The 2024 Frisco Bowl features the 10-2 Memphis Tigers against the 6-6 West Virginia Mountaineers. Here is the 2024 Frisco Bowl Preview.
Memphis Tigers
Memphis won 10 games in the regular season, but failed to make the AAC Championship Game. They have three wins over bowl-eligible teams: South Florida, North Texas and Tulane. Both of their losses, to UTSA and Navy, were to teams that are at least .500.
The Tigers score 35.2 points per game, ranking 19th in the country. They pass for 268.5 yards (ranked 24th) and rush for 173.6 yards per game (tied 51st).
Seth Henigan has operated the offense at quarterback putting out a good season of production. He has passed for 3,208 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions on 64.5 percentcompletion. Five of his receivers have at least 250 receiving yards this season. Roc Taylor leads the team in receiving yards with 834. Demeer Blankumsee has the team-high with five touchdown catches.
One running back gets the bulk of the work for the Memphis offense. Mario Anderson has 1,292 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns this season as the bellcow back. Brandon Thomas has played some as well, registering 331 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
Defensively, the Tigers give up 22.8 points per game, ranking 44th in the country. They concede 103.9 rushing yards (ranked 10th) and 251.7 passing yards per game (ranked 113th). Chandler Martin leads the team with 94 total tackles and also has a team-high seven sacks. Davion Ross has made plays on the ball in the secondary with 11 passes defended and three interceptions.
West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia won six games to make a bowl game, but head coach Neal Brown was fired. They did not defeat a team that was bowl-eligible this season. All six of their losses were to teams going bowling: Penn State, Pitt, Iowa State, Kansas State, Baylor and Texas Tech.
The Mountaineers score 28.5 points per game, ranking 64th in the country. They pass for 200.5 yards (ranked 96th) and rush for 192.7 yards per game (ranked 27th).
Garrett Greene has started most of the games at quarterback for West Virginia. He has passed for 1,972 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 58.2 percent completion. Garrett Greene also played a little bit, posting 434 passing yards and five touchdowns. Five players have at least 200 receiving yards for the Mountaineers. Hudson Clement leads the team in receiving yards, totaling 575 and four touchdowns.
West Virginia has two star running back they lean on in Jahiem White and CJ Donaldson. White has 817 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, while Donaldson has racked up 651 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Greene has chipped in from the quarterback position with 656 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
On defense, the Mountaineers allow 34.2 points per game, ranking 106th in the country. They give up 268.9 passing yards (ranked 124th) and 141.4 rushing yards per game (ranked 55th). Anthony Wilson Jr. leads the team with 95 total tackles. T.J. Jackson has been the best getting after the quarterback on the team with 6.5 sacks. Garnett Hollis Jr. has six passes defended this year.
Prediction
The Tigers have the offensive firepower to take advantage of West Virginia’s lackluster defense. With the Mountaineers not having defeated a bowl-eligible team and not having their head coach, Memphis has more continuity and proof of performance. They can win a high-scoring game.
Memphis Tigers 35 West Virginia Mountaineers 31
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