Memphis football bounced back Friday from its loss last week at UTSA with a 27-20 victory against Rice at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

While it's a longshot, the Tigers (8-2, 4-2 AAC) are technically still alive in the AAC title race.

Here are our overreactions from Friday's win against the Owls (3-7, 2-4).

Mario Anderson is a pro

Anderson came to Memphis after leading South Carolina in rushing a season ago, so expectations were high from the start. He's at least reached them and has been one of the Tigers' most consistent players this season.

He was expected to split time with Sutton Smith, but Smith suffered a knee injury during the first quarter of the season opener and was lost for the year. A subsequent injury to running back Greg Desrosiers meant Anderson has had to carry a significant load almost every week, and he's been up to the task.

Anderson rushed 25 times for 144 yards and a touchdown Friday and also had a 31-yard reception. He's 23 yards away from reaching 1,000 rushing yards for the season, and he's likely to hit that mark in the next game against UAB.

This is his final collegiate season, but has Anderson turned enough heads in among NFL scouts to ensure he gets to play on Sundays? If he keeps performing like he did on Friday, he might just get a chance.

Chandler Martin should be an All-American

Martin is Memphis' best player, and he had another impressive game. The redshirt junior linebacker made 11 tackles, but it was his fumble recovery that changed the outcome Friday. Rice had the chance to take a third-quarter lead, but a fumbled exchange left the ball on the turf.

Martin pounced on it. That marked his fourth fumble recovery of the season, which is tied for the most in the country.

He's been a stalwart since he arrived from East Tennessee State before the 2023 season, but he's taken his game to another level this year. And he deserves All-American consideration.

Memphis can still beat Tulane

The Tigers won't go to the College Football Playoff, but they've still got a marquee game on Thanksgiving Day against Tulane. While Memphis is almost certainly going to enter that game as an underdog, there's no reason the Tigers can't win it.

How will the season be remembered if Memphis beats Tulane and then wins a bowl game to get to 11 wins? That's a question for another day.

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

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Overreactions to Memphis football's bounce-back win over Rice