Memphis football entered the 2025 season with talent, confidence and fans that hoped for a College Football Playoff (CFP) appearance. Six games later, the dreams were still strong, but by the season’s end, Tiger football was left to figure out what went wrong and what was next for the team.
The 2024 season was successful for Memphis, with them ending as number 23 in the Coaches Poll and having back-to-back 10-win seasons. Coming off an 11-2 record in 2024, Memphis football fans’ hopes were high for 2025.
“I remember feeling pretty solid [before this season started] … but I didn’t have crazy high expectations,” James LoSicco (10) said. “They definitely overperformed that first half [of the season, and they] peaked around that halfway point.”
There were over 70 new players starting the season on the 2025 Memphis football team — one of the most out of any National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) team. While Memphis had plenty of new talent coming in, many of the additions to the team lacked collegiate experience, being either freshmen or transfers that did not have consistent playing time at their previous schools. Having to rebuild a team is difficult for any program, but it is especially challenging in a sport that is based on chemistry, communication and consistency.
“Them having the most new players out of any collegiate team … means [their] chemistry in the team is not going to be as good,” LoSicco said. “That can definitely impact the mindset of the players, but also just how they perform on the field.”
At the beginning of their season, Memphis looked like a team that could claim a spot in the CFP, especially with their 6-0 start. The Tiger offense appeared to be keeping pace with other top NCAA programs, but their early dominance soon began to fade.
“I felt super confident for the first half [of the season],” LoSicco said. “There was a switch at some point, and it’s hard to pinpoint exactly [when], but there was definitely a shift in how they played and [what] their mindset was throughout the second half.”
Memphis was an offensively-carried team this season, but that is historically not uncommon for Tiger football. During their October 18th loss to the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB), Memphis’ weak defense was obvious, and UAB was able to gain 219 rushing yards compared to Memphis’ 119. Quarterback Brendon Lewis also suffered an ankle injury during this game. This was the team’s first loss of the season, and combined with another setback against Tulane a few weeks later, the chances of a CFP appearance for Memphis disappeared. The Tigers ended with an 8-5 win-loss record.
“All throughout the season our offense was great,” LoSicco said. “I noticed a lot [of times] our defense wasn’t as sturdy. I don’t know if there was some switch where we just couldn’t keep up throughout the second half.”
Ryan Silverfield, who was the Memphis football head coach from 2019-2025, announced on November 30th that he would be leaving the Tiger program and taking the head coaching job at the University of Arkansas. On December 8th, Charles Huff was announced as the new head coach for Memphis football. In his previous season at the University of Southern Mississippi, Huff transformed their football program, turning a 1-11 record in 2024 into a 7-6 record in 2025. Huff also claims that one of the reasons he accepted the offer to coach at Memphis was because it is not a “broken program.” He has taken over losing programs and quickly turned them into winners, so most fans are excited to see what he is able to accomplish at Memphis.
“I think [Ryan Silverfield] is a good fit [for the University of Arkansas],” LoSicco said. “He’s been great at Memphis, but it kind of sucks to see him go to another team, especially one so close.”
Expectations are high for the 2026 Memphis football team. With a new coach, new players, new stadium and a new season, Tigers fans are ready to see a step forward for the program.
“I really do want to see intensity [from the Memphis football team], and I am curious how the coach will perform,” LoSicco said.