Memphis, Tennessee:

As the final seconds ticked off the scoreboard at the Liberty Bowl, Memphians of all walks of life started to celebrate the Tigers football team as they finished off Cincinnati 34-24 to win the AAC west for a third straight year and to clinch home-field advantage in the AAC Championship for the first time in school history.

This Memphis football team has put this city on their back, and the fans have responded as only Memphians have been known to do.

Moments like this have been in the works for a long time, and now Tiger Nation has the opportunity to show up once again on the national stage. Not only will a conference championship be at stake, but a trip to the Cotton Bowl will also be up for grabs when the Bearcats and Tigers meet for a second straight week.

From the early days of Rex Dockery to the solid years under Tommy West, to the new age under Mike Norvell. Memphis football has always been a sleeping giant waiting to be woken up and to roar like a fierce Tiger on a mission.

That moment is finally here, the moment that will last a lifetime in Memphis sports history. The moment that Memphians have spent a lifetime dreaming for.

So Tiger nation, rest up because next Saturday it will take every last one of us to bring home a championship and to earn a bid to the Cotton Bowl. Enjoy the spotlight, but realize we're still so far from the end goal.

When Saturday rolls around, put on your Tiger blue, pack the Tiger Walk, and fill every nook of the Liberty Bowl and cheer on these boys.