Army finds themselves in a make-or-break game this Saturday against Memphis. Army and Memphis both currently sit at about 4-1 odds to make the American Conference Championship Game. The winner of Saturday’s matchup will “take the chips” and end up with 2-1 odds to make the title game, while the loser will drop to almost zero.
Add in a 60-year streak of futility for the Black Knights at the Liberty Bowl, and this game becomes more than just a high-leverage football contest. It’s a grudge match.
Returning to the road on Saturday night! 🆚 Memphis 🏈 8 p.m. ET Watch on ESPNU #GoArmy https://t.co/hqFA6vGeek
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) October 26, 2026
Memphis Tigers
The Tigers are led by first-year head coach Charles Huff. Army fans will remember him as the coach who left Marshall for in-conference rival Southern Miss immediately after winning the Sun Belt Conference. His departure led to an onslaught of players heading to the transfer portal and the Thundering Herd opting out of the Independence Bowl against Army six days after Selection Sunday. Since then, Marshall has gone just 4-7 in conference play.
Last season, Huff led Southern Miss to their first bowl game since 2022 and won seven games — six more than the Golden Eagles had won the year prior. This season, he has Memphis at 6-2 with his only losses coming to Boise State and Tulane on the road.
Charles Huff: "I talked to (the team) probably three weeks ago. I told them, every job that’s getting ready to come open, my name’s going to be up for. Just like for you, every time you score a touchdown, someone’s going to repost your deal." More⬇️ https://t.co/YzD2MtFevh
— Jonah Dylan (@TheJonahDylan) October 27, 2026
Offense
QB Marcus Stokes leads the Memphis offense. Stokes spent the previous three years at D-II West Florida, where he kept the Argonauts in the Top 10 for the entirety of the 2025 season. He completes 67% of his passes and averages nearly 10 yards per attempt. There is plenty of depth in the receiver room, too, with seven different players recording double-digit receptions. The passing attack is aided by a strong running game led by RB Jaylin Carter, a sophomore who followed his coach from Hattiesburg.
The downside of Memphis’ offense this year has been its offensive line. It’s not that the line is bad — it grades out as the 66th-best in the FBS this year — but the group has been wildly inconsistent. Only 14 teams have turned the ball over more times than the Tigers this year. Their seven interceptions and five fumbles have largely come due to bad pass protection and quarterback pressures allowed. Additionally, the Tigers allow more than two sacks per game against FBS opponents.
Army’s front seven are going to have to pick their spots in this game. Memphis has a very talented offense, but it’s an offense that has been mistake-prone at times. However, the Black Knights cannot sit back and wait for Memphis to make a mistake. They have to force those mistakes. We’ve seen glimpses of this from the Black Knights this season, but this game will require a different level of play altogether.
Getting it Done #GoTigersGo | #CloseTheGap https://t.co/D5QJv85of6
— Memphis Football (@MemphisFB) October 27, 2026
Defense
Memphis has a total of one player who has both recorded a tackle this year and recorded a start for the team prior to this season. That player only started three games for the Tigers in 2025. However, there are about a dozen players who followed Coach Huff from USM, or even Marshall, so the group isn’t entirely unfamiliar with each other.
With that said, Memphis hasn’t faced anything like the Army offense this year, so defensive stats might not be the most reliable predictors this week. Still, the Tigers are ranked 110th in the FBS in yards per carry allowed. The last time Coach Huff faced a triple-option team was back in 2021 when Marshall beat Navy, 49-7, despite allowing nearly 400 yards of offense and 41 minutes of possession to the Midshipmen. Marshall’s defensive coordinator for that game, Lance Guidry, is the same one the Black Knights will see this Saturday.
Built to Disrupt #GoTigersGo | #CloseTheGap https://t.co/VjEPhao9CE
— Memphis Football (@MemphisFB) October 26, 2026
Special Teams
PK Philippe Laforge is perfect this season inside 50 yards, save for one kick that got blocked. However, he’s 0/2 from long range and has only one make outside of 36 yards. He nailed a 51-yarder last year for Coastal Carolina, but that was a long time ago. This probably means the Tigers will be looking to go for it on 4th-and-short until they reach the 25-yard line.
P Harrison Tuck has 29 punts this year without a single touchback. He averages 41 yards per punt with a long of 53.
Kept the energy up to the last snap. #GoArmy https://t.co/RurD5wBjDY
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) October 24, 2026
Final Thoughts
As of this writing, Vegas has set the line on this game anywhere between Army (+5) and Army (+6.5). Massey makes the game a little closer than that. ESPN’s SP+ model makes it a little less close.
Weather this weekend in Memphis looks to be cloudy but warm and probably a little humid. Temperatures might start in the mid-70s and fall all the way into the upper-60s. Earlier forecasts called for some showers, but it looks like those will hold off.
The game kicks at 8:00 PM ET on ESPNU. Costumed kids arriving at my door expecting candy will instead receive a lesson in the option offense—and they will instantly become the most popular kids on the block.
Check the Varsity App for Rich DeMarco’s radio call and the Firstie Club for the best gameday chat around!
Go Army! Beat Memphis!!!
