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Tigers football hopes to bounce back after loss, opening AAC play at Temple

Memphis turns page to the Owls following 'inexcusable' home loss to UTSA

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ryan Silverfield did not sugarcoat Saturday's collapse to UTSA at the Liberty Bowl.

"It was inexcusable," he said Monday.

The Tigers 17-game home winning streak, the fourth longest such streak in the nation is no more.

But the opportunity knocks this Saturday as Memphis opens league play at Temple.

"It's just business," fifth year cornerback Jacobi Francis said. "We have to go take care of business and win every game. Every game is important from here on out if we want to reach the goal that we set for ourselves."

"There are some bumps in the road that come with it but you hope they're learning constantly and that it continues to build up over time."

The Owls, like the Tigers, are a young team. They, also like the Tigers, feature a freshman quarterback. Temple sports two first-year field generals in De'Wan Mathis and Justin Lynch. Francis says, stylistically, they are similar and the Owls offense does not change much between the two.

"It's not like one does much different than the other one," Francis said. "One is a little more athletic and runs the ball more, so you have to prepare for that. But other than that they still have the same offense, still have the same coaching. So it comes down to making the play when they throw the ball in the air."

Saturday will mark the Tigers first trip to Philadelphia since their loss in 2019, made infamous by a controversial overturned Joey Magnifico catch that marked the final nail in the setback. The 30-28 loss was the Tigers lone regular season blemish in their 2019 run to the Cotton Bowl.

"We knew what happened in 2019," defensive back Quindell Johnson said. "We knew what kind of game it was but we're just taking it week by week. We're just taking into consideration what team they have this year. Still a win on the road to start conference play."

The game will also be the Tigers first early contest, kicking off at 11:00 a.m. CT. 

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