Kansas @ Memphis preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2015 ) Memphis 55, Kansas 23

After an ugly loss to Ohio, Kansas hits the road for the first time this season Saturday afternoon when it takes on a Memphis team that is coming off a very early bye week. The Jayhawks followed up their season-opening win with a loss to the Bobcats, while the Tigers cruised to a victory over Southeast Missouri State in their only game.

The Kansas offense struggled against Ohio, managing just 21 total yards in the first half and 232 for the entire contest in a 37-21 setback. The defense wasn't much better, allowing the Bobcats' offense to run more than twice as many plays and possess the ball for 44:42 of the game. That's trouble against a Memphis squad that likes to run an uptempo offense under first-year head coach Mike Norvell. The Tigers like to attack through the air behind quarterback Riley Ferguson, who had 295 yards and three touchdown passes in the team's opening win.

TV: Noon ET, ESPNU. LINE: Memphis -20.5

ABOUT KANSAS (1-1): Coach David Beaty would likely suit up for the Jayhawks if he could, but he has taken on many different tasks in his second season. The latest, for the team's play-caller and quarterbacks coach, is kickoff and punt return coach as Beaty tries to improve upon the three fumbles already lost this season by the punt return team -- the only lost fumbles the team has. "If (fumbles are) going to happen, it's going to be my fault," Beaty told reporters. "I've done it for a long, long time and I have a specific teaching progression that I want to use. I just think it's sound and I know exactly how I want it taught and I know what I want it to look like."

ABOUT MEMPHIS (1-0): Despite a dominating performance in the team's 35-17 win over Southeast Missouri State in the opener, the Tigers' defense isn't satisfied. The unit has a goal of holding teams to 19 points or fewer each game, but even though they accomplished that feat, many players and coaches see room for improvement after they allowed 14 second-half points. "We started out well but personally -- and I talked with a couple of the players -- we felt like we didn't finish as well as we should've," Defensive End Ernest Suttles told reporters. "No disrespect to (SE Missouri State), but as a defense and our expectations of what we want to do this year, we felt like they scored too many points."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Kansas WR Steven Sims Jr. is one of only eight FBS players to record two 100-yard receiving games this season, and one of only two players among that list to have four touchdowns.

2. Tigers RB Doroland Dorceus had a multiple-touchdown game in the season opener for the third straight season, running for one touchdown and receiving a scoring pass against Southeast Missouri State.

3. Memphis continues to be tough in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on three of its four trips inside the 20 against Southeast Missouri State, with the only non-score coming on a kneel down to end the game.

PREDICTION: Memphis 42, Kansas 14