When the Memphis Tigers beat Arkansas last Saturday in one that seems bound to last a while in program lore, coach Ryan Silverfield didn’t take long before looking ahead to an American Conference schedule he hopes leads to a league title game appearance by season’s end.

Folks can debate whether the win is the biggest in Silverfield’s six seasons as head coach of the Tigers, or if Memphis’ 2023 AutoZone Liberty Bowl win over Iowa State was the biggest.

And they have.

Folks also can debate the quality of the SEC program Memphis beat, and that of the other power conference programs Silverfield’s teams have taken down throughout the years — a list that also includes, more recently, a Florida State squad that went 2-10 in 2024 and a West Virginia outfit the finished 6-7 after losing to the Tigers in last season’s Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl.

And they have.

But no one can question that the win was big for the Tigers. And what is undebatable in Silverfield’s mind is that 4-0 Memphis needs to take care of business in conference play, which for the Tigers begins with Saturday night’s ESPN2-televised visit to Florida Atlantic.

But before facing FAU, Memphis had to get by now 2-2 Arkansas, and when it did, Frank Bonner II, Geoff Calkins, Tim Buckley and Daily Memphian intern Sam Shoemaker all were there to report from Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

Shoemaker wrote live updates, Bonner followed up his game story with a piece on the win’s biggest plays, Calkins put the victory in perspective and Buckley focused on the huge part running back Sutton Smith played as the Razorbacks fell.

Leading up to Memphis’ biggest nonconference game of the season, Shoemaker profiled current Tiger and former Cordova High standout Jeremiah Jordan.

Calkins also wrote a super piece Monday on a banned band and a boatload of kazoos at Central High’s most recent football game.

Yes, kazoos.

Elsewhere on the high school football front, John Varlas covered both top-ranked Germantown’s nail-biting win over Lausanne last Thursday night and a Collierville win Friday night that marked Arlington’s first loss of the season.

Also on a busy Monday, Buckley wrote about The Pink Ribbon Open, a little-known but long-running golf scramble featuring LPGA players and benefitting breast cancer awareness efforts in Shelby County, while Drew Hill reported on a local Habitat for Humanity building effort in which several members of the Memphis Grizzlies organization, including former big man Zach Randolph, took part.

Early last week, Buckley wrote on the legacy left behind with the passing of Les Smith, a retired sports and news reporter who spent more than 30 years working at four different Memphis television stations.

Here’s a look at some of the staff’s top work from the week: — Deputy sports editor Tim Buckley

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Smith's run, Bracy's hit help Memphis edge Arkansas By Frank Bonner II

Memphis vs. Arkansas: Tigers rally from down 18 to edge Hogs By Frank Bonner II, Sam Shoemaker

Calkins: How did Memphis beat Arkansas? With a miracle. And heart. By Geoff Calkins

Top plays that aided the Tigers' comeback against Arkansas By Frank Bonner II

Jeremiah Jordan brings grit and grind to Memphis football By Sam Shoemaker

Calkins: The Central High band was banned from a game. So they fought back — with kazoos! By Geoff Calkins

Top-ranked Germantown wins nail-biter against Lausanne By John Varlas

Dragons offense roars as Collierville hands Arlington its first defeat By John Varlas

Breast cancer awareness golf tourney close to one Memphian's heart By Tim Buckley

Buckley: Les Smith told Memphis stories. His impact on Memphis journalism is one to remember. By Tim Buckley

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