Memphis Is Becoming College Football's New Darling

One of the great joys of college football is finding the feel-good story. You know the drill: A downtrodden program is revived and brought to national prominence by a new coach, a new outlook, a new spirit.

This fall, it’s clear where that story resides: Memphis, Tennessee. Following Saturday’s 37-24 upset of No. 13 Ole Miss, Memphis and coach Justin Fuente are 6-0 and represent a story that anyone with a heart can get behind.

Memphis native Justin Timberlake has even taken notice:

One year removed from the program’s first 10-win season and its first bowl bid since 2008, the Tigers seem poised for much more this fall. They’re a top contender for the Group of Five’s bid in the New Year’s Six bowl games and a leading contender to win the American Athletic Conference.

Saturday was proof of Memphis’ power and resilience. With a national ESPN TV audience watching, Ole Miss quickly built a 14-0 lead in the Liberty Bowl. Undaunted, the Tigers, led by quarterback Paxton Lynch, fought back, scoring 31 consecutive points and taking the lead for good in the process.

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Lynch threw for 384 yards and three touchdowns while completing 39 of 53 passes, cementing his status as a quarterback who can score on any defense in the nation. It was Memphis’ first win over a ranked foe since defeating Peyton Manning-quarterbacked Tennessee in 1996, and the Tigers’ first win over Ole Miss since 2004.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg was impressed with the victory:

The Tigers are certain to crack the Associated Press Top 25 next week—having just missed the poll this time around—which is huge news for a program that has been anything but a regular in the national polls. Memphis has been in the Top 25 only twice in its history, for a total of two weeks. The Tigers checked in at No. 25 for a week in 2004 and finished at No. 25 in 2014’s final postseason poll.

Per Tom Schad of the Commercial Appeal, Memphis athletic director Tom Bowen sees Saturday's game as a jumping-off point:

They might hang around a little longer this time around.

Lynch leads an exciting offense installed by Fuente, who quickly gave the program relevance following his late 2011 hiring. Before Fuente arrived, Memphis had won a total of five games in three seasons. Now, it's a program that’s worth national attention.

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

They're fun to watch, and for any fan of the underdog, these Tigers are a story worth rooting for. They have a legitimate shot at an unbeaten season, although the path ahead isn’t easy. A mid-November road trip to No. 24 Houston (currently unbeaten) and Temple (also unbeaten entering Saturday’s game against winless Central Florida) will test this group’s mettle, without question.

The biggest problem, however, as noted by ESPN and Sirius XM's Paul Finebaum, might be programs looking to poach Fuente. It’s only mid-October, and Illinois, Maryland, South Carolina and Southern California have openings, with more certain to follow.

For now, however, the Tigers’ bandwagon is one more than worth jumping on—while there’s still room.