Friends, we’ve got a monster game this weekend against a good-looking Memphis team that still has every chance to play for the American Conference Championship. But then, Army still has that chance, too.
Let’s talk about how the Black Knights get a win and keep the good times rolling.
Your Need to Know for our matchup in Memphis on Saturday night. #GoArmy https://t.co/f561DQ9l4O
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) October 28, 2026
Four Keys to Beating Memphis
Get Off to a Fast Start
Memphis tends to start slow, and in the games they’ve lost this season, it’s bitten them. Against UNLV, they went into halftime down 14-7 and had to rally with a 17-point fourth quarter to finish up 27-21. Similarly, UAB led the Tigers 13-10 at the half before Memphis came on with a 28-point second half to seal a 38-13 win. Against Tulane, Tigers’ mistakes let the Green Wave take control of the first half, 23-10. Memphis never got right and wound up losing that game, 31-17. Even last week, ECU had Memphis on the ropes in the first half, leading 16-3, before the Tigers exploded late to force overtime and get the eventual win.
By comparison, Army tends to start fast. Teams might practice against the Black Knights’ offensive concepts, but seeing those concepts live at game-speed tends to hit different. Last week, Army had a miserable third quarter, but they were up by 14 when things went sideways, so that even after twenty-three minutes of utter futility, they still had a chance to win the game late. Indeed, the Black Knights finished strong and got a gigantic “W” on the road.
We all know how the Black Knights win this game. They run the football, manage the clock, and minimize Memphis’s opportunities to possess the football. With that, they have a chance to get up big early and hopefully have a chance to win late. We also know that the Tigers will come roaring back with a strong second half. As a result, the Black Knights cannot afford to waste possessions. They need to score early and often in order to give themselves as much cushion as possible before the Tigers get hot down the stretch.
Battled all night with grit and determination to get our 3rd-straight W. #GoArmy https://t.co/11zmTLaV3c
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) October 27, 2026
Cause Mistakes, Don’t Make Them
Memphis has one of the best turnover-producing defenses in the country. With that, the Tigers currently sit 33rd overall in Turnover Margin at +4 despite having lost five fumbles and having thrown seven interceptions themselves this season.
However, Army has been very good about not turning the ball over this season, too, and if they want to win this week, that needs to continue. To date, the Black Knights have lost just one fumble and thrown just one interception all year, so that they themselves now sit at +3 on the year in Turnover Margin (37th) despite not forcing any turnovers through their first several games.
We might see some turnovers this weekend. Memphis has had a tendency to put the ball on the ground at times this season. Even last week, Memphis WR Alante Brown fumbled twice, losing one. If the Black Knights can play clean and perhaps steal a possession when and if the Tigers lose the football, then Army will have a truly excellent chance to win this game.
Take Advantage of Opportunities
Memphis might not have college football’s best rushing defense — they currently allow 171.4 rushing yards per game on a whopping 4.7 yards per carry — but they’ve been truly excellent on third down and as a scoring defense generally. On third down, Memphis’s opponents convert just 31.2% of the time (19th), which is how the Tigers hold opponents to an average of just 23.8 points per game despite getting run on with alarming consistency. This is a team that can rush the quarterback, get penetration, and generate plenty of sacks and negative yardage plays, even when opponents run the ball.
To win this week, the Black Knights will have to use their talented O-Line to win at the point of attack, neutralizing the Tigers’ pass rush and driving the ball relentlessly down the field. As we noted, Memphis is going to get hot in the second half, so Army cannot afford to waste possessions. They must attack this defense and make the most of their opportunities every time they have the football.
No surprise that our Call of the Game presented by @USAA is Dawson Jones GW field goal at Tulsa last Friday night! #GoArmy https://t.co/V653fywUHD
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) October 29, 2026
Run the Damn Ball
Friends, this is not the week to get cute. Army has an excellent offensive football team. They lead the nation in both rushing yards per game and yards per carry. Even last week, when they took four three-and-outs in the second half, they finished with almost 300 yards rushing on 5.4 yards per carry. Perhaps more importantly, this will be the first game in over a month in which the opponent will have had neither an extra week to prepare nor multiple previous opponents running similar offensive schemes. Fact is, Memphis hasn’t seen the triple-option lately, and this particular team — led by this particular coaching staff — lacks even the institutional knowledge of playing in the American Conference over a period of years.
Run. The. Damn. Ball.
We don’t need to see the Lonesome Polecat or a bunch of wasted downs trying to hit a homerun shot. We need to see the triple-option in all its glory taking advantage of a defense that both struggles at times with the run and that hasn’t seen anything remotely like this offense in a good, long while.
Army wins this week by playing Army Football. They can maybe afford to hit a few quick strikes to the outside when the defense is playing back off the ball, and we could stand to see a bit more of their new pop-pass sweep. But mostly, we need to see smashmouth football that sets up pitches or off-tackle runs for big yardage.
Black Knights rushing attack topping the charts 🫡 #GoArmy https://t.co/2K5fZRL9Pb
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) October 28, 2026
Final Thoughts
We should be in for gorgeous football weather in a packed house this Saturday. With the way the season has shaken out, this weekend’s game might be Army’s biggest of the season to date. If they can get a win this week, it’ll send shockwaves through the American Conference and through the college football world generally. The Black Knights might even get the chance to play for their second conference championship in three years.
I honestly can’t wait.
Go Army! Beat Memphis!!!
