The University of Memphis football team will kickoff its 2016 season against Southeast Missouri Sept. 3 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The American Athletic Conference released its full schedule for the upcoming season Tuesday.
It’ll be the first of seven home games for new coach Mike Norvell, the former Arizona State offensive coordinator. The seven home games are the most Memphis will play in a season since 2013. It will also tie the single season record, which is tied with the 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2013 campaigns.
One drawback of Memphis’ schedule, however, is its bye comes in week two. Last season’s squad, which finished 9-4 under former coach Justin Fuente, who’s since departed to Virginia Tech, had its bye after week five.
Nevertheless, Memphis won’t play its first road game until Oct. 1 when it faces off against Ole Miss for the third consecutive season. This time the series shifts to Oxford, Mississippi, following the Tigers’ 37-24 victory over the Black Bears last season.
Ole Miss is one of seven Tigers’ 2016 opponents, in addition to being one of Memphis’ road five opponents, which played in a bowl game last season. It ties the record for the most bowl teams Memphis will play from the previous season since college football went to a 12-game schedule in 2002.
The Tigers open AAC play Oct. 6 when they host Temple on ESPN, the first of three schedule games on ESPN networks next season. Memphis then has its first road trip of the season as it travels to Tulane and Tulsa on Oct. 14 and 22, respectively.
Memphis will face off against Navy in Annapolis, Maryland, for the first time Oct. 22. The Midshipmen, led by then senior quarterback Keenan Reynolds, defeated the Tigers 45-20 at the Liberty Bowl last season, ending Memphis’ hopes for an unbeaten season.
Norvell’s squad will wrap up conference play against the defending AAC Champions, the University of Houston Cougars, Nov. 25. An interesting note about the Tigers/Cougars game, it's the first game Tigers’ football will play on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, in program history.
Also the Tigers’ spring football game is scheduled for April 22.
2016 Memphis football schedule
Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Southeast Missouri State
Saturday, Sept. 17 vs. Kansas
Saturday, Sept. 24 vs. BGSU
Saturday, Oct. 1 at Ole Miss
Thursday, Oct. 6 vs. Temple
Friday, Oct. 14 at Tulane
Saturday, Oct. 22 at Navy
Saturday, Oct. 29 vs. Tulsa
Saturday, Nov. 5 at SMU
Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. USF
Friday, Nov. 18 at Cincinnati
Friday, Nov. 25 vs. Houston
The Memphis Tigers' football team has seven home games in the 2016 season.
