Memphis vs. Tulsa

Memphis and Tulsa have 33 meetings on file, the first in 1961; Memphis leads the series 21–⁠12 in the games on file. Over the last 10 meetings it’s Memphis 7–⁠3, and Memphis has won the last 2.

Memphis wins
21
Tulsa wins
12
Ties
0
Earliest on file
1961
Longest streak
4 Tulsa
Current streak
2 Memphis
Last 10 meetings
Memphis 7–⁠3
Most recent
2025

The series at a glance

Every meeting by decade, colored by the winner
’0’1’2’3’4’5’6’7’8’9W–L
1960s5–⁠2
1970s3–⁠2
1980s2–⁠0
1990s4–⁠2
2000s0–⁠3
2010s5–⁠2
2020s2–⁠1
Average margin
15.3 points; 13 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Memphis
11–⁠5 Memphis’s record at home
At Tulsa
7–⁠10 Tulsa’s record at home
Shutouts
2

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in.

Games that tell the story

  1. Memphis’s biggest win2025: Memphis 45, Tulsa 7by 38 points
  2. Tulsa’s biggest win2010: Tulsa 48, Memphis 7by 41 points
  3. Upset1993: Tulsa 23, Memphis 19Tulsa had a 25% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  4. Upset1975: Memphis 16, Tulsa 14Memphis had a 26% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  5. Upset1970: Tulsa 27, Memphis 12Tulsa had a 32% chance, by our ratings before kickoff

Coach against coach

YearsMemphisSeriesTulsa
1961–⁠1968Billy Murphy4–⁠2Glenn Dobbs
1990–⁠1994Chuck Stobart3–⁠2David Rader
2016–⁠2019Mike Norvell3–⁠1Philip Montgomery

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from Memphis’s side (Murphy 4–⁠2 against Dobbs). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of Memphis and Tulsa, 1961 on130015001700197019801990200020102020

Our Elo rating at the end of each season, a measure of how strong a team was, not a forecast; 1500 is an average FBS team.

Stars of the series

Biggest days

Paxton Lynch Memphis32 of 44, 447 yards, 4 TD2015 Passing
James Flanders Tulsa33 carries, 249 yards, 5 TD2016 Rushing
Keyarris Garrett Tulsa14 catches, 268 yards, 3 TD2015 Receiving
Curtis Steele Memphis19 carries, 232 yards, 4 TD2009 Rushing
Anthony Miller Memphis12 catches, 250 yards, 2 TD2016 Receiving
DeAngelo Williams Memphis30 carries, 223 yards, 3 TD2005 Rushing

Biggest days: the week’s best individual games by our big-days rule, from box scores (2004 on).

On television

2025ESPNU0.0 million viewers

Viewers: Nielsen, as compiled by nschultz7’s ratings tracker.

Every game

Oct 4, 2025Memphis 45, Tulsa 7at Memphis
Nov 10, 2022Memphis 26, Tulsa 10at Memphis
Oct 9, 2021Tulsa 35, Memphis 29at Tulsa
Oct 26, 2019Memphis 42, Tulsa 41at Tulsa
Nov 10, 2018Memphis 47, Tulsa 21at Memphis
Nov 3, 201722Memphis 41, Tulsa 14at Tulsa
Oct 29, 2016Tulsa 59, Memphis 30at Memphis
Oct 23, 201518Memphis 66, Tulsa 42at Tulsa
Oct 31, 2014Memphis 40, Tulsa 20at Memphis
Oct 2, 2010Tulsa 48, Memphis 7at Memphis
Nov 27, 2009Tulsa 33, Memphis 30at Tulsa
Oct 21, 2006Tulsa 35, Memphis 14at Memphis
Sep 24, 2005Tulsa 37, Memphis 31at Tulsa
Oct 28, 1995Memphis 10, Tulsa 7at Memphis
Sep 10, 1994Memphis 42, Tulsa 18at Tulsa
Oct 16, 1993Tulsa 23, Memphis 19at Memphis
Oct 24, 1992Memphis 30, Tulsa 25at Tulsa
Oct 26, 1991Tulsa 33, Memphis 28at Memphis
Sep 29, 1990Memphis 22, Tulsa 10at Tulsa
Nov 12, 1988Memphis 26, Tulsa 20at Memphis
Nov 21, 1987Memphis 14, Tulsa 0at Tulsa
Sep 18, 1976Tulsa 16, Memphis 14at Tulsa
Oct 25, 1975Memphis 16, Tulsa 14at Tulsa
Oct 13, 1973Memphis 28, Tulsa 16at Memphis
Oct 28, 1972Memphis 49, Tulsa 21at Memphis
Oct 3, 1970Tulsa 27, Memphis 12at Tulsa
Nov 1, 1969Memphis 42, Tulsa 24at Memphis
Nov 2, 1968Memphis 32, Tulsa 6at Tulsa
Oct 22, 1966Memphis 6, Tulsa 0at Memphis
Oct 9, 1965Tulsa 32, Memphis 28at Tulsa
Nov 7, 1964Tulsa 19, Memphis 7at Tulsa
Oct 5, 1963Memphis 28, Tulsa 15at Memphis
Sep 23, 1961Memphis 48, Tulsa 12at Tulsa

Every game is listed as played on the field.