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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/usffan on 2025-06-25 14:12:26+00:00.
The cumulative link to the preseason rankings can be found here.
Memphis (high = 47, low = 70) roars into the countdown at #59, the second consecutive AAC team in the countdown and (by a whisker) the projected conference runner up. Ryan Silverfield returns for his sixth season leading the Tigers looking to move to third all time in terms of most wins as a Memphis head coach (only needing 7 to catch Tommy West and 8 to catch Zach Curlin) after last season's 11-2 campaign that saw the Tigers beat West Virginia in Frisco, but had to feel like a disappointment after dropping road games at both Navy and UTSA that prevented them from vying for a CFP bid.
Roster outlook
For a team with such relatively high preseason aspirations, Memphis really is looking at a pretty significant rebuild. The Tigers rank 119th (yes, that's 18th worst in the country) in terms of returning production, including 16th worst in the country on defense. Star QB Seth Henigan is off to try to be Trevor Lawrence's backup in Jacksonville, Mario Anderson took his 1,300 yards rushing and 21 TDs to Saskatchewan, and the only receiver to catch a TD pass who's back is Marcello Bussey. And that's on the MORE productive side of the ball! On defense, the entire 2 deep returns only 43 total tackles and 4 sacks, most of which comes from returning redshirt senior DL William Whitlow, Jr. Silverfield put in the work to rebuild this roster, accumulating the top ranked recruiting AND transfer portal classes in the AAC. In fact, the Tigers had the best G6 recruiting class in the country (60th overall) and the 65th best portal class (only behind Oregon State in the G6). Ourlads projects 15 of Memphis' starting 22 this year to be new transfers, and 30 players on the two deep to be newcomers, with the only true freshman being 4* high school QB AJ Hill backing up former Nevada (and Colorado) QB Brendon Lewis. Stay tuned to see if that lasts. Whoever wins that job will be looking to throw to former Louisville WR Jadon Thompson, former Purdue WR CJ Smith and former Penn State TE Jerry Cross. The defense includes 11 P4 transfers, so if (which is doing a lot of work here) they gel, the Tigers really should be potential playoff contenders.
Schedule and outlook
Silverfield really will get to ease these new players into the system with what on paper are 3 winnable games (Chattanooga and then a couple of road tests at Georgia State and Troy) before they get their potential statement game against Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl. I am confident both teams will walk in there expecting to win, and if Memphis pulls this off I have to figure that could be the last game Sam Pittman coaches for the Razorbacks (and he probably knows that). REALLY underrated game, and most people would probably be surprised that Memphis leads this overall series 3-2. The Tigers AAC schedule really sets them up well for a championship run, getting their projected 3 toughest games (USF, Tulane and Navy) all in the Liberty Bowl, and the only road game against a team with a winning record from last season is at East Carolina in the penultimate week (and a potential trap game between Tulane and Navy). For sure, the Tigers have a schedule that sets them up for a potential undefeated run that, with a win over an SEC team, could vault them ahead of any other G6 champ unless Boise actually runs the table including a win in South Bend. The only question is whether the talent infusion is as good as projected.