Memphis will enjoy a familiar setting for its bowl game as the Tigers welcome Iowa State to town for the Liberty Bowl for the second time in the past seven seasons. The Cyclones edged the Tigers 21-20 in the 2017 edition of the game, setting the stage for what should be another closely contested postseason showdown between the AAC and Big 12.
Memphis secured bowl eligibility for a 10th consecutive season by going 9-3 under fourth-year coach Ryan Silverfield. Now, the Tigers have a chance to reach the 10-win threshold for the first time since 2019 as they look to show they are among the top programs remaining in the Group of Five structure.
After seeing its streak of five straight bowl appearances snapped last season, Iowa State returned to a winning trajectory in 2023 under eighth-year coach Matt Campbell with a 7-5 (6-3 Big 12) campaign highlighted by wins over Oklahoma State and Kansas State. A win would make the Cyclones 3-3 in bowls under Campbell.
The Liberty Bowl proved to be one of Bowl Season's best last year when Arkansas outlasted Kansas 55-53 in a triple-overtime thriller. It would be a surprise if these teams produced a similar offensive explosion, but a similarly close game would be no shocker.
How to watch Liberty Bowl live
Date: Friday, Dec. 29 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium -- Memphis, Tennessee
TV: ESPN | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
For a limited time, new subscribers can save $20 on Fubo's Pro, Elite and Premier plans.
Iowa State vs. Memphis: Need to know
Iowa State's strong secondary: Oklahoma was the only opponent to reach 300 yards passing against Iowa State this season, and the Cyclones held five foes below 200 yards passing. Memphis thrives on its aerial attack, having reached 300 or more yards passing on seven occasions and surpassing 400 yards twice. The Cyclones have picked off a whopping 16 passes, which is tied for fourth-most nationally. Seven different players have intercepted passes for the Cyclones, led by safety Jeremiah Cooper with five.
Clutch execution: Memphis ranks No. 7 nationally in scoring offense at 39.7 points per game, largely because it has been solid in clutch offensive situations. The Tigers rank among the top-30 nationally in a third-down conversion percentage, fourth-down conversion percentage, red zone offense and turnover margin. Their third- and fourth-down defense both rank in the top 25 nationally as well. This success in high-leverage situations helps explain why Memphis finished 4-2 in one-possession games during the regular season after going 0-4 in such contests last season.
The 2017 meeting: Iowa State's 21-20 win over the Tigers in the 2017 Liberty Bowl marked the Cyclones' first bowl win since 2009 and capped an impressive two-year turnaround under Campbell after he inherited a struggling program in 2016. Memphis came up with a goal-line stop while trailing 21-20 with 4:07 remaining, which gave the Tigers another chance to take the lead with a mere field goal. They reached Iowa State's 40-yard line but got no further, turning the football over on downs.
Liberty Bowl prediction, picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
Iowa State enjoyed a nice bounce-back year, capped by an impressive 42-35 win at Kansas State to close the regular season. The Cyclones are excellent in the secondary and should be able to slow the high-powered Memphis passing attack. However, the Tigers have home-field advantage for this game and haven't been blown out by anyone this season. They should be able to keep it close. Pick: Memphis +8.5
Which college football picks can you make with confidence during bowl season? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread -- all from a proven computer model that has returned well over $2,000 in profit over the past seven-plus seasons -- and find out.
