As the Memphis Tigers gear up for the upcoming season with spring ball, a seismic shift awaits in college football's postseason. With the advent of a 12-team playoff system, the stakes have never been higher, especially for teams like Memphis eager to make a run for the bigger stage. Coach Ryan Silverfield is optimistic about what this means for programs like his. "I think going to the 12-team playoff is obviously an exciting thing for our program because what it means for possibly our conference winner is that ability to go to the postseason," Silverfield shared in an interview with Action News 5.
Walk-on hopefuls, with their eyes on the prize, will join veteran players as the Tigers commence spring football this Tuesday, according to Commercial Appeal. There's a buzz building around star players like quarterback Seth Henigan, but just as critical will be filling the empty slots left by last year's seniors. These spring practices are not only a time for returning talent to refamiliarize themselves with the turf, but also a chance for the coaching staff to start sizing up their new recruits.
The College Football Playoff's landscape has been rewritten, making room for the five highest-ranked conference champions along with the next seven at-large bids, as reported by MLive. This reshuffle comes in the wake of substantial conference realignment, leaving the Pac-12 in a diminished state and prompting the need for a revised postseason approach. "This is a very logical adjustment for the College Football Playoff based on the evolution of our conference structures since the board first adopted this new format in September 2022," explained Dr. Mark Keenum, President of Mississippi State University and Chair of the CFP Board of Managers.
With Memphis boasting a 10-win season last year, Coach Silverfield and the team are hot to trot, looking to top their already impressive performance. Adding new talent like PJ Lucas and Izaiah Reed from the transfer portal, the Tigers are clearly assembling a killer squad. "You know it resulted in a 10-win season but guess what, that result is not good enough we want to be better," Silverfield told Action News 5, as he leads his team with eyes set firmly on the prize.
