After already facing two of the nation’s leaders in receiving yards, the University of Memphis is preparing to defend the No. 1 receiver when the Tigers face SMU afternoon in Dallas on Saturday, Nov. 26.

SMU receiver Rashee Rice leads the country, averaging 109.8 receiving yards per game. It also doesn’t help that quarterback Tanner Mordecai, who averages 307.8 passing yards per game, will be the third Memphis opponent currently ranked in the top 10 in passing yards.

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Both 6-5 teams head into Saturday looking to clinch a winning record, and the Tigers know the best way to do that is to limit the best quarterback-receiver tandem they’ve seen all season.

“Philosophically what we’re trying to get done as a defensive staff is to make everybody left-handed,” defensive coordinator Matt Barnes said. “What do they do best? What is the easiest way that they beat us? Alright, how do we take that away? Everything starts from there, so it’s a tremendous amount of focus.”

Tulsa receiver Keylon Stokes, who ranks third in receiving yards, caught six passes for 68 yards in the 26-10 loss to Memphis two weeks ago. He made some solid plays that included a 13-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, but it was just the fourth time this season Stokes was held to less than 100 yards receiving.

Houston receiver Nathaniel Dell has the nation’s second-highest average at 108.5 receiving yards per game. The Tigers jumped out to a 19-point fourth-quarter lead against Houston by holding Dell to just 32 receiving yards through the first three quarters.

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His four catches for 39 yards and a touchdown in the final quarter helped the Cougars rally for a 33-32 victory, but Memphis is one of four defenses to hold Dell under 90 receiving yards this year.

“At times, we’ve been better than other times at limiting what (teams) do best and their good players,” Barnes said. “We’ve been up and down.”

The Tigers struggled to stop Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers in their season opener.

Rogers, who averages the seventh-most passing yards in the country, threw a season-high 450 yards against the Tigers. Houston quarterback Clayton Tune threw for 366 yards and three touchdowns. It was the fourth-most passing yards this season for Tune, who ranks No. 8 in passing yards per game.

The Tigers have seen their share of talented quarterbacks and receivers, but safety Ladarian Paulk said SMU has the fastest-tempo offense they’ve faced all year. The Mustangs are top-10 in scoring, averaging just under 39 points per game, and put up 77 points against Houston three weeks ago. 

Memphis will have its hands full slowing down SMU’s offense. Cornerback Greg Rubin said the best way to get the Mustangs uncomfortable is to disguise multiple different looks on defense.

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“Just from watching his film (Rice’s) is nice. His route running. Just the way he catches the ball. He makes some crazy catches. He’s good at making a lot of tough catches,” Rubin said. “The quarterback also puts it in places that make it tough on defenders to defend it, giving them different looks, different balls, all that.”