The SP+ rankings were updated after week 3 games, and Memphis ranks No. 62 after the 3-1 start. The Tigers fall in between two Power Four teams, and they’re the fifth-highest ranked Group of Six team in the rankings.
ESPN notes that the SP+ “is intended to be predictive and forward-facing,” and is not supposed to be viewed as a resume ranking. It will reward teams more for dominating opponents, and it won’t reward teams for lucky of fluky wins.
The SP+ rankings have the team’s overall rating and rankings for offense, defense and special teams.
The Tigers rank No. 27 in offense, No. 67 in defense and No. 52 in special teams, but they moved up eight spots in the overall rankings after beating UT Martin.
Memphis responded well after a 38-20 loss to Boise St. in week 2. The Broncos rank No. 42 in the SP+ rankings, one of four Group of Six teams ahead of the Tigers in this weeks poll.
The other three teams ahead of Charles Huff’s group are New Mexico, James Madison and North Dakota State. Both North Dakota State and James Madison are undefeated, while the Lobos suffered their first loss of the year last weekend against Oklahoma.
Like the Tigers, North Dakota State began its season a week earlier, and they’re 4-0 with wins over Jacksonville State, Fordham, Air Force and Sacramento State. James Madison is 3-0 with wins over Liberty, Wagner and San Diego State.
Charles Huff’s team is the top team in the SP+ rankings from the American Conference, but South Florida is only a few spots behind Memphis at No. 66.
The SP+ also has a resume ranking and strength of schedule ranking. The Tigers rank No. 77 in resume SP+ and No. 102 in strength of schedule.
The resume SP+ “compares each team’s scoring margin to what an average top-five team would be expected to generate against a given opponent,” meaning the more points you score against your opponents the better your resume SP+ looks. The SP+ strength of schedule “is based on the expected win percentage an averaged top-five team would generate against each team’s schedule.
The Tigers have a 0.960 strength of schedule ranking, meaning a top five team would be expected to win 96 percent of their games.
Memphis doesn’t play this weekend after four straight games, and they will start conference play on October 3 on the road against Charlotte.
