College football offers bettors an opportunity to hit it big in the futures market every season.
In 2025, Indiana cashed as a 100-1 long shot to win the national title, and Fernando Mendoza hoisted the Heisman Trophy after beginning the race at 55-1.
For perspective, only four Super Bowl winners had preseason odds longer than 10-1 dating back to 2013.
And while Matthew Stafford’s MVP campaign last fall caught fans and oddsmakers by surprise (35-1), he was an outlier. Dating back to 2004, 10 of the 18 MVP winners entered the season with odds of 10-1 or shorter.
While there’s undoubtedly more opportunities to hit it big on the college gridiron, mining value in the world of college football isn’t a simple endeavor.
The secret is out on Curt Cignetti, and oddsmakers are leery about hanging big numbers on Power 4 teams after Indiana cleared them out last season. That’s why I’m heading to the Group of 6.
Let's dive into my college football picks and NCAAF predictions for the Memphis Tigers in 2026.
College Football Picks, Predictions
Memphis to Make College Football Playoff
Odds: +1200 (Caesars)
Charles Huff has done more with less since he left Nick Saban’s staff to branch out on his own as a head coach.
At Marshall, he found a way to keep the Thundering Herd on the national radar, first by upsetting Notre Dame in South Bend in 2022, and then by winning the Sun Belt in 2024.
After Marshall refused to show him the money, he bolted for Southern Miss and exceeded expectations once again. The Golden Eagles were coming off a 1-11 campaign, winless in Sun Belt play, when Huff arrived in Hattiesburg.
In short order, he turned them into a contender and a bowl team.
Memphis' NIL Factor
Well, the days of Huff doing more with less are over now that he has FedEx money to play with. The Tigers have the largest NIL war chest in the Group of 6 thanks to a $25 million infusion from FedEx, which is based in Memphis.
Between the NIL payroll and the university’s commitment to the football program, Huff has a deep roster and an elite coaching staff. He hired a pair of fantastic coordinators in OC Kevin Decker and DC Lance Guidry.
Decker built his offense around Colton Joseph at Old Dominion, and that led to the program’s first 10-win season in the Sun Belt. CoJo ran for over 1,000 yards and punched in 13 rushing touchdowns.
This fall, Decker will get to choose between a former four-star recruit in Air Noland and a dual-threat star from D-II West Florida, Marcus Stokes.
Given Decker’s track record, I’m betting on one of those quarterbacks making waves in the American this fall.
Tigers' Defense Will Be Key
As for defense, Guidry reunites with Huff after serving as his defensive architect at Marshall. Guidry’s defenses created relentless pressure, evidenced by the 78 sacks he coaxed out of his two defenses at Marshall.
Southern Miss transfer J'Mond Tapp is firmly on the NFL’s radar as a terror off the edge and a shoo-in to record double-digit sacks under Guidry’s tutelage.
The former Broyles Award nominee has more talent to work with than he did at Marshall, so a top-40 finish on that side of the ball is likely.
Memphis Schedule Analysis
Schedule-wise, we’ll know if this bet has legs by mid-September. Memphis’ frontloaded schedule sees it travel to UNLV and Boise State in the first three weeks.
The good news is that UNLV is breaking in Jackson Arnold, a quarterback who has wilted under pressure in his career. The journeyman passer has been sacked 67 times in just 18 career starts.
If the Tigers pass that test in the desert, Boise State provides a spotlight opportunity. Yes, Boise is a bear on the Smurf Turf (130-16 at home since 2003), but the offense blew a tire down the stretch, failing to score more than 10 points in three of its last six to end last season.
And situationally, the Broncos will be coming off of a road trip to Oregon, so there’s a good chance they’re banged up.
After that challenging start, Memphis has a fortuitous American schedule that projects it as a favorite in eight games and a short 'dog (field goal or less) in two. Now is the time to buy Memphis stock before the secret is out.
Pick: Memphis to Make College Football Playoff (+1200 · Caesars)
