“Memphis has a great program, a very talented team. Coming off another 10-win season there. We know it’s going to be a great challenge when we get to that third week of the season.
It’s definitely going to be a unique dynamic. Coach Silverfield and his staff have continued to push that program forward. Got a special place in my heart for it. But also going to be excited to compete once that opportunity shows up.”
Now in his fifth year at Florida State, head coach Mike Norvell was asked at this year’s ACC Kickoff about facing his former school. Norvell made his name with the Tigers, winning the AAC title in his fourth and final year in Tennessee. While there may be good feelings off the field, it will be a dogfight on it.
Memphis returns quarterback Seth Henigan, who has thrown for over 10,000 yards in his college career, and Roc Taylor, a 1,000-yard receiver last season, while adding South Carolina running back Mario Anderson. Head coach Ryan Silverfield learned under Norvell as Memphis hired from within in 2019. His offense looks similar to his predecessor's, and the FSU defense will have their work cut out for them. The Tigers are the preseason favorite to win the AAC and own the inside track to a playoff bid if they win their conference courtesy of a G5 automatic qualifier for the top champion.
Florida State vs. Memphis
Date: Sept. 14, 2024
Location: Doak Cambell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Previous matchup: FSU 35, Memphis 3 11/17/1990
All-time series: 10-7-1
Memphis: Team Preview
2023 record: 10-3 (6-2)
Two things to know:
- Memphis finished sixth in the country in scoring with 39.4 points per game. The offense returns six starters, including Henigan, for his fourth season. This team can put up points and do it in bunches, racking up 30 points or more in its final seven games of last year's regular season. As mentioned, RB Anderson gives the offense another dimension out of the backfield. Memphis ranked 75th in the NCAA in rushing yards per game during 2023, but the USC back will change that. Finishing with over 700 yards with the Gameco*cks, he led Shane Beamer’s team in rushing. Memphis returns its top two wide receivers, who each finished with over 900 yards in 2023, and their starting tight end. This will be the best passing offense FSU faces to date.
- Memphis’ offense needs to be as good as advertised because they will be in some shootouts this season. The Tiger defense allowed almost 29 points per game last season, good for 92nd in the country, and did not hold a team under 20 points for the final ten weeks of the season. For better or worse, only four starters return from the 2023 team. Silverfield hit the transfer portal hard, looking for talent and depth, but there will be hits and misses.
Three key players:
- Wide receiver Roc Taylor: Taylor earned 2nd team All-AAC last season and preseason 1st team honors in 2024. Standing 6’3’’, 215 lbs, he will not shy away from the physical play of the FSU corners with his frame. He came up through the ranks the hard way, gaining more playing time each season, hoping his senior year in 2024 will be the exclamation mark to a career that rarely happens in college football. He played his best game of the season against the toughest Tiger game of the year, SMU, amassing eight catches for 146 yards.
- Linebacker Chandler Martin: The lone bright spot on the defense, Martin earned 1st-team All-AAC honors last season, finishing with the highest amount of tackles on the team with 95. The LB transferred in from East Tennessee State and instantly made an impact. Coming into 2024, his second season with Memphis, he will be the defensive leader and play-caller if Memphis decides to use coach-to-player communication on defense.
- Left tackle Xavier Hill: Hill also earned 1st team All-AAC honors last year after transferring from LSU. Standing 6’4’’ and weighing 318 pounds, Hill fits the bill of a power-four offensive lineman and a player who can withstand the physicality of FSU. He started all 13 games protecting Henigan’s blindside in 2023 and looks to be a centerpiece of the dominant offense.
Florida State vs. Memphis: Game preview, predictions
Best Case
Coming off a bye, Florida State looks fresh and pounds smaller Memphis, especially defensively, into submission. The offense runs the ball down the throat against a team that struggled against the run in 2023. Defensively, the FSU stands up to the challenge of the potent offense and holds Memphis below 30 points for the first time since week six of last season. Norvell wins the coaching battle against his former coordinator, and FSU adds its first quality win to its resume.
Realistic Case
Henigan and company come out hot as usual, and the secondary takes time to adjust against a pass-heavy offense. They handle an opening barrage before locking down a top offense and imposing their physicality. Offensively, Memphis improves their front seven via the transfer portal so easy yards do not come free early before Roydell Williams and Lawrance Toafili wear them down later in the game. With a noon kickoff, the better-conditioned side, Florida State, eventually rises to the top.
Worst Case
Henigan and his dangerous group of wide receivers put FSU in an early hole that the offense struggles to climb out of. DJ Uiagalelei misses easy completions against an inexperienced secondary, and the Seminoles come out sleepy for a noon kickoff. The Tigers do not back down, knowing how vital this win is to their playoff resume, while Norvell’s team does not match their intensity. The game turns into a shootout, and Uiagelelei needs to match his counterpart in a game where each team combines for over 800 yards.
