First look: Memphis Tigers

UCLA Bruins vs. Memphis Tigers
Kickoff: 7 p.m., Rose Bowl
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Radio: AM 570

Coach: Justin Fuente was once a starting quarterback at Oklahoma before transferring to Murray State, where he became a finalist for the Walter Payton Award for the FCS offensive MVP. After a brief arena football career, he took a job assisting at Illinois State until 2007. He then jumped to TCU, eventually becoming co-offensive coordinator for an undefeated 2010 squad led by quarterback Andy Dalton.

The 38-year-old is in his third year at Memphis, where he has yet to win more than four games in a season. However, his 8-17 overall record still easily eclipses the program’s 5-31 stretch from 2009-11.

Key players:

QB Paxton Lynch, So., 6-7, 230 — 20/27, 242 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 rush TD
— Returns as starter after recording Memphis’ 10th all-time 2,000-yard season. Was once Florida’s fallback in case it missed on recruiting Skyler Mornhinweg.

DL Martin Ifedi*, Sr., 6-3, 265 — 1 tackle for loss, 1 pass breakup, 1 pass defended, 1 quarterback hurry
— All-AAC first-team selection. Led team with 10.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss in 2013.

RB Brandon Hayes, Sr., 5-8, 198 — 11 carries, 59 yards, 1 TD
— Won waiver for sixth year after leading Tigers with 860 rushing yards in 2013. Originally a walk-on, he was named team MVP last season.

LB Tank Jakes, Sr., 5-11, 225 — 6 tackles, 2 TFL
— One of three returning starters at linebacker, Jakes notched a team-high 48 solo tackles in 2013, inluding 8.5 for loss.

RB Jarvis Cooper, Fr., 6-1, 250 — 8 carries, 101 yards, 1 TD
— An enormous running back who was also ranked as a three-star defensive tackle. The true freshman only played the fourth quarter against Austin Peay.

Scouting report: Like the rest of the team, Lynch’s season-opener stat line benefited from a 63-0 blowout of Austin Peay. Memphis’ offense set all types of “most since ________” marks on Saturday, but the Governors have only won two games in their last two FCS seasons. The Tigers finished 114th in yards per play (4.68) in 2013. … Defense returned nine starters — including all three linebackers — after ranking No. 12 nationally in rushing defense (116.3 yards/game). Passing defense ranked 99th, while scoring defense sat at 44th. … Kicker Jake Elliott was 16-of-18 as a freshman, and perfect on his three attempts of at least 50 yards out — including a 56-yarder that tied for the longest in the NCAA last season.

The line: The Bruins are favored by 25 points.