ARLINGTON, Texas - Penn State football coach James Franklin listened to Memphis Tigers counterpart Ryan Silverfield talk about how phenomenal the Nittany Lions have been on defense.
Franklin then expressed similar admiration about the high-scoring Tigers with quarterback Brady White, who are representing the Group of Five teams in Saturday's Cotton Bowl Classic.
"All the wonderful things he said about our defense I appreciate, but we also know we have a tremendous challenge with their offense and what they've been able to do, not only this year but over the last four years," Franklin said Friday.
Kickoff is at noon EST at AT&T Stadium, the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and ESPN will televise the game.
While Penn State (10-2) is in its third New Year's Six game in four seasons and 50th bowl overall, the American Athletic Conference champions are in their first NY6 game. It will also be Silverfield's first game as their head coach after coming to Memphis as an assistant to predecessor Mike Norvell.
"Like we always say every year, the next one is the most important game, but this one is obviously pretty darn special," Silverfield said. "This is a game I will never forget for many reasons."
His debut comes in what is considered by most the biggest game in Tigers history. They are in one of the major bowl games after school records of 12 wins this season - with just one loss - and 38 wins the past four years under Norvell, who left after the AAC championship game to become Florida State's coach.
"I'm going to sit back in my chair and one day be like, 'Dang, we did something no Memphis team has ever done before,'" running back Patrick Taylor Jr. said. "That's something we're going to be able to talk about for years and years to come, to our grandchildren, to our children."
White has thrown for 3,560 yards and 33 touchdowns for the Tigers, who have a 1,000-yard rusher (Kenneth Gainwell, who stepped in when Taylor got hurt in the season opener) and a 1,000-yard receiver (Damonte Coxie). Memphis has averaged nearly 41 points and 481 total yards a game this season.
"They present a lot of great challenges. But I also feel like we've been going against some of the best players in the country all season, especially in practice every day," said Micah Parsons, Penn State's All-America linebacker.
Penn State allows averages of only 14.1 points a game and just more than 4 1/2 yards per play, as well as only 2.6 yards per rush. The Nittany Lions have forced 20 fumbles, the most among Football Bowl Subdivision teams this season.
While the 84th Cotton Bowl Classic is a matchup of a great defense against a group of offensive playmakers, there's also that Power Five versus Group of Five element.
"We take every team the same," Penn State running back Journey Brown said. "We know these guys are good. Obviously they made it this far."
White, a 23-year-old graduate transfer from Arizona State, has acknowledged this might be his last game with the Tigers even though he has one more season of eligibility.
"I've been a big believer in just being present. And so I've been really focused on the season and this team," he said this week. "I do recognize that I have to start thinking of the future and what I want to do."
White did say he wouldn't leave Memphis for another college program.
"I'm trying to figure out if it's best to move forward in my career," he said, "or to stick around and finish my last year."