Checking for a Memphis Tigers football score lately hasn't been the most fun activity for the 901 faithful. If you're looking for the most recent result to hit the books, the Tigers ended their 2025 campaign with a thud in Tampa. They fell to NC State 31-7 in the Gasparilla Bowl on December 19, 2025.
Honestly, it was a rough afternoon at Raymond James Stadium. The Wolfpack jumped out to a massive 31-7 lead by halftime, and while the Memphis defense actually stepped up to pitch a shutout in the second half, the offense just couldn't find the end zone again.
Why the 2025 Scoreboard Tells a Story of Two Seasons
You can’t just look at one score and understand this team. The Tigers finished 8-5 overall and 4-4 in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). Early on, everything looked like it was coming up Memphis.
Remember the Arkansas game? That was the peak.
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On September 20, Memphis edged out the Razorbacks 32-31 in a thriller at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. It was one of those nights where the atmosphere in the Liberty Bowl felt different—like the program had finally kicked the door down. They started the year 6-0. They were ranked. People were talking about the College Football Playoff.
Then, the wheels kinda fell off.
The Mid-Season Slide
If you look at the Memphis Tigers football score progression from late October through November, it’s a lot of red. They lost four of their last five games.
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- UAB 31, Memphis 24: This was the first crack in the armor.
- Tulane 38, Memphis 32: A heartbreaker against a conference rival.
- East Carolina 31, Memphis 27: Another close one that didn't go their way.
- Navy 28, Memphis 17: A frustrating Thanksgiving night performance.
It’s wild to think a team that beat an SEC opponent and started 6-0 ended up losing its bowl game by 24 points. Football is weird like that.
The Players Behind the Points
Brendon Lewis was the engine. He put up some solid numbers, finishing the season with 2,673 passing yards and 16 touchdowns. He was also a massive threat on the ground, leading the team in rushing attempts.
Sutton Smith was the standout in the backfield, crossing that magic 1,000-yard mark (1,050 total yards) and providing some of the most explosive plays of the season. On the outside, Cortez Braham Jr. was the go-to guy, racking up nearly 900 receiving yards.
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When the offense was clicking, they were averaging over 32 points per game. But in that final stretch, especially in the Gasparilla Bowl, the consistency just evaporated.
What to Watch for in 2026
The season is over, and the pads are put away for now. Head coach Ryan Silverfield is heading into 2026 with a lot of questions to answer about how that early-season magic disappeared so fast.
If you're keeping tabs on the Tigers right now, the action has shifted to the hardwood. The basketball team is in the thick of AAC play, recently grinding out a 55-53 win over Temple on January 14, 2026.
For football, the next big dates are National Signing Day and the spring game. Keeping an eye on the transfer portal is basically a full-time job for fans these days, especially as the Tigers look to rebuild a defense that struggled to get off the field in those late-November losses.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the 2026 Schedule: The new slate usually drops in the spring; keep an eye on the non-conference matchups to see if another SEC "buy game" is on the horizon.
- Follow Portal Entries: With the season wrapped, the roster will likely look very different by the time spring ball starts in March.
- Monitor Coaching Changes: Silverfield is back, but watch for shifts in the coordinator positions following the four-game losing streak to end the year.