Memphis Announces Football Schedule

MEMPHIS, TENN. - For the first time since the 1995 season, the Memphis Tigers will open their schedule with two consecutive road contests, traveling to Mississippi State on Sept. 4, and to East Carolina to open the Conference USA slate on Sept. 11.

It will be the first time Memphis and Mississippi State have played since the 2003 season, and the 13th time in school history that the two teams have met in a season opener. The Tigers last opened with MSU on the road in 2001, with the Bulldogs ranked 19th nationally, dropping a 30-10 decision. This season will mark only the second time that Memphis has opened its C-USA schedule with East Carolina. The only other time was in 2006 when the Pirates hosted the Tigers in Greenville.

Head coach Larry Porter will step back out on the field at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium for the first time since his playing days when he guides his Tigers against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 18. Memphis will travel to El Paso, Texas, to meet UTEP on Sept. 25, before hosting its first C-USA home game of the year versus Tulsa on Oct. 2.

The series with former C-USA foe Louisville was rekindled in 2008 with Memphis hosting the Cardinals that season. The Tigers travel to Louisville this year on Oct. 9 for their first game at Papa Johns Stadium since 2003 when Memphis defeated the Cards, 37-7. Upon returning home, Memphis will host three straight games at the Liberty Bowl versus Southern Miss (Oct. 16), Houston (Oct. 30) and in-state foe Tennessee (Nov. 6).

The Tigers close out the C-USA schedule with road games at Marshall (Nov. 13) and UAB (Nov. 20), and end the regular season on their home field against UCF on Nov. 27.

The U of M begins spring practice on Wednesday at the Murphy Athletic Complex. The March 17 practice is the first of three workouts slated for this week, with the squad also scheduled to practice on Thursday and Saturday. The Tigers will go through 15 practices in the spring, culminating with the Blue-Gray Game on Saturday, April 17, at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The spring game is set to begin at 1 p.m.

Season tickets are currently available by calling the Ticket Office at 901-678-2331, or through the on-line ticketing system at GoTigersGo.com.

2010 Memphis Football Schedule

9/4 at Mississippi State
9/11 at East Carolina*
9/18 Middle Tennessee
9/25 at UTEP*
10/2 Tulsa*
10/9 at Louisville
10/16 Southern Miss*
10/30 Houston*
11/6 Tennessee
11/13 at Marshall*
11/20 at UAB*
11/27 UCF*