LAS VEGAS - Memphis opened Charles Huff’s first season with the kind of road win that tells you something real about a team. Down against UNLV, the Tigers answered with a 27-21 comeback victory in their season opener on Aug. 29, and they did it by leaning on a trait Huff spent all offseason wondering about.
“I didn't know how they would respond if we got down,” Huff said after the game. “I didn't know how they would respond if the game was close. I know what we trained for, but you still don't know.”
Now he does. Memphis (1-0) handled both the pressure and the moment, and the result put the Tigers right in the thick of the Group of Six College Football Playoff conversation.
The biggest reason was up front. Memphis controlled the game in the trenches, and that edge showed on both sides of the ball.
UNLV had moments early where Jackson Arnold and Jai'Den "Jet" Thomas looked like the most dangerous players on the field, but that changed as the game wore on. By the second half, Elijah Kinsler and the Memphis defensive line were dictating terms and making the Rebels ineffective.
That physical presence could be a defining feature for Memphis all season. If the Tigers stay healthy, they look built to bring that same kind of edge week after week, and that could separate them from nearly everyone else on the schedule.
Marcus Stokes’ debut also gave Memphis plenty to work with. The Division II West Florida transfer didn’t need to be flawless to win, but he showed enough to make the Tigers dangerous. Stokes completed 15 of 26 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns, and he added 45 rushing yards on seven carries.
There were rough spots. He underthrew a deep shot to tight end Hunter Tipton and had a couple throws that landed low to open receivers. But he also delivered the best throw of the night for Memphis, a 48-yard touchdown to Stonka Burnside that hit him perfectly in stride.
Huff liked the overall shape of the performance.
“Any time a quarterback's not turning the ball over and he's making good decisions, we're going to have a chance to win,” Huff said. “Probably five or six throws he'd love to have back that we missed that he was probably a little off platform here or there, but then you flip that around, he managed the game well.”
For a roster that was almost completely new in 2026, Memphis also got production from plenty of fresh faces. Kinsler led the way with 2.5 sacks. Zach Ruffin, starting alongside Mike Montgomery at linebacker, piled up a team-high 13 tackles.
Jaylin Carter handled most of the work at running back and made it count, rushing 15 times for 97 yards and a touchdown. Manny Covey added 41 yards on 10 carries. Tipton was a steady part of the passing game at tight end with three catches for 31 yards, and he capped his night with a highlight touchdown, hurdling UNLV defensive back Tre Fulton at the goal line.
Jemyri Davis led Memphis in receiving with three catches for 62 yards.
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For Memphis fans, its the kind of performance worth filing away as the season unfolds, especially with the program continuing to build around players who can make an immediate impact up front. It also comes as the school begins laying out its 2026 football season ticket options, with single-game pricing, mini-plan choices and purchasing details already part of the conversation around the program. [Read more 🡒]
JMond Tapp Just Put Memphis Defense On The National Radar
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Memphis later announced that Tapp had been named the Shriners Childrens East-West Bowl Defensive Player of the Week, another sign that the Tigers front is starting to draw notice beyond the program itself. For a defense looking to establish its identity early, getting that kind of recognition from one of its most experienced players is a useful place to start, even if the bigger test still lies ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Charles Huff Gave Memphis Fans A Reason To Believe Early
Week 0 delivered the usual mix of revelations and warning signs around college football, and Memphis came away with one of the more encouraging openers. In Charles Huffs first game leading the Tigers, they looked like a program with a clearer identity and a stronger edge than many teams were showing in the seasons first wave of action, joining a weekend that also included late drama for North Carolina, a shaky outing for Florida State and a solid start for Virginia.
For Memphis fans, the appeal was bigger than just an early win. The Tigers had enough going on to suggest Huffs approach can translate quickly, with a defense that looked capable of setting the tone and an offense that flashed enough to keep bigger possibilities in view. It is still early, of course, but the opener gave Memphis something it wanted from the start of the season: a reason to believe the conversation around the program can get more interesting from here. [Read more 🡒]