MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Wildcats will open their 100th season of football, as well as the era of head coach Raymond Woodie, Jr., as they take on FBS opponent Memphis, Saturday night at 7 p.m. EST at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.



Saturday, September 2
Opponent: Memphis (7-6, 3-5 American)
Time: 7 p.m. EST | Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium
Location: Memphis, Tenn. | 
Live Stats: https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statmonitr.php?gid=mem
Watch: https://www.espn.com/espnplus/player/_/id/7fb02b57-9064-4100-986a-ea28bf8acf5c
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/cateyenetwork
Tickets: https://bit.ly/3R5p8qu



The Wildcats finished the 2022 season 2-9 with wins over Grambling State and Mississippi Valley State.

The new-look Wildcats return only 25 players from a season ago, 10 on the offense and 15 on defense.



Memphis finished the 2022 season 7-6, with a 3-5 finish in conference. The Tigers defeated Utah State, 38-10, in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, to close out the season. 

Memphis was picked to finish fourth in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) preseason media poll.

Prior to the 2023 season, nine Tigers were named Preseason All-AAC by Phil Steele. Defensive lineman Jaylon Allen and defensive back Simeon Blair were tabbed first team, while linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku and offensive lineman Jacob Likes were named to the second team. Earning places on the third team were long snapper Colby Cox and running back Blake Watson, while offensive lineman Davion Carter, defensive lineman Josh Ellison and quarterback Seth Henigan were on the fourth team.

Junior Tigers quarterback Seth Henigan earned numerous preseason honors this summer. Henigan was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, the Davey O'Brien Award Preseason Watch List, the Manning Award Preseason Watch List and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watchlist. In 2022, Henigan completed 286-of-446 passes for 22 touchdowns, while also rushing for 289 yards and four scores.  The junior will be the youngest third year starting quarterback (20 years old) in the FBS this coming season.




ALL-SWAC CATS

CB Omari Hill-Robinson and return man Darnell Deas were named to the 2023 All-SWAC Preseason First Team. The duo was also featured on preseason squads published by The Bluebloods and Phil Steele.

WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY

The Wildcats return only six defensive linemen and only three offensive lineman from the 2022 season. The 2023 Wildcats have 12 upperclassmen among the OL and DL group along with a single sophomore and 10 freshmen

KICKIN' IT

With the departure of graduating senior kicker Dylan Moghaddam, the Wildcats will feature a new kicker for the first time since 2019. Sophomore Cade Hechter, from Sydney, New South Wales, will handle the job to start the season. Twenty percent of the Wildcats' points came in the kicking game last season.

PRO PEDIGREE

Three Wildcats have family members with NFL experience: Shelton Quarles Jr. - fater played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and now works in their Player Operations Department. Payton Doucet - Father, Early, played for the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks. Ejike Brown - related to James Ihedigbo, 2013 Super Bowl Champion with the Ravens, also played for the New York Jets.

OVER & OVER & OVERTON

Aaron Overton joined his brothers, Khalil and Cameron at Bethune-Cookman this offseason. All three play on the offensive side of the ball, with Aaron anchoring the offensive line and Khalil and Cameron lining up as a TE and WR, respectively





Saturday marks the first time in the history of the two programs that Memphis and Bethune-Cookman will meet on the gridiron. 


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