the challenge and held Tulane to nearly 100 yards under its average (169 yards).

• Memphis leads the nation in takeaways in 2016. The Tigers have 18 takeaways with 11 interceptions and seven fumble recoveries. Furthermore, Memphis has turned those takeaways into points. Of their 18 takeaways, the Tigers have scored 11 times, including three defensive TD.

Scouting Navy
The No. 24/25 Midshipmen bring a 4-1 overall record and a 3-0 American Athletic Conference mark into Saturday's contest. Navy won its last outing, a 46-40 upset of then-No. 6 Houston Oct. 8. The Midshipmen had an unscheduled bye week Oct. 13 when their contest at East Carolina was postponed as a result of flooding in the Greenville, N.C., area from Hurricane Matthew.

Navy's calling card on offense is its rushing attack. The Midshipmen have the nation's 13^th-ranked rushing offense, averaging 262.4 yards a game. Junior FB Chris High leads Navy with 320 yards rushing on 39 carries and five TD. Senior QB Will Worth is the team's second-leading rusher with 288 yards on a squad-high 102 attempts and six TD. Worth also has passed for three TD. He is 34-of-58 passing for 603 yards.

The Midshipmen defense is holding opponents to just under 400 yards of total offense per game (398.6). Junior LB Micah Thomas leads Navy with 39 total stops. Sophomore S Sean Williams, a Memphis native, is tied for second on the squad in total tackles (27). Junior LB D.J. Palmore, a Bartlett native, is tops on the squad in both TFL (5) and sacks (3).