There's a lot to be excited about for the future of Memphis athletics
When the last round of Big 12 expansion went down without Memphis, many Memphis fans thought that would somehow be the end of the Memphis athletic department as we know it.
With all apologies to Lee Corso, not so fast my friend.
Yes, the TV money and overall revenue of the larger leagues will far exceed what Memphis can expect in the American. But if we’re being realistic, then that is true of every league except the Big 10 and the SEC- their TV revenues are going to be astronomical going forward- far more than any other league.
The American Athletic Conference is in a very unique position. The AAC champion has been in the New Years Six bowl game in six of the eight seasons the College Football Playoff has existed. The New Year’s Six berth is reserved for the highest rated Group of 5 champion:
2014: Boise State
2015: Houston
2016: Western Michigan
2017: UCF
2018: UCF
2019: Memphis
2020: Cincinnati
2021: Cincinnati (made playoffs)
2022: Tulane
With an expanding playoff, the league’s hope (and frankly expectation) is that the AAC will retain their stranglehold on being the top of the Group of Five league. With that said, here’s a couple of reasons for Memphis fans to remain optimistic about the future.
Easier Access To League Titles
Does any of this sound familiar?
Before Memphis went on their basketball run from 2007 – 2009, they sort of sputtered in a league with superior competition. Once teams like Marquette left, Memphis basketball went on an unprecedented run.
There’s little reason to believe something similar can’t happen again on the football side. Despite how fans feel about the Memphis coaching staff, the reality is that Memphis has more resources, money, and fan support than most of the remaining AAC teams. If that doesn’t translate to more wins, then look for Memphis to move a little quicker to make personnel changes.
Remember, that with the departure of Cincinnati, UCF and Houston to the Big 12, that leaves Memphis as the only AAC team of the CFP era to make it to a NY6 bowl game.
College Football Playoff Access
While I am a staunch opponent of a 12-team playoff (excellence over access, always), it's hard not to see how the new format is not advantageous for teams like Memphis.
The two go hand-in-hand, but for the most part, having easier access to league titles in the most prestigious of the G5 leagues will lead to more opportunities to access an expanded College Football Playoff. Had the playoff been in place, Memphis would have participated in 2019. Is it likely an AAC team can advance? No, but just being there is an even bigger deal than a New Year’s Six bowl.
The other big deal about the playoff is the additional revenue it will generate for the conference when AAC teams make it. It’s the big card the AAC can have when trying to separate themselves even further from the remainder of the Group of Five leagues.
So that’s just two reasons why Memphis fans should just relax and understand that while things aren’t going to get better from a revenue perspective, there will be plenty of opportunity for Memphis to become the dominant G5 program
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
•Talk about it on the Memphis Football Message Board
