Why Memphis' Charles Huff is only looking forward in 'Battle for the Bones' rivalry

Last season, Memphis football vs. UAB turned into one of the most shocking upsets of the 2025 season.

The Tigers, potentially seven days away from hosting "College GameDay," lost in Birmingham as 23.5-point favorites.

This year, Memphis coach Charles Huff isn't talking about it.

"It's a different culture," he said at his news conference on Oct. 6. "I can't speak to that week, that game, that year."

Memphis' coach for that game was Ryan Silverfield, but he left after the season for Arkansas . He was replaced by Huff, who brought in an almost entirely new roster. Memphis has only a handful of players on the current roster who even played in the game last season, so it hasn't been much of a talking point this week.

Charles Huff, Memphis Tigers football coach in first season

The game, which some Memphis fans consider a rivalry and some fans are adamantly against being called a rivalry, is known as the "Battle for the Bones" and features a 94-pound bronze rack of ribs as a trophy. That trophy has been in Birmingham for the past year after spending more than a decade in Memphis.

"We addressed it in the summer," Huff said. "I think the attachment now is maybe not so much of a bitter rivalry but how much it means to our fans. Our players truly believe if something's important to our fans, then it needs to be important to us. This is one of those things."

Huff said he views the game as a chance for Memphis' players to give back to the fans who care about the game and about winning back the trophy. UAB had been one of the worst teams in the conference for the last few seasons, which led to Trent Dilfer getting fired the week before last year's Memphis vs. UAB game. Alex Mortensen coached his first ever game and Ryder Burton made his first collegiate start at quarterback on that night, and they each looked like stars.

Burton has been solid since then, too. UAB has won two games in a row, including an upset win at home over Navy to open American Conference play.

It sets up an interesting game, even if last year's matchup won't be part of Memphis' preparation.

"I've never lost, so I don't know what it feels like to lose the bones," Huff said. "And I say that not in a boastful way. I don't know, so I can't talk to them about a loss that I wasn't a part of. On the flip side, I've never won it. So I can't talk to them about what it feels like to win it, either."

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.