Houston Football: Can Cougs down Memphis without D’Eriq King?

A Black Friday duel between Memphis and Houston football will decide the AAC West title. Will the Tigers or the Cougars earn the chance to face UCF on December 1?

A berth in a New Year’s Six bowl game is still a tall task for both Houston and Memphis, but the two AAC West rivals meet up on the day after Thanksgiving to battle for the division crown. The winner gets the opportunity to face UCF for the American Athletic Conference title, while the loser will be left to prepare for the postseason at a nadir point.

Houston won against Tulane in Week 12, but the victory may prove to have been pyrrhic. Though the Cougars won the contest, they lost starting quarterback D’Eriq King for the rest of the season to a torn meniscus. King has been a catalytic presence on offense, opening things up on the ground and through the air for the nation’s fourth-ranked scoring offense. Without King, it will fall to true freshman Clayton Tune to try to take down Memphis in his first college start.

Memphis, meanwhile, has won three straight to set themselves up for a shot at a division title that looked impossible when November started. With Brady White guiding their offense this season, the Tigers rank seventh nationally in points per game. They have also benefitted from a defense that consistently gets pressure at the point of attack, ranking in the top 30 in both sacks and total tackles for loss.

Two of the nation’s hottest offenses will battle once again for the division crown when they meet up at the Liberty Bowl. Here’s how you can watch the Black Friday game between Houston and Memphis for the AAC West title:

Date: Friday, Nov. 23
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Memphis, Tenn.
Venue: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
TV: ABC
Live Stream: WatchESPN | FuboTV

Keys to Victory

Houston, first and foremost, needs Clayton Tune to have a solid game taking over for King at quarterback. The youngster needs to avoid turnovers, make high-percentage throws, and generally manage the game. The Cougars also need Patrick Carr to step it up in the backfield and pick up the slack on the ground left by King’s injury. Getting Ed Oliver back on the field would also be a huge boon for a defense that will be challenged by the Tigers.

Memphis has been terrible at keeping their wits about them, as they rank 106th in the country in penalty flags and 95th in penalty yards lost. The Tigers need to be more disciplined when they take on Houston if they are going to have any chance to emerge victorious on their home turf. A huge day from Darrell Henderson will help control the clock and improve the host’s chances of victory.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com

Point Spread: Memphis -7
Over/Under: 77

Prediction

Memphis and Houston are going to trade punches all day long at the Liberty Bowl. The Tigers will get the momentum early, as they pull ahead by two touchdowns in the first half. But they will be held to field goals in the second half while holding a lead, and the Cougars will charge back as Tune adjusts to the college game and guides the first comeback of his burgeoning career.

Final Score: Houston 49, Memphis 44