Memphis football vs. Iowa State: Score prediction, scouting report for AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Memphis football's season will end in a unique way.
The Tigers (9-3) will close their season at home when they face Iowa State (7-5) in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Friday (2:30 p.m., ESPN) at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. It's a rematch of the 2017 Liberty Bowl won by the Cyclones 21-20 and a chance for Memphis to play a bowl game in its home stadium.
It's also a chance for the Tigers to get to a rare 10-win season, but they'll have to do it as underdogs against a Cyclones team favored by 9.5 points. Memphis has not won a game it entered as an underdog this season, though the Tigers also won every game they were favored in. The Tigers are a bigger underdog in this game than they've been in any previous game this season, including a quasi-road game in St. Louis against Missouri in September.
Several key Memphis players who have entered the transfer portal and will not play on Friday, but the Tigers have been competitive in every game they've played this season. So what can Memphis fans expect to see on Friday? Read on for a full preview.
What will the Memphis offensive line look like?
Two starters on the offensive line — left tackle Makylan Pounders and right guard Davion Carter — entered the transfer portal and are headed to Mississippi State and Texas Tech, respectively. They won't play in Friday's game.
Xavier Hill, who started games at right tackle, left tackle and left guard this season, will probably get the nod at left tackle. Terrance McClain is likely to replace him at right tackle. There are more questions about who replaces Carter at right guard, but Mitchell Gildehaus is listed as the starter on Memphis' updated depth chart.
Backup quarterback Tevin Carter is also gone, so either Harris Boyd or Cade Cunningham will be behind Seth Henigan on Friday.
There are fewer questions on the other side of the ball, but the Tigers did lose safety Cameron Smith to the portal.
Cyclones bring confidence to the Bluff City
Iowa State's regular-season finale was notable for a couple reasons: First, it took place during a snowstorm. Second, it was a coming out party for true freshman running back Abu Sama III, who rushed for 276 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Cyclones to a 42-35 win against Kansas State.
That caught the attention of Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield.
"You watch the last game that they played in the snow vs. Kansas State, and you're sitting there saying, 'This may very well be the best running back in college football. If not, he's certainly the best young running back in college football,'" Silverfield said last week.
Sama figures to play a significant role Friday.
The Cyclones are a young team and feature a freshman quarterback, Rocco Becht, who threw for 2,674 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. He had two receivers — Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel — with more than 700 yards receiving.
"They are a tough-nosed Big 12 team," Silverfield said.
MORE: Unpacking Memphis football's 'monumental' signing day and how it unfolded for Ryan Silverfield
Tigers fans say goodbye
Friday will be a farewell for several key Tigers contributors, starting with a stalwart on either side of the ball.
Center Jacob Likes announced this month he will forgo his final season of eligibility to enter the 2024 NFL Draft. Defensive end Jaylon Allen will exhaust his eligibility after Friday's game and also will head to the draft. They're two of Memphis' four captains this season and two of the longest-tenured players on the team. Safety Simeon Blair, another one of Memphis' captains, also will exhaust his eligibility after Friday.
That'll leave junior quarterback Seth Henigan as the only captain likely to return next season.
There are plenty of other Tigers likely to say their goodbyes Friday, including wide receiver Joe Scates, running back Blake Watson and McClain, who also said he plans to enter the draft.
It also could be a goodbye for this version of Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Memphis City Council approved a resolution last week that would clear the way for renovations of the stadium, and officials are hoping to get that project underway in the next few months.
Memphis vs. Iowa State score prediction
Iowa State 38, Memphis 31. There are more points scored than in 2017, and it's close throughout. But in the end, the Cyclones spoil the Tigers' quasi-home game and earn another bowl win.
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @thejonahdylan.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis football score prediction vs. Iowa State in Liberty Bowl
