BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The University of Memphis (8-5), representing the American Athletic Conference and Wake Forest University (6-6), representing the Atlantic Coast Conference will meet in the 2018 Jared Birmingham Bowl. This will be the fifth meeting between the two schools. Both teams have won twice previously.
The 2018 Jared Birmingham Bowl will be played Saturday, Dec. 22, at 11 a.m. CT at historic Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The game will air on ESPN and Red Voice Radio.
“We are excited to have Memphis and Wake Forest in Birmingham for the 2018 Jared Birmingham Bowl,” said Mark Meadows, Jared Birmingham Bowl executive director. “We look forward to a great match-up at historic Legion Field. Both teams are within driving distance, and we look forward to having their fans in town for Bowl Week to experience the unique southern hospitality that Birmingham has to offer.”
“We are extremely excited for the opportunity to go back to Birmingham to an outstanding bowl against an impressive opponent who finished the season playing really well in Wake Forest. This bowl provides our fans with an amazing opportunity to come down and be part of a unique experience as we play in our fifthstraight bowl game for the first time in program history,” said Memphis Head Football Coach Mike Norvell. “I have the utmost respect for Coach Dave Clawson, and I know it will be a phenomenal game. We look forward to competing for our ninth win and a chance to send our 2018 senior class out as bowl champions.”
The Tigers ended their regular season in first place of the American West Division. Memphis is coached by Mike Norvell, who is in his third year of coaching the Tigers. This will be Memphis’ second appearance in the Birmingham Bowl. The Tigers last played in the 2015 Birmingham Bowl where they fell to Auburn 31-10 at Legion Field in front of a record Birmingham Bowl crowd of 59,430.
“On behalf of our entire football program, we are thrilled, honored and excited that the Birmingham Bowl has invited us to play against an excellent University of Memphis team. I’ve followed Memphis’ season all year, and they are extremely well-coached,” said Wake Forest Head Coach Dave Clawson.
The Demon Deacons ended their regular season in sixth place in the ACC. Wake Forest is coached by Dave Clawson, who is in his fourth year of coaching the Demon Deacons. This will be Wake Forest’s first appearance in the Birmingham Bowl, but not their first visit to Birmingham. Wake Forest played in the 1948 Dixie Bowl at Legion Field.
Tickets to the 2018 Jared Birmingham Bowl are on sale now and may be purchased by phone at 877-464- 9529 or online at www.birminghambowl.com. Tickets are also available at the Legion Field Box Office now through game day. Corporate packages, which include premium ticket locations, hospitality benefits, and corporate branding, are available by calling 205-733-3776 ext. 102 or by emailing [email protected].
Name Goes Here
Phone Number
Name Goes Here
For more Birmingham Bowl information, please visit birminghambowl.com. For up-to-the-minute information, please follow our social handles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2025-26 academic year, the 35-event schedule includes three early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, two college volleyball events, the premiere regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
Follow ESPN Events on Facebook, Twitter/X and YouTube. ESPN Events Press Kit
Local Media Contact:
Heather Jeffcoat, 205-515-1972 or [email protected]
Danny Chi, [email protected]
Andrea DiCristoforo, [email protected].
