Arkansas State at Memphis

The decisive matchup is Arkansas State’s returning skill production against a Memphis defense that is adding new pieces in the secondary. Chauncy Cobb returns after 73 catches for 797 yards, while Kenyon Clay and Devin Spencer combined for more than 1,400 yards from scrimmage in 2025. That gives the Red Wolves multiple answers around their eventual quarterback. Memphis has brought in safety Ian Foster from Southern Miss and corner Ellis Ellis Jr. from Austin Peay, with Taylor Burton also back after contributing a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. How quickly that group communicates and tackles in space will shape Arkansas State’s margin for error.

Arkansas State can control the game by using Clay and Spencer to keep the down-and-distance friendly, then making Cobb the reliable answer when Memphis crowds the box or brings pressure. The Red Wolves also added linebacker Joshua Ofor from NC State, an important option against a Memphis offense that could build around Colorado transfer running back Dallan Hayden. For Memphis, the clearest path is to establish Hayden, protect whichever quarterback emerges and create defined throws for returning target Brady Kluse. Defensively, forcing Arkansas State’s quarterback to work through long-yardage reads would keep the game on Memphis’s terms.