Editor’s note: Just like last year, The Dispatch will break down every game on Mississippi State’s 2022 football schedule. Part 1 of our “Scouting the schedule” series tackles the Sept. 3 season opener against Memphis. Part 2 will cover the Bulldogs’ game at Arizona.
What a way to start a season.
Mississippi State’s first opponent of 2022 is the team that dealt the Bulldogs their most perplexing loss of the 2021 season. On Sept. 18, MSU lost a 17-7 lead, suffered from a bad call allowing a Memphis punt-return touchdown to stand and couldn’t complete a comeback in a 31-29 loss. It was a disheartening game for a Bulldogs team off to an exciting 2-0 start.
But thanks to the magic of home-and-home scheduling, MSU has a chance to make up for the defeat. The Bulldogs will be raring to face the Tigers again in a primetime matchup to begin the 2022 season.
Mississippi State hosts Memphis at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 3 at Davis Wade Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
Memphis quick facts
2021 record: 6-6 (3-5 American)
Coach: Ryan Silverfield, third season
ESPN Football Power Index: No. 53
All-time series: 27-11, MSU
Last meeting: Sept. 18, 2021
History
Mississippi State had won 12 straight games against Memphis, dating back to 1994.
But the 2021 contest at the Liberty Bowl snapped that impressive string. MSU, though, hasn’t lost back-to-back games to Memphis since 1983 and 1984.
From 1974 to 2003, the two schools played every year. But prior to 2021, their last matchup was in 2011.
Other than last year’s game, Memphis’ most recent win over MSU was in Starkville, when the Tigers knocked off the 23rd-ranked Bulldogs 45-35 in 1993.
Memphis has never been ranked when the two teams have played.
2021 season
A hot start quickly faded out in what was a middling year for coach Ryan Silverfield’s Tigers.
Memphis won its first three games, beating Nicholls State and Arkansas State before taking down MSU. But its next three contests resulted in losses to UTSA, Temple and Tulsa.
The Tigers repeated a 3-3 stretch in their final six games, alternating wins and losses for four games before losing to Houston and beating Tulane. Their bowl game against Hawai’i was canceled, and Memphis finished with a 6-6 record.
Part of that was due to the success of receiver Calvin Austin III, who had the controversial punt-return touchdown against Mississippi State. Austin, who had 1,147 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, was selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Offensive guard Dylan Parham was also picked, going in the third round to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Quarterback Seth Henigan returns after throwing for 3,322 yards and 25 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 2021. Brandon Thomas (669 yards) and Starkville’s Rodrigues Clark (387 yards) both return at running back.
Memphis’ leading tackler, linebacker JJ Russell, departs after racking up 123 tackles in 2021. Defensive back Quindell Johnson (105 tackles) and the team’s sack leader, East Mississippi Community College alum Maurice White (4.5 sacks), return.
Key additions
Memphis’ 20 commits in the class of 2022 include one lone four-star recruit: Georgia defensive lineman Joshua White.
The Tigers’ class ranks No. 58 nationally, per 247 Sports’ composite rankings. It also includes three-star hometown quarterback Tevin Baker and Alabama wide receiver Jamari Hawkins.
Memphis landed seven transfers in the offseason, notably Cal three-star quarterback Ryan Glover and former four-star wide receiver Joseph Scates of Iowa State.
Syracuse linebacker Geoff Cantin-Arku and Florida State offensive lineman Ira Henry III were among Memphis’ other transfer gets.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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