The Commercial Appeal

Following No. 16 SMU's 34-31 win over Houston Thursday night, ESPN play-by-play announcer Chris Fowler posted a video on his Instagram story hinting at plans involving Memphis next week

With SMU's celebration on a television in the background, Fowler noted that not only did SMU improve to 8-0 (4-0 in AAC play) on the year, the win could be "a very significant result for my near future and the travel plans of me, Kirk Herbstreit and Maria Taylor."

At the same time, the text "Ponies @MemphisFootball Next Staturday" appears on the video.

Fowler's video was a direct hint that if No. 25 Memphis (6-1, 2-1) defeats Tulsa (2-5, 0-3) on Saturday (6 p.m., CBS SN), he and Herbstreit, ESPN's No. 1 college football announcing team, could be on the call for SMU at Memphis next week at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium with Taylor reporting on the sidelines.

It also is another hint that ESPN "College GameDay" could come to Memphis for the first time. Earlier Thursday, 92.9FM program director Brad Carson post on Twitter that he spoke with an ESPN executive who confirmed Memphis has been discussed as a possible host next week.

The time for SMU-Memphis will be finalized after the conclusion of Memphis-Tulsa but it will either kick off at 2:30 p.m. (ABC or ESPN) or 6:30 p.m. (ABC). ESPN will also make an announcement about "College GameDay" sometime Saturday night or Sunday afternoon.

SMU-Memphis is currently one of two games on Nov. 2 that features both teams ranked in the Top 25 of the Amway Coaches Poll along with No. 9 Georgia vs. No. 8 Florida in Jacksonville.

If the Tigers win Saturday, not only does it set up a AAC West showdown, it would also be the second time in program history that a ranked Memphis team hosts another ranked opponent.

The first time was in 2015, when the No. 22 Tigers upset No. 12 Ole Miss 37-24.

SMU currently sits a game ahead of Memphis in the AAC West and the Tigers are one of three one-loss teams in the division, although they hold a tiebreaker edge with wins over Tulane and Navy.

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