Thunder on the Turf: Week 8's Most Anticipated College Football Battles
By Justin Perez
2281. Saturday, October 19th. memphis vs north texas . 5-1. 451. Memphis -12. 7:30 PM ET. 5-1. ESPN U
All-Time Series: Memphis leads 18-4 Last Meeting: Memphis won 45-42(2023) Location: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee
Here's a matchup that has gone under the radar. The best game in the American Athletic Conference this week sees a resurgent North Texas team against perennial AAC contender Memphis. Both teams have a 5-1 overall record. North Texas is one of five squads in the AAC with an unblemished record in league play as they are 2-0. Memphis is right beneath them, with a 1-1 mark in league play. Other than keeping pace in the conference race, UNT is also looking to beat Memphis for the first time since 1980.
Players To Watch
1. . unt chandler morris. Chandler Morris. Chandler Morris. player. . Quarterback. . 2281
North Texas has one of the most explosive passing games in the country. They rank fourth in the country, averaging 346.5 passing yards per game. Quarterback Chandler Morris is lighting up every field he steps on. The passer has transferred from Oklahoma and TCU before finding a home in Denton. As of now, Morris is leading the AAC in touchdown passes with 20. He has thrown just seven picks, has accumulated 1,979 yards, and has completed 64.4% of his passes.
451. Memphis Mario Anderson. Mario Anderson. Mario Anderson. . . 2. player. . Running Back
Memphis' most complete skill position player on offense is Mario Anderson. The running back has been extremely productive. After a forgotten freshman year at South Carolina, Anderson has seemed to find a home with the Tigers. The sophomore has rushed for 456 yards and eight touchdowns on 82 carries. The South Carolina native has also shown to be a capable pass catcher. Anderson is second on the team with 24 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown.
Linebacker. unt jaylen smith. . player. Jaylen Smith. 3. . Jaylen Smith. 2377.
Jaylen Smith is the top linebacker for North Texas. It's surprising considering that he spent the last three seasons as a defensive back. The position change has worked wonders for him and the team. Smith leads the Mean Green in tackles for loss with five. He has racked up 39 total stops and broke up two passes.
Chandler Martin. Chandler Martin. 4. . . . memphis' chandler martin. Linebacker. player. 451
Chandler Martin is one of the most underrated linebackers in the country. He leads the Tigers in several statistical categories. He has racked up 42 total tackles. 23 of those stops are solo takedowns. Martin has nine TFLs and four sacks. The redshirt junior from Lithonia, Georgia also has two pass breakups and three fumble recoveries.