The Memphis Tigers are set to travel to Annapolis Saturday for an AAC West showdown with the Navy Midshipmen. Memphis started 2018 with a bang by beating FCS opponent Mercer 66-14. The Midshipmen also lit up the scoreboard against a non-conference opponent but struggled defensively and were upset 59-41 at Hawaii. However, despite the setback on the islands and the exhausting travel schedule that accompanied it, Navy should still be considered a threat to dethrone the reigning division champs. Memphis at Navy Kickoff: Saturday, Sept. 8 at 3:30 p.m. ET TV: CBSSN Spread: Memphis -6.5 Three Things to Watch 1. The quarterbacks Both Memphis and Navy entered 2018 with relatively inexperienced quarterbacks, though both have huge potential. The Tigers lost 4,000-yard passer Riley Ferguson to graduation but called on highly touted former Arizona State signee Brady White to replace him. White shined in his first start, completing 22-of-28 pass attempts for 358 yards and five touchdowns (all five in the first half and to five different receivers) without an interception and adding 20 rushing yards on three carries as well. Each of White’s first three TD passes came on a big play: a 45-yarder to Damonte Coxie, a 75-yarder to Patrick Taylor and a 62-yarder to Darrell Henderson. It’s a small sample size, but if Week 1 was any indication, Memphis should be just as explosive this year as it was last season. In an attempt to make the most of his dynamic playmaking ability, Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo gave Malcolm Perry three late-season starts at quarterback in 2017. Perry, who gained 1,182 rushing yards and scored 11 TDs split between QB and slot back, entered the ’18 season atop the depth chart despite the return of veteran signal caller Zach Abey. Though he couldn’t lead his team to victory in Week 1, Perry got off to a strong start by gaining 108 rushing yards on 17 attempts, including a 75-yard touchdown. He was sacked three times and completed only one of three pass attempts, but it was a 19-yard touchdown. 2. Can Navy stop the pass? It’s never a good sign when a team scores 41 points and loses by three scores. Navy achieved that ugly distinction last week in a game in which it allowed 522 yards of total offense — 436 of them through the air. The Midshipmen surrendered 10.4 yards per attempt in the season opener, placing them 113th among all FBS defenses. Last year, Navy allowed 8.4 yards allowed per pass, which tied for 114th overall. With White behind center for the Tigers, Memphis has the potential to do even more damage in Week 2. White and backup Brady McBride combined for 428 passing yards a week ago. Last year, Memphis led the AAC and ranked No. 7 in the country with 335 passing yards per game, though Navy held the Tigers to 279. 3. Can Memphis stop the run? The Tigers got off to a great start defensively in Week 1. Memphis held Mercer to just 174 total yards, 3.41 yards per play, and 60 rushing yards — all of those numbers currently top the AAC. However, Navy poses a much more difficult threat to the Tigers than Mercer did, especially on the ground. It’s also worth noting that Memphis is coming off a 2017 campaign in which it allowed 184.2 rushing yards per game, which ranked sixth in the conference and 85th nationally. The Midshipmen racked up 314 rushing yards against Memphis last year, the second most of any team against the Tigers. The Midshipmen picked up right where they left off and amassed an impressive 326 rushing yards last week against Hawaii. That total currently ranks atop the AAC leaderboard, two yards ahead of Memphis, and sits seventh among all FBS offenses. Navy scored five rushing touchdowns last week and averaged 6.65 yards per carry. In addition to Perry’s 100-yard performance, Nelson Smith gained 86 yards on 10 carries and receiver/short-yardage quarterback Zach Abey scored four times on five attempts. Final Analysis Navy is back home in Annapolis, but the Midshipmen might still feel the effects of the 9,600-mile round trip to Honolulu — the longest any FBS program will make in 2018. As a result, the Midshipmen must use a short week of preparation to find answers to the defensive issues that plagued them. To make matters worse, Navy is facing a Memphis offense that appears to be just as explosive as it was a year ago. The Midshipmen should still be dangerous offensively, and the Navy rushing attack is in good hands with Perry, Smith and Abey. Nevertheless, Memphis is one of the strongest teams in the conference from top to bottom. The Tigers looked good against the run last week and should be able to score enough on a tired Navy defense to pick up a victory on the road in the conference opener. Prediction: Memphis 45, Navy 31 — Written by Nicholas Ian Allen, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @NicholasIAllen. (Top photo by Joe Murphy/University of Memphis)<doc-sep>After a dominant 66 to 14 win in their week one game, the Tigers are preparing for a pivotal conference game against the Navy Midshipmen in Annapolis, Maryland. On Tuesday we checked out who had the advantage in this matchup, and we will now determine the key matchups that will be instrumental in deciding this game. Navy QB Malcolm Perry vs. Memphis's run defense This will ultimately be the matchup that decides the game. Navy's run offense overall is obviously dangerous with the multiple running backs they use, but Perry is the key to Navy's running game. In Navy's week one matchup against Hawaii, Perry led the team in carries (17) and yards (108). He is a very dynamic athlete at the quarterback position, and if he gets comfortable in the game he will be hard to stop. In the Mercer game, Memphis only allowed 60 yards rushing on 24 carries. They were flying to the ball all night, and nothing that Mercer tried fooled the Tigers. Obviously the triple option is a lot different than anything else the Tigers will see, but head coach Mike Norvell has been preparing his team for this game strenuously. If Memphis can carry over the tenacity and disciplined they showed in week one, they could give the Navy offensive line and Malcolm Perry fits. Memphis QB Brady White vs. Navy's secondary Brady White will be making his second start of his Memphis career on Saturday in a hostile environment against Navy. Fortunately for White, he is coming off an incredible debut where he threw for 358 yards and 5 touchdowns. White also has an embarrassment of riches on the offensive side of the ball to lean on if he is ever struggling. Last season Navy only allowed 215 passing yards a game, but against Hawaii they got torched for over 400 yards and 6 touchdowns. They have a lot of younger guys in the secondary, and they were really exposed in their first game. If Memphis can get the ball, drive down the field and score this could end up being a long game for Navy. Memphis RB's Darrell Henderson and Patrick Taylor vs. Navy's run defense Henderson and Taylor both went off in week one and showed that they are perfect compliments to each other in the backfield. They each ran for a touchdown and caught a touchdown against Mercer, and the Tigers will need another dominant performance from the duo this week against Navy. Even though Hawaii had over 500 yards against Navy, it was almost all through the air. Navy's run defense is typically a pretty solid unit, and they only allowed 86 rushing yards on 28 carries in their week one game. If the Midshipmen defensive line can overpower the Tigers offensive line, it could end up giving Navy a big advantage.<doc-sep>
The Tigers defeated Mercer in their week one game by 52 points, and they will be looking to bring that momentum to Annapolis on Saturday to face off against the Navy Midshipmen. Navy lost their opening game 59 to 41 against Hawaii, and they allowed over 500 yards of total offense. Here's a look at how to watch/listen to the Tigers game vs. Navy. TV: CBS Sports Network- John Sadak and Randy Cross will be on the call. Online: cbssports.com- Also the audio of the game will be streamed on GoTigersGo/listen. Radio: In Memphis you can listen on 600 WREG AM or Rock 103 FM, in Jackson listen on WJAK AM 1460 or WJAK FM 96.1, or in Nashville listen on WNQM AM 1300. In Brady White's first game as a Tiger last week, he showed that he has the potential to fill the shoes left by Riley Ferguson and Paxton Lynch. White only played in the first half, but he led Memphis to 56 points, and he had 358 yards and 5 touchdowns. One of the biggest storylines for the Memphis team since the spring has been the improvement of the defense. With tons of veteran leadership returning and a ton of young talent, the Tigers defense showed last week that they have the potential to be a very stout unit. They have tons of talent at all three levels of the defense. The talent around White really showed out last Saturday night. Wide receiver Damonte Coxie has looked like the new number one receiver all fall, and he proved that he is the guy against Mercer. He had 4 catches, 79 yards and a touchdown in the first half alone. Junior running backs Darrell Henderson and Patrick Taylor also played very well, as they both scored two touchdowns in two quarters. In the secondary, T.J. Carter is the unquestioned leader, and he had a 35 yard pick six and he was also graded as the best defensive player in the AAC for week one by Pro Football Focus. At linebacker, JJ Russell was all over the field as he led the Tigers in tackles and tackles for loss, and the return of Jackson Dillon also added a ton of energy to the defense. Jonathan Wilson led the way on the defensive line as he was in the backfield all first half. As for Saturday's matchup against Navy, this one will be a very pivotal game for both teams. Memphis and Navy have played pretty closely over the last couple of years, and this is one that both teams need to win. If Memphis wants to repeat as AAC West Champions, Saturday's matchup will be their first test. Memphis will have to stay disciplined on the defensive side of the ball to stop Navy's unorthodox triple option attack. If Memphis can start out hot and put points on the board early, then Navy could be in for a long game.