Arkansas State and Memphis are set to meet again on the football field.
Athletic Directors from ASU and Memphis have each signed a contract to begin a four-year home-and-home football series between the two schools starting in 2020.
ASU will visit Memphis on Sept. 5, 2020, and on Sept. 3, 2022, and will host Memphis at Centennial Bank Stadium in Jonesboro on Sept. 11, 2021, and Sept. 9, 2023.
ASU Athletic Director Terry Mohajir said Friday that a rekindling of the Memphis series is one of the most frequent questions he gets from fans when asked about scheduling.
“I think it’s a good game for their fan base, I think it’s a good game for our fan base; it’s a really good regional matchup,” Mohajir said.
The schools last met Sept. 21, 2013 — a 31-7 Memphis victory at the Liberty Bowl — the last of a four-year series. ASU expressed interest in extending the series, but Memphis declined then, citing a desire to schedule more national opponents.
Memphis beat Kansas and Ole Miss last season in its non-conference schedule, and play both again this year. Mohajir said he sold to Memphis an ability for ASU fans to travel to the games in Memphis.
The contract calls for each visiting team to receive 5,000 tickets, and if ticket revenue for the visiting team does not exceed $50,000, the home team will pay the difference.
“I’ve spent a lot of time working on it because our fan base has made it very clear that they’d like to see it back on the schedule,” Mohajir said.
Read Saturday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.