For much of its history, the Memphis Tigers football program was subpar and uninspiring with occasional flashes of moderate success while being overshadowed by the university's more successful men's basketball program.[4] However, in recent years the Tigers football program has shown a marked improvement and has been more successful since the tenure of former head coach Justin Fuente.[5][6] As of May 2024, Memphis has earned bowl eligibility by winning at least six of 12 regular season games every year beginning in 2014 and, consequently, has been invited to a bowl game every year without interruption since 2014,[7][8] they are one of just nine NCAA Division I FBS teams in the country with that distinction.[9] Ten of the program's seventeen bowl appearances have come in that time span. The program has also claimed eight conference championships with the most recent coming in 2019.
The Memphis Tigers have received seventeen bowl invitations in their history and hold a record of 8–8 in bowl games with one cancellation. This includes the 1956 Burley Bowl, which was not an NCAA sanctioned bowl.[10] Memphis went through a 32-year bowl game drought from 1971 to 2003, but has since had a five-year bowl streak (2003–2008) and the current ten-year streak (since 2014). The team made its first appearance in a New Years Six bowl when they were selected to play in the 2019 Cotton Bowl Classic as the highest ranked (AP #15) Group of Five conference champion. The Tigers’ 2023 Liberty Bowl victory was the school's first over a Power 5 opponent.
The hatred between these two teams runs strong between the Cardinals and Tigers.[14][15] The Tigers' rivalry with bordering-state opponent Louisville dates back to 1948.[16][17] Louisville leads 24–19 with the last game played in 2013.[18] Both teams were at once in the American Athletic Conference Football for 1 year until Louisville joined the Atlantic Coastal Conference in 2014.[19][20] Both teams are better known for their rivalry on the basketball court then on the football field,[21] but both schools share the same hatred between each other in any sport including football.
The Tigers' football rivalry with regional and bordering-state opponent Ole Miss dates to 1921.[17][22] Ole Miss leads 47–12–2 through the 2019 season.[23] Ole Miss is Memphis' oldest football rivalry and is tied with Southern Miss as Memphis' most-played football opponent all-time while Memphis is Ole Miss' most-played football opponent who has never been a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).[24][25]
The Memphis Tigers' football rivalry with bordering-state opponent Southern Miss is officially named the Black and Blue Bowl and dates back to 1935.[26] Southern Miss is tied with Ole Miss as Memphis' most-played football opponent all-time.[27] Southern Miss leads the all-time series 40–22–1 with the last game played in 2012.[28] The annual series between the Tigers and Golden Eagles ended after Memphis joined the American Athletic Conference in 2013.[29][30] The rivalry will be renewed in 2027 and 2030 as a nonconference game after more than a decade of dormancy.[31]
Memphis and bordering-state opponent UAB annually play a football rivalry game called “The Battle of the Bones” where the winning team receives a 100 lb bronze statue of a rack of ribs.[32] This pays homage to both school's cities prominence in BBQ.[33] The rivalry temporarily ended when Memphis moved to the American Athletic Conference after the 2012 season.[34] UAB leads the all-time series 10–5, but Memphis won the last matchup which allowed the Tigers to keep the Bones Trophy.[35] The rivalry was rekindled in 2023 when UAB joined Memphis in the American Athletic Conference.[36]
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, originally Memphis Memorial Stadium is the site of the annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl, and is the home of the Memphis Tigers football team. It has also been the host of several attempts at professional sports in the city, as well as other local football games and other gatherings. The stadium was originally built as Memphis Memorial Stadium in 1965 for $3 million, as a part of the Mid-South Fairgrounds, then home to one of the South's most popular fairs, but now conducted in neighboring Desoto County, Mississippi. The fairgrounds also included the now-defunct Mid-South Coliseum (formerly the city's major indoor venue) as well as the now-closed Libertyland amusement park, which has been demolished and replaced with a disc golf course. It was dedicated as a memorial to the citizens of Memphis who had served in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. The facility was built partially as a way to bring the Liberty Bowl to a permanent home in Memphis (the game had started in Philadelphia, but because of poor attendance as a northern bowl, it left the city, playing one year in Atlantic City before settling in Memphis). The game was such a success for Memphis that the stadium was renamed Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in 1976. As originally built, the stadium was lopsided, with the southwest side being taller than the northeast side. A 1987 expansion brought it to its current, balanced configuration, although with a much greater hospitality building topping the northeast section.[37] Its design is similar to that of old Tampa Stadium ("The Big Sombrero"), with the endzone grandstands being much shorter than the sidelines. The field, which had been natural grass since its inception, was replaced with a FieldTurf surface before the 2005 season; this was subsequently replaced with the modern version of AstroTurf. The stadium is designed in such a way that all of its seats have a relatively good view of most of the playing surface. This is due primarily to two design factors. The stands are relatively steep for a one-tier, true bowl stadium. Also, there is little space between the side and end lines of the playing surface and the stands. In December 1983, the playing field was renamed Rex Dockery Field in honor of Rex Dockery, a former Memphis Tigers football coach who died in a plane crash.
Traditions
The Tiger Walk
About two and a half hours prior to kickoff at home games, Tiger fans line up outside Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium for the "Tiger Walk".[38] The tradition involves the Mighty Sound of the South marching band, thousands of fans and the University of Memphis cheer and pom-pom squads.[38] The coaching staff and team arrive at the stadium and walk into the stadium tunnel with the fans and cheerleaders cheering them on to victory.[38] After the team has passed by, the Tiger cheerleaders lead the fans in the "Tiger Spellout", "T-I-G-E-R-S."[38]
Tiger Lane
"Tiger Lane" refers to the pre-game tailgating spots for Memphis Tigers football fans.[38] It is equipped with electrical hookups at each spot, trees, grassy areas and all pre-game tailgating activities.[38] Tiger Lane stretches all the way from the parking lot of Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium to East Parkway in mid-town Memphis.[38]
School colors
The University of Memphis' official school colors of Blue and Gray were selected in the early 1900s. The colors were chosen in an effort to show unity in a nation that was still recovering from the effects of the Civil War. The student body thought that by picking the colors of the North and the South, the school would show a togetherness among all students.[39]
Memphis has retired numbers for seven players in their history. Charles Greenhill only played one season at Memphis, but his number was retired after he died in a plane crash that also took the life of head coach Rex Dockery.[40][41][42]
