Buckley: College football rivalries are losing their place, but Memphis-UAB still matters to some
Memphis Tigers quarterback Marcus Stokes (2) hands the ball to running back Jaylin Carter (6) during the first half against UT Martin at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on Sept. 19, 2026. (Wes Hale/Special to the Daily Memphian)
Tim Buckley
Tim is a veteran sportswriter who graduated from CBHS in Memphis and the University of Missouri. He previously covered LSU sports in Baton Rouge, and the University of Louisiana football and basketball for The Daily Advertiser/USA TODAY Network in Lafayette, the NBA’s Utah Jazz for the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning for the St. Petersburg Times in Florida, and West Texas State basketball for the Amarillo Globe News in Texas.
Schools lately have been changing conferences like Memphis drivers change lanes.
Frequently. Typically in search of something better. And often rather inexplicably.
Athletes, meanwhile, move from school to school to school these days thanks to NIL deals and the NCAA transfer portal, staying at one barely long enough to unpack before relocating to the next.
Increasingly lost amid all the change: traditional college sports rivalries, especially football ones, all around the country.
Case in point: Memphis vs. UAB. Battle for the Bones.
This is an excerpt of this story. To read more, please click here and subscribe.
Topics
Memphis Tigers Football Memphis vs. UAB Battle of the Bones Charles Huff Taylor Burton Subscriber OnlyThank you for reading The Daily Memphian. Your support is critical.
Did you know we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization? We rely on a mix of revenue from subscriptions (50%), advertising, events and other earned income (25%) and fundraising (25%).
Please consider making a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian today.
👉🏽 Your subscription pays for you to read all our journalism.
👉🏽 Your donation powers the work we do to reach everyone else with the news.
We believe an informed Memphis is a better Memphis. If you agree, join our growing list of donors now.
Related stories
Marcus Stokes answers challenges of Tigers coaching staff in win over UT Martin
Stokes took care of the ball, didn’t try to throw the home run every time and was successful converting third downs in Saturday’s win.
Memphis QB now playing with more confidence
The Tigers are a third of the way through their schedule, and Marcus Stokes said he is more comfortable in the offense than he was at the start of the season.
Breaking down what Memphis has shown in its first four games
The Memphis Tigers have put together a four-game sample size of production during the nonconference portion of the schedule.
Comments
Want to comment on our stories? If you’re a subscriber, scroll down to the comments. If you’re not a subscriber, only paid subscribers can add their thoughts, so subscribe now. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.