The 2012 Tiger football team finished its season with three straight wins. It was only the third such finish for the U of M since 1976. What were the other two seasons during this stretch in which Memphis won (at least) its final three games? And how did the Tigers do the following year?
After a 3-5 start, the 1988 Tigers won their last three games (over Southwestern Louisiana, Tulsa, and Vanderbilt). Alas, the streak wasn’t enough to save coach Charlie Bailey his job. Chuck Stobart replaced Bailey . . . and opened the 1989 season with four straight losses. That ’89 team also lost its final five games to finish 2-9.
The 2005 Tigers sent All-America senior DeAngelo Williams off in style, winning their last three games (including the Motor City Bowl over Akron) to finish 7-5. The U of M needed wins over Southern Miss and Marshall at the end of the regular season just to gain bowl eligibility. Minus Williams, the 2006 Tigers opened with a loss to Ole Miss and suffered a dreadful 2-10 season.
