Memphis Tigers at Navy Midshipmen

Navy's chasing a third straight double-digit-win season and a real shot at the College Football Playoff. Memphis, rebuilding on the fly under a first-year coach, is the roadblock standing between the Midshipmen and another statement week.

Bush’s Picks

MEMNAVY

MEMNAVY

OverUnder

Best BetNavy

Navy's the far more finished product walking into this one — a proven system, a captain at quarterback, and back-to-back double-digit-win seasons behind it. Memphis is still figuring out who starts under center, which is a rough spot to be in on the road against a team that knows exactly what it wants to run. Back the Midshipmen here; this is the safer side of the moneyline.

Memphis

• +12 transfers from Southern Miss add instant talent
• +3 players earned preseason All-AAC first-team honors
• −QB battle between Stokes and Noland still open
• −Brand new staff under first-year coach Huff
• −8 of 11 FBS foes made bowls in 2025

Navy

• +Back-to-back 10-plus win seasons, program-best stability
• +4 returning O-line starters, All-AAC RT Johnson back
• +Won last 2 meetings vs Memphis
• −Losing 3 program-defining stars off last year's roster
• −Woodson has started just 3 games as a Midshipman
• −Brutal true road slate elsewhere on the schedule

Navy hands its option offense to Braxton Woodson this fall, a team captain who's started just 3 games across three seasons but now owns the full playbook after Blake Horvath's departure. Memphis is still further behind at the position — first-year coach Charles Huff is running a QB battle between Marcus Stokes and Air Noland as he installs a roster built heavily around the transfer portal, including 12 players imported from Southern Miss alone.

The Tigers aren't without pieces. Chris Adams, William Whitlow Jr. and Omarion Cooper all landed preseason All-AAC first-team recognition, proof there's talent to work with even as the coaching staff and depth chart get rebuilt from scratch. Navy's edge is continuity — 4 starters return up front around All-AAC right tackle Malcolm Johnson, exactly the kind of offensive-line stability that keeps a triple-option attack humming no matter who's taking the snaps.

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MEM Memphis

NAVY Navy

That gap — a program that knows exactly who it is versus one still figuring it out — is the whole ballgame here, and it's why Navy will likely open as the favorite once betting markets settle in.

Memphis Tigers

Nov 12?@ South Florida—

Oct 30?vs Army—

Oct 22?vs East Carolina—

Oct 16?@ Tulane—

Oct 9?vs UAB—

Oct 2?@ Charlotte—

Sep 19?vs UT Martin—

Sep 12?@ Boise State—

Sep 5?vs Arkansas State—

Aug 29?@ UNLV—

Navy Midshipmen

Nov 7?vs Temple—

Oct 31?vs Notre Dame—

Oct 16?@ UTSA—

Oct 10?vs Tulsa—

Oct 3?@ Air Force—

Sep 25?@ UAB—

Sep 12?@ Florida Atlantic—

Sep 5?vs Towson—

This series has been a genuine fight lately. Navy's won the last two meetings, including a 28-17 result in Annapolis last November that helped clinch at least a share of the American Athletic Conference regular-season title, and a wild 56-44 shootout the year before that. Memphis still holds the historical edge in the head-to-head series, but recent form clearly belongs to the Midshipmen.

The stakes cut differently for each side. Navy is chasing back-to-back-to-back elite seasons and a path that could theoretically end in the College Football Playoff, while Memphis is staring down a schedule where 8 of its 11 FBS opponents made bowl games in 2025. Huff's rebuild has time on its side — just maybe not by Saturday, November 21.

Memphis Tigers

(0)

Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report

Navy Midshipmen

(0)

Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report