Memphis football bowl projections: Which representatives were at SMU loss?
Memphis football's regular season is over after losing 34-31 at SMU. Now the Tigers wait to learn the destination for program's ninth consecutive bowl game. Selections will be announced Sunday.
Representatives from the Independence Bowl and Frisco Bowl were in Dallas watching the Tigers (6-6, 3-5 American) and SMU. It's safe to assume those two are among the favorites for Memphis' bowl destination.
The Independence Bowl (Dec. 23, 2 p.m.) will pit an AAC team against Army in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Frisco Bowl (Dec. 17, 8:15 p.m.), in Frisco, Texas, typically has an AAC team against an at-large team from another Group of Five conference.
Because Memphis finished eighth in the AAC, the lowest among the conference's seven bowl-eligible teams, it'll almost certainly face a non-Power Five team in the postseason. The AAC tends to place its best teams against Power Five opponents.
GIANNOTTO:This uninspiring Memphis football regular season came to a fitting end at SMU
KYLAN WATKINS:Kylan Watkins could've had Memphis football senior day. He chose to fight fires | Giannotto
Other games in play: Birmingham Bowl, Boca Raton Bowl, Cure Bowl, Myrtle Beach Bowl and New Mexico Bowl, Armed Forces Bowl. The Birmingham Bowl typically is an AAC-SEC matchup, but if the SEC runs out of bowl slots, the bowl could take another at-large Power Five team.
Here are this week's projections gathered from various websites.
ESPN: New Mexico Bowl vs. Fresno State (Dec. 17), Birmingham Bowl vs. Florida (Dec. 22)
CBS Sports: Birmingham Bowl vs. Missouri
247Sports: Birmingham Bowl vs. Florida
College Football Network: Fenway Bowl vs. Syracuse (Dec. 17)
Sporting News: Military Bowl vs. Wake Forest (Dec. 28)
Pro Football Network: First Responder Bowl vs. Appalachian State (Dec. 27)
Action Network: Cure Bowl vs. Western Kentucky (Dec. 16)
The Athletic: Independence Bowl vs. Louisiana
USA Today: Gasparilla Bowl vs. Louisville (Dec. 23)
Sports Illustrated: Armed Forces Bowl vs. Georgia Southern (Dec. 22).
Our thoughts: It looks more likely that Memphis is headed to the Frisco or Independence Bowl based on their presence at Saturday's game. Both Shreveport and Frisco are within a reasonable traveling distance for Tigers fans and both are also before Christmas. Birmingham could still be in play in case the SEC doesn't fill all of its available slots, and Memphis has been there twice. The only guarantee is the Tigers won't face a Power Five team so keep that in mind with these projections.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis football bowl projections after regular-season finale at SMU
