Memphis picked up its first win of the season this Saturday over Bethune-Cookman. Coach Ryan Silverfield and Memphis took down BCU 56-14. The Tigers went into the contest as 48.5-point favorites.

It looked as if the Tigers were going to cover the spread, then Memphis QB Tevin Carter and Ke’Trevion Hardgrove had a miscue on a handoff, and the Wildcats capitalized with a scoop and score late in the 4th quarter.

Overall, it was definitely a spread Memphis appeared capable of covering. Minor mistakes that are typical in week one games held them back from doing so.

Taking a Look at Arkansas State

Memphis opens as 21.5-point favorites over an Arkansas State team that is coming off a humiliating loss to Oklahoma in week one. The Sooners defeated the Redwolves 73-0 to open their 2023 campaign. Although Oklahoma clearly has superior talent, it just was not a good look for head coach Butch Jones. The Redwolves gave up 642 total yards, including 422 through the air. Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel eclipsed 300 passing yards in the first half. The team as a whole never showed any signs of life.

In a moment that is now viral on social media, Butch Jones was visibly distraught on the field with time winding down in the fourth quarter. Then, Coach Jones absolutely ripped into his players in the postgame presser.

“It still gets back to pride and performance. Pride in your preparation in everything you do. Like I said, if you get beat because he’s better than you, I can live with that,” Jones said. “It is the untimely penalties. It’s the lack of effort. It’s the casualness at times. It is all those things that bother me.”

Jones is now 5-21 in his tenure at Arkansas State. He might have one of, if not the, hottest seats in the country right now. Let’s hope the Tigers can take advantage of a reeling Redwolves squad and start the 2023 season off 2-0.