Memphis football vs UConn: Game preview, prediction and live stream
By Jesse Smith
Memphis football hits the road to take on a not-so-great UConn team that has yet to pick up their first AAC win. How to watch, predictions and more.
Previously undefeated Memphis loss to UCF last Saturday, the loss gave Memphis a blemish on their previously perfect record. The victory allowed the AAC to get their second ranked team of the season (No. 25 UCF, No. 18 South Florida). Memphis upset No. 25 UCLA in September, that seems like forever ago now that UCLA has fallen from the Top 25 ranks, but it shows you how dangerous this team is.
The Connecticut Huskies have had tough sledding this season. They sport a 1-3 overall record and are 0-2 in the AAC. The Huskies haven’t been a threat in years, Donald Brown and crew won’t be walking through that door and if he does it will only to give a pep talk because his NCAA eligibility is gone.
Memphis is traveling to Connecticut and it seems to be just what the doctor ordered for the reeling Tigers.
Date: Friday, Oct. 6
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: East Hartford, CT
Venue: Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Keys to Victory
Memphis just lost to UCF 40-13. Memphis turned the ball way too much on the road. Quarterback Riley Ferguson can’t have three interceptions on Friday if they want to get back on the winning track. Ferguson is a big time playmaker for this offense, but he must protect the ball and get the rock to star wide receiver Anthony Miller.
Miller is the pulse of this offense, when they pulled off the huge upset of UCLA nobody on that team had an answer for him. He had nine catches for 185 yards and two touchdowns, but last week he was held to three catches for 37 yards. Kudos to UCF, but Ferguson has to get them the rock.
Memphis defense hasn’t been stellar so it is all on the offense to play mistake free ball, the defense has given up an average of 36.3 points in the first 4 games of the season.
Connecticut quarterback Bryant Shirreffs had a monster game last week against SMU, but they still loss by 21 points. Shirreffs went 22-for-28 passing for 408 yards and two touchdowns. That’s a heck of a game, but the Huskies have had a tough time running the rock the last few years and it hasn’t changed this season. Connecticut must find a way to run the ball and not turn it over.
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Prediction
At the end of the day Memphis will do a better job getting Anthony Miller the rock on Friday and they will give Connecticut their fourth loss of the season. I’m calling a shootout, but Memphis has more weapons so chalk it up.