University of Memphis Athletics
Football Conference Titles
The University of Memphis has won a total of eight conference championships.
Most recently, Memphis defeated Cincinnati on Dec. 7, 2019 for its first outright American Athletic Conference title since joining the league in 2013. In 2014, Memphis claimed a share of the title with a 41-10 win against UConn. The Tigers enter the 2020 season with three consecutive AAC West Division titles (2017, 2017, 2019).
Memphis won three Missouri Valley Conference championships in four years under legendary coach Billy Murphy in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Memphis has also won league championships as members of the Mississippi Valley Conference and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
Pictured above is the 1938 Memphis Tigers which went 10-0 and won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. Coach Allyn McKeen fielded one of the nation's highest scoring teams in 1938, a season which saw the Tigers finish with a 10-0 record. Memphis scored 281 points during the year, while only yielding 41 points. The biggest margin of victory was a 68-0 thrashing of Cumberland College. The Tigers also shutout Arkansas A&M 50-0 later in the year. Roland McMackin captained the 1938 Tigers.
Memphis' 1929 Mississippi Valley Conference championship team coached by Zach Curlin was undefeated, posting an 8-0-2 record.
The only other Memphis team to go undefeated during a season was the 1963 squad which ended the year 9-0-1.
The 1963 Memphis football team had only a scoreless tie with Ole Miss between them and a perfect season. The Tigers finished with a 9-0-1 record under head coach Billy J. Murphy. Unlike the 1938 team, which was noted for its offense, this team made its mark as a defensive club. There were five shutouts, and the five remaining teams scored only 52 points. The Tigers, captained by Richard Saccoccia, rolled up 199 points
.
The 1963 squad had wins over Southern Miss (28-7), Tulsa (28-15), North Texas State (21-0), West Texas State (29-14), Mississippi State (17-10), Louisville (25-0), South Carolina (9-0), Chattanooga (13-0) and Houston (29-6).
Senior fullback Dave Casinelli led the NCAA in rushing and scoring during the 1963 season. Casinelli rushed for 1,016 yards and scored 84 points. He is the only Tiger back to win the national rushing and scoring titles.Â
Below is a breakdown of Memphis' eight conference championship teams:
1929 Mississippi Valley Conference Champions
Season Record: 8-0-2  l  Conference Record: 5-0-1  l  Coach Zach Curlin
1930 Mississippi Valley Conference Champions
Season Record: 6-3-1  l  Conference Record: 3-1  l  Coach Zach Curlin
1938 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Champions
Season Record: 10-0  l  Conference Record: 5-0  l  Coach Allyn McKeen
1968 Missouri Valley Conference Champions
Season Record: 6-4  l  Conference Record: 4-0  l  Coach Billy J. Murphy
1969 Missouri Valley Conference Champions
Season Record: 8-2  l  Conference Record: 5-0  l  Coach Billy J. Murphy
1971 Missouri Valley Conference Champions
Season Record: 5-6  l  Conference Record: 4-1  l  Coach Billy J. Murphy
2014 American Athletic Conference Champions (shared)
Season Record: 10-3  l  Conference Record:  7-1  l  Coach Justin Fuente
2019 American Athletic Conference Champions
Season Record: 12-2 l  Conference Record:  7-1  l  Coach Mike Norvell
Â
Most recently, Memphis defeated Cincinnati on Dec. 7, 2019 for its first outright American Athletic Conference title since joining the league in 2013. In 2014, Memphis claimed a share of the title with a 41-10 win against UConn. The Tigers enter the 2020 season with three consecutive AAC West Division titles (2017, 2017, 2019).
Memphis won three Missouri Valley Conference championships in four years under legendary coach Billy Murphy in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Memphis has also won league championships as members of the Mississippi Valley Conference and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
Pictured above is the 1938 Memphis Tigers which went 10-0 and won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. Coach Allyn McKeen fielded one of the nation's highest scoring teams in 1938, a season which saw the Tigers finish with a 10-0 record. Memphis scored 281 points during the year, while only yielding 41 points. The biggest margin of victory was a 68-0 thrashing of Cumberland College. The Tigers also shutout Arkansas A&M 50-0 later in the year. Roland McMackin captained the 1938 Tigers.
Memphis' 1929 Mississippi Valley Conference championship team coached by Zach Curlin was undefeated, posting an 8-0-2 record.
The only other Memphis team to go undefeated during a season was the 1963 squad which ended the year 9-0-1.
The 1963 Memphis football team had only a scoreless tie with Ole Miss between them and a perfect season. The Tigers finished with a 9-0-1 record under head coach Billy J. Murphy. Unlike the 1938 team, which was noted for its offense, this team made its mark as a defensive club. There were five shutouts, and the five remaining teams scored only 52 points. The Tigers, captained by Richard Saccoccia, rolled up 199 points
.
The 1963 squad had wins over Southern Miss (28-7), Tulsa (28-15), North Texas State (21-0), West Texas State (29-14), Mississippi State (17-10), Louisville (25-0), South Carolina (9-0), Chattanooga (13-0) and Houston (29-6).
Senior fullback Dave Casinelli led the NCAA in rushing and scoring during the 1963 season. Casinelli rushed for 1,016 yards and scored 84 points. He is the only Tiger back to win the national rushing and scoring titles.Â
Below is a breakdown of Memphis' eight conference championship teams:
1929 Mississippi Valley Conference Champions
Season Record: 8-0-2  l  Conference Record: 5-0-1  l  Coach Zach Curlin
1930 Mississippi Valley Conference Champions
Season Record: 6-3-1  l  Conference Record: 3-1  l  Coach Zach Curlin
1938 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Champions
Season Record: 10-0  l  Conference Record: 5-0  l  Coach Allyn McKeen
1968 Missouri Valley Conference Champions
Season Record: 6-4  l  Conference Record: 4-0  l  Coach Billy J. Murphy
1969 Missouri Valley Conference Champions
Season Record: 8-2  l  Conference Record: 5-0  l  Coach Billy J. Murphy
1971 Missouri Valley Conference Champions
Season Record: 5-6  l  Conference Record: 4-1  l  Coach Billy J. Murphy
2014 American Athletic Conference Champions (shared)
Season Record: 10-3  l  Conference Record:  7-1  l  Coach Justin Fuente
2019 American Athletic Conference Champions
Season Record: 12-2 l  Conference Record:  7-1  l  Coach Mike Norvell
Â