Memphis Tigers Football

Not too long ago, I saw that the Florida Marlins were considered by many as the smartest organization in baseball because they employ hot chicks who keep the fans entertained when the Marlins aren't doing so well.

If you let me tell it, the reason the University of Memphis is the smartest football program in the country is because of the fact that there are hot chicks on the pom squad today that probably could have done better at quarterback than Arkleon Hall.

In today's 45-14 thrashing at the hands of No. 8 Ole Miss, Hall and company had the ball longer than Ole Miss (32:27 to be exact) and ran more plays than the Rebels.

Pretty accomplished, don't you think?

Wrong.

Hall, who probably would have been outplayed by any of my female friends (insert name please), looked more lost than anything out there on the field by doing one thing a quarterback should never do.

He overthrew the ball to a tall receiver who has the ability to just reel the ball in for the catch with their long arm.

Second thing on the list?

A botched draw play on 4th-and-inches. Being that I once played quarterback, anytime you've got a 4th-and-inches, you pound the middle with the running back, which means the line shifts forward and the running back goes through for the extra inch.

Not a shotgun play.

The thing that I also gathered from this debacle was the fact that the play calling by Clay Helton, who probably has a two-by-four for a brain, was indeed questionable.

Your team is down 21 points against a top-10 team, and you decide to play footsie instead of manning up and putting up a fight.

You don't run the play clock down to 15 seconds when you're trying to get back in the game with 10 minutes to play.

That's stupid.

And then in the postgame conference, instead of being riled up about the plethora of mistakes, Coach West just shrugs it off, and instead of taking responsibility for some of the problems in the game, he shifts it towards a single lineman.

Not a good way to motivate your team and certainly not a way to boost team morale.

If the Tigers lose to Middle Tennessee next week in Murfreesboro, chances are the same 50 million people who read the message boards or participate in them are going to be ready to pack Coach West's belongings and send him on his merry way back to Georgia so he collaborate with Gucci Mane.

And the ones who go to the games, all they will have to look forward to is the performances by the pom squad.

Don't forget the beer, either.

Quick!  When was the last time the University of Memphis won a conference championship in football?

If you're a diehard fan, you know the last time the Tigers won a conference championship in football was 1969, when the Tigers won the Missouri Valley Conference, their second straight conference championship in football.

In the 13 years that Conference USA has sponsored a conference championship in football, the Tigers are the only charter member of the conference to not win a title in football.

Even Tulsa and Central Florida, programs that were literally in the toilet until joining C-USA, have won conference championships in football, and they've been in the conference only a scant four years.

So, what is the problem?

Although Tommy West has led the Tigers to six bowl appearances in seven seasons, he has yet to produce a conference title in the Bluff City for the Tigers.

And apparently since Southern Miss, East Carolina, and Tulsa are going to be the bonafide favorites to win the conference yet again, another season of false hope seems to be on the horizon for Tiger football.

That is, until yesterday.

Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, home to the Tigers since 1965, and owned by the city of Memphis, will sell beer this season as a way to defray the amount of money the city would lose, totaling at $261,000.

According to Jack Sammons, chief administrative officer for the city, it would net the city $200,000 in the process with the sales of beer.

Not only that, the constant flow of beer from the concession stands would give the Tigers a much needed boost on the football field.

Somewhere, Homer Simpson would be proud.

Beer might be the solution that gives the Tigers a conference title for the first time in 40 years.

This summer, the National Football Post is breaking down every team in the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-A) to identify players who might warrant interest from NFL teams in the 2010 draft.

The Memphis Tigers feature a talented group of skill position prospects on the offensive side of the ball and once again should be in the thick of things in Conference USA this season.

Offense

Arkelon Hall: No. 8, QB, 6-3, 225

A thickly built quarterback with the athleticism and quickness to create plays on the move. Is a dual run/pass threat who does a nice job setting his feet, keeping his eyes down the field and manufacturing some big plays outside the pocket.

Displays a low delivery point and consistently drops his elbow to more of a sidearm motion. Is slow to decipher information and doesn’t do a good job scanning the entire field and going through his progressions. Lacks timing in the pass game and consistently is late with his throws, causing him to be inaccurate with the ball underneath. Showcases nice touch down the field and throws a very catchable deep ball. However, he possesses a below-average arm and struggles throwing receivers open outside the numbers.

Impression: Lacks the tools needed to warrant much interest from scouts as a “QB-only” prospect.

Curtis Steele: No. 26, RB, 6-0, 185

A taller, high-cut back with a thin lower body and not much power in his base. Exhibits decent straight-line speed and has the ability to reach the corner but isn’t overly elusive in space. Demonstrates good patience in the open field and possesses the footwork to slash his way through defenders and run toward daylight. Is a balanced athlete who does a nice job stepping through tackles, staying on his feet and fighting for additional yards after contact. Exhibits good quickness on his jump-cut and consistently cuts against the grain and accelerates toward the second level. However, he doesn’t look as comfortable at the line of scrimmage and has a tendency to force plays outside.

Isn’t a back who’s going to grind out tough yards inside, as his feet seem to stop moving on contact. Does a nice job lowering his pad level when changing directions, but gets too upright when running at full speed and subjects himself to some big hits when trying to separate from defenders.

Impression: A thin back with decent speed, but is too high-cut and doesn’t do anything well enough to warrant much NFL consideration.

Carlos Singleton: No. 89, WR, 6-7, 220

An extremely long target with legs that go on for days. Lacks explosion out of his stance and slowly strides into his routes. However, he displays impressive short-area quickness for his size and does a nice job remaining balanced and keeping his feet under him when changing directions. Gets choppy before his breaks, but runs sharp routes and uses his body well to shield defenders. Has an understanding of the pass game and does a nice job working his way into soft spots underneath.

Plays at one speed and isn’t ever going to run by a defensive back down the field, but is an obvious jump-ball threat who can make plays vertically due to his ability to high point the football. Displays good coordination and timing and looks like a power forward skying for a rebound when he goes up to get the football. But he needs to continue to get stronger; has a tendency to get knocked off balance by physical defensive backs in some jump-ball situations.

Impression: Lacks the explosion and speed to consistently separate at the next level, but because of his size and coordination, he should find his way onto an NFL depth chart as a sub package receiver. Reminds me a bit of 2004 sixth-round pick Clarence Moore.

Duke Calhoun: No. 22, WR, 6-3, 198

Another tall, lanky wideout who displays decent body control and fluidity when asked to change directions. Isn’t a sharp route runner, but possesses the balance to cleanly get out of his breaks at full speed. Exhibits a second gear but isn’t a real quick starter; however, he has the length to stride past defenders down the field. Tracks the ball well and has the straight-line speed to make plays vertically. Showcases some intriguing short-area quickness underneath, but lets the ball get into his body too much and struggles consistently catching the football.

Isn’t a real patient receiver and needs to do a better job setting up cornerbacks and selling his routes. Consistently jumps out of his breaks early, which allows defenders to easily recognize his routes. Isn’t a real instinctive wideout and lacks some timing in the pass game.

Impression: Has a long frame with good straight-line speed, but isn’t a natural pass catcher. Has some tools, but is a project at the next level.

Defense

Greg Terrell: No. 94, DE, 6-4, 255

A good-looking athlete who possesses the burst and range to chase the ball down the line and close on plays away from his frame. Lacks ideal base strength and can be stonewalled at the point of attack. Has a tendency to get a bit upright when engaging into blocks and struggles winning battles on contact.

Lacks flexibility out of his stance and doesn’t showcase much burst off the edge. Struggles dipping his shoulder around the corner and doesn’t extend his arms or use his hands well to shed blocks.

However, he does display good body control and suddenness in space. Is at his best cleanly changing directions and sidestepping blocks on the outside. Has an ability to sidestep blockers in the run game as well, but isn’t overly physical at the point of attack and doesn’t make many plays behind the line of scrimmage.

Impression: Possesses a good-looking frame with some intriguing straight-line speed, but lacks burst off the ball and physicality at the point of attack.

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Be sure to check out the rest of my breakdowns at NationalFootballPost.com.

Here's comes another bowl game with a sponsor I have never heard of before.

While I'm sure by Saturday night I'll know everything I ever wanted to know about the sponsor of this game, I have no idea who they are now. It's funny, when the NCAA talks about preserving the tradition that is the bowls, a lot of these bowl games which switch to sponsors names don't even have the same name they had a few short years ago. I remember not too long ago that almost every game had a dot com attached to it, now it's just a handful.

Gone are the days of the good old fashioned Poulan Weed Eater Bowl and soon enough I'll be writing about the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Talk about exploited, I don't get a dime from any of these people. I guess a name like St. Petersburg wasn't long enough, I still haven't hit the save button yet so I'm not even sure my blogging platform is going to allow a title this long, but I am going to find out pretty soon.

In any event we have just a few more days to get entered into the free bowl picking contest. While I've sent out well over 500 entries I've gotten just a handful back. Not a big deal as you still have plenty of time to get entered. If you have registered and you haven't got your entry form, by all means email me and I'll shoot you out a copy if I can see that you are signed up.

I've also posted some of Jordan's picks, at least for the games being played on December 20th. I don't read his picks ahead of time but I know so far we don't agree on a lot, it

It's probably a good time to start up polls on all of these games in the forum as I believe the poll picks at a much higher rate than either of us, somewhere North of 80%. Feel free to pop in anytime as I'm hoping the chat room starts to fill up again once the games kick off, we certainly have had a good time in there since we opened it fairly late in the season.

In any event, let's get to the game.

The MagicJack St. Petersburg Bowl  Tropicana Field  St. Pete., FL

Memphis (6-6) Vs. South Florida (7-5)

Saturday December 20, 2008  4:30 EST  Line: South Florida -12 1/2

Overview:

I'm sure glad they started this bowl this year because I'm not sure 33 would have got it done and I always welcome the chance to talk about 6-6 teams that go to a bowl, especially when one of those 6 wins comes against a 1-AA team.

I'm just saying for the NCAA's sake that some of these 6-6 teams better win and win nicely especially those with the 1-AA win baggage as it's going to be a long off season for them as I plan on writing enough articles on the subject that it's sure to hit the mainstream, such is the power of the Internet.

In any event, Memphis comes in like you know, at 6-6,. At least Tommy West's squad can also add that aside from needing to play a 1-AA team to become bowl eligible, they didn't beat a team with a winning record all year long. They beat only one bowl team and that was a 6-6 Southern Miss team whose bowl season will already be over by the time Santa comes to visit.

Memphis got it done primarily with two Juco transfers at QB and running back who are fine players, Arkelon Hall and Curtis Steele, but Hall didn't play in two of the Tigers wins including the one against Southern Miss.

South Florida had much loftier goals when the season started as they were ranked near the top 10 and many were thinking BCS game for the Bulls. Personally I'm not surprised USF didn't have the year they expected as they are still a program on the rise and aren't quite in reload mode in recruiting and it is going to take a few years for their recent successes to kick in.

USF offense begins and ends with play maker Matt Grothe who makes plays with his arm and his feet but over the past few seasons he has thrown far too many bad passes which wind up going the other way, he'll need to avoid that in order to win this one.

On defense, it all falls on the Bulls staunch defensive line led by George Selvie. While Selvie didn't have the sack totals he had a year ago, he was dinged up a lot of the year and the total DL's ability means USF doesn't need to blitz much which frees up a lot of players which is a big reason why they have an overall superlative defense.

See Mitch's 2008 St. Petersburg Bowl Pick against the spread

Atlanta, Ga.—The Memphis Tigers roll into Birmingham on Thursday riding the wave of a two-game winning streak.  The real question, however, is how the Tigers will do against the Blazers.

As any fan of the rivalry knows, there is absolutely no love lost between these teams.  They hate each other so much that the passion carries over into basketball season, where things truly get ugly.

Make no mistake, however, that no matter how outmatched UAB may be against the Tigers, the Blazers find a way to win (with the exception of last year).  UAB is the Oregon State to the Tigers' USC.

Let's begin with a quick look at both teams.

UAB has struggled mightily to find the win column this year, registering a single W against Alabama State, but the Blazers have shown they are not inept at scoring, averaging 23 points against C-USA opponents.

Joe Webb leads the Blazer offense throwing six touchdowns matched by six interceptions with nine sacks.  While the rushing is spread amongst numerous players, Webb is also UAB's leading rusher.  Containing him and locking up receiver Frantrell Forrest will be key to a Tiger victory.

Defensively, the numbers weigh heavily against the Blazer 11, so it might be a tough day for the Blazers if the Tigers score often and early.

A quick look at the Tigers shows a team not much better than the Blazers.  Junior college transfers, regular transfers, and attrition of traditional high school to college athletes has contributed to a disjointed Tiger team that is still trying to find its way.

The first loss to Ole Miss doesn't look as bad with each passing weekend, but the Tigers continued to skid against a high-powered Rice team and a weak Marshall program.

Fortunately, however, the Tigers were able to take baby steps to regain their footing, translating an effort to regroup in victories over I-AA Nicholls State and another bitter out of conference rival, Arkansas State. 

If the Tigers can find consistency in their offensive production behind Arkelon Hall and get the ball moving on the ground on the backs of workhorses Curtis Steele and Charlie Jones, the game on Thursday won't be close.

Additionally, the Tiger passing game is designed in a mold only Coach Calipari can understand with tall, lanky receivers complementing the speedsters who stretch the field.

The Tiger gameplan against UAB is going to rely on heavy inside zone running plays until UAB goes into a single safety set over the Tiger receivers.  Then, look out!  It's gonna be jump ball city with Memphis' PTPers, baby!!!  (Dick Vitale voice—after all, what is a discussion about Memphis athletics without some mention of basketball?)

Of course, Memphis will dump off a lot of screens, too.

The Tiger defense wants to force Webb to throw the ball with heat coming from all directions, while maintaining solid defense when UAB shifts into two tight end sets.

Memphis also has to be aware of UAB's screens but knows that if the defense can keep the Blazers in third and long, the Tigers will be in a great position to keep the Blazer offense out of the end zone and off the field.

Look for another step towards a bowl appearance as the Tigers pounce on UAB Thursday night in a victory more in line with the expectations levied by all the Memphis faithful in the preseason.

Prediction: Memphis 38, UAB 20

This was not just a game that the home crowd hoped for a win.  This was a game in which the home crowd expected a blowout.

They got their wish.

Ole Miss defeated Memphis 41-24 Saturday night in front of a crowd of 56,127 in a game that was worse than score indicated. 

When I arrived to see Ole Miss play last night, I was a bit skeptical on my expectations.  I mean, it had been since 2004 since Ole Miss had scored 30 points on a Division 1 opponent.  How could a team get turned around that quick?

After the first series, a quick three and out by the Rebels, I was thinking that the Rebs were still stuck in the Ed Orgeron era, but they looked very solid on offense after that.

As I stated before, Ole Miss hasn't eclipsed the 30 point mark against a D1 opponent since 2004, and Ole Miss almost did that in a half, leading 27-10.

Jevan Snead finished the day with 10 of 22 passing for 185 yards and 2 TDs and 0 INTs.

He connected to Shay Hodge early on a 64 yard touchdown pass and later connected on a 15 yarder.

People said Houston Nutt wouldn't be able to run the Wild Rebel at Ole Miss, and they were humbly proven wrong last night.

Dexter McCluster and Brandon Bolden ran the Wild Rebel effectively as both had great success running under center.  The most unique play was when Bolden came in motion, McCluster handed off to Bolden to the outside and Bolden stepped back and threw to QB Jevan Snead, who lined up at receiver for a 37 yard gain.

Dexter McCluster also ran the Wild Rebel in for a TD from 32 yards out.

McCluster, the all-purpose "do-it-all" guy for the Rebs, finished with 64 yards rushing and also caught 4 passes for 61 yards.

Houston Nutt has explained during the offseason that he would be using a three back workhorse system with junior Cordera Eason and freshmen Brandon Bolden and Enrique Davis, and also get in McCluster in with certain situations.

Freshman Devin Thomas and sophomore Derrick Davis also got carries late.

The game was obviously won on the ground as Nutt used these three backs to gain 216 yards through the ground, led by freshman Brandon Bolden with 76 yards on 8 carries and 1 TD.

The defense also looked well without two key players in All-SEC Greg Hardy and Peria Jerry. The secondary looked improved as Kendrick Lewis intercepted a ball thrown in the endzone and Dustin Mouzon also grabbed an INT.

This game means a lot more to Ole Miss fans than the scoreboard indicates.  It was a game that was never really close after the first quarter.  Ole Miss held their own on defense and dominated on offense.  They used variety of sets from the I, to the Shotgun, to the Wild Rebel, to throw the Memphis defense off. 

The play of Jevan Snead was refreshing to Ole Miss fans, who hasn't seen a consistent QB since 2003 with Eli Manning.  Jevan didn't play perfect, but he avoided the mistakes the QBs before him made to cost Ole Miss ballgames. 

In experience, he's about as close to a freshman as it gets, with this being only his second college start, with the other being at Texas.

Next week, the real test lies with Ole Miss as they travel to Winston Salem, NC to play against a top 25 opponent in Wake Forest.  Ole Miss fans believe that this game indicates how much they can expect from Ole Miss this year.

The game will be televised nationally and will start at 3:30 (2:30 CT) on ABC. 

Which Junior College transfer Quarterbacks have what it takes to produce at the next level? History tells us very few. Here are the top JC QB transfers for 2008.

Arkelon Hall (Memphis Tigers) RS Junior 6'1 220

Hall was an Elite 11 QB camp invite in 2004 and signed with Washington State out of high school. He couldn't cut it in the classroom up in Pullman and elected to play the 2007 season at College of the Sequoias (Calif.) where he had a solid season and signed with the University of Memphis.

The Situation: Memphis loses heralded QB Martin Hankins, who set several school records during his three-year tenure as the Tigers' signal caller. Hall's situation is favorable because the guy he was competing with in spring ball (Matt Malouf) has transferred. Hall's main competition now will be senior Will Hudgens who has played sparingly in his career.

The Verdict: When the Tigers travel to Oxford to play Ole Miss in late August Arkelon Hall will be starting at Quarterback. Expect a decent campaign from this well traveled and highly regarded kid from Fresno, Calif. I believe he has the tools to excel in the Tiger spread offense and  will utilize the talent he has around him to win enough games and put up some pretty good numbers while doing so in this quarterback-friendly system.

Bold Prediction: Hall resurrects his college career while leading Memphis to a bowl game and earns second-team All Conference USA.

Kevin Craft (UCLA Bruins) RS Junior 6'5" 220

Craft's story is interesting. He also came highly regarded out of Valley Center High School in San Diego. He signed with San Diego State, where his dad Tom Craft, was the head coach.

The elder Craft was later fired and his son transferred to Mt. SAC Junior College in Pasadena, Calif., to garner some playing time where his dad ended up as OC.

Craft enjoyed a fantastic 2007 season at Mt. SAC, where he earned JC-All American honors while throwing for 35 touchdowns and leading Mt. SAC to the Cailifornia League Crown.

Craft chose UCLA over Hawaii and Miami (Ohio). The prospects of playing for Norm Chow proved to be the deciding factor for the laser-armed quarterback out of San Diego.

Spring Ball: Craft came to a UCLA club who already had quarterbacks Ben Olsen, Patrick Cowan, Osar Rashann and Chris Forcier. Before spring ball began, Craft was told by Norm Chow that he was competing for the backup job.

That all changed when Patrick Cowan suffered a career-ending knee injury and Ben Olsen injured his knee as well on the same day. Olsen is expected to be back by fall camp.

Cowan and Olsen's misfortunes became Craft's opportunity. He seized it and finished spring ball on a high note in the spring game while demonstrating a rocket arm UCLA has not seen since Cade McNown. Craft still has a lot of work to do this summer, but coaches say he is progressing rapidly and has all the physical tools needed to be a top-flight Pac 10 quarterback.

Chow has a proven track record with quarterbacks and don't be surprised if he takes Craft and UCLA to new heights in 2008 and beyond.

Bold Prediction Craft becomes the starter by Week 3 and throws for a ton of yards and 15 to 20 touchdowns during the season and comes off the bench in week 1 to lead an upset win over Tennessee at the Rose Bowl.

UCLA will be too young on defense and will end up in a low-tier bowl game, while Craft earns Honorable Mention all-Pac 10 in a QB-laden conference. After the season, UCLA fans will be talking about a potential National Championship run in 2009. That may be a bit far-fetched. Nonetheless, Kevin Craft will impress in the powder and gold this fall.

Other names to watch for

Dax Crum 6'1" 195 (Wyoming) Played JC ball for Scottsdale CC in Arizona where he led the nation in passing efficiency and yards. A pure passer who is very cerebral behind center. Enters an open competition with incumbent Karsten Sween.

Boo Jackson 6'1" 190 (Ohio) Like Kevin Craft, Jackson played JC ball in the highly competitive California League at powerhouse El Camino. He is a dual-threat guy who will add a spark to Ohio's offense immediately.

Tyson Lee 6'0" 210 (Mississippi State) After a stellar season at Itawamba CC in Mississippi, Lee decided to walk on at MSU, where he joins a muddled QB position with no clear-cut starter.

Lee is a strong kid who can spin the ball very well and is athletic enough to put some pressure on SEC defenses. Expect him to Redshirt even though he has the tools to play well this year (MSU would rather groom him and have him ready to roll in 2009).

David Pittman 5'10" 186 (Minnesota) Another dual threat QB/Athlete  who could see time at WR, QB and RB for the Golden Gophers. Truly a special athlete who is a better passer than people think. Will take snaps at QB for the Golden Gophers this season but will not start. Comes from Pasadena City College. Originally from Georgia.

Greg Cross 6'2" 215 (Pittsburgh) Big strong-armed gunslinger who has impressed head Coach Dave Wannstedt with his leadership skills and toughness. All great Pitt Quarterbacks have been tough, from Marino all the way to Tyler Palko. Expect Cross to be the Panther QB by midseason. Played at Fort Scott CC in Kansas in 2007.

Chris Todd 6'2" 205 RS Junior (Auburn) Played at Texas Tech in 2005- 2006. Played JC ball at Hutchinson CC in Kansas, the same JC that former Nebraska QB Zac Taylor came from.

Situation Has a relationship that goes back to his high school days with AU offensive coordinator Tony Franklin when Franklin was a consultant for Todd's high school team in Kentucky. Franklin uses a spread offense that is foreign to Auburn football and different from Al Borges past Power I scheme. An elbow injury slowed Todd in spring ball but he was able to play in the spring game and be efficient in leading the offense down the field consistently and fitting balls into tight spots. Has the experience factor over fellow QB Kodi Burns who is more athletic than Todd. Simply put, Todd is a more refined passer than Burns and his skills will be used at Auburn this fall.

Prediction Auburn will use a two quarterback system and make it work for the most part. They will be in contention for the SEC west again and the offense will be much more exciting than it was last year with Todd flinging it around Jordan- Hare stadium.

The Memphis Tigers will play the Marshal Thundering Herd tonight despite the loss of Junior nose guard Taylor Bradford.

Bradford was shot while driving home on Sunday night, approximately three hours after the Tigers wrapped-up their practice.

His car crashed into a tree after he was shot and police found his body slumped over when they responded to the crash.

"Our entire football team is deeply saddened by the loss of Taylor," Memphis head coach Tommy West said. "He was well respected and a popular member of our team."

The news came as a shock to all and Police are still unable to determine whether this was a random shooting or if Bradford was specifically targeted. There is no evidence that Bradford was involved in any illegal activities.

The 5-foot-11, 300-pound defensive lineman was a junior who transferred to Memphis last year after two seasons at Samford University. Bradford recently lost 25 pounds with the hope of earning playing time by switching to fullback.

On Monday, Memphis players unanimously voted to play Marshall and dedicate this game to their lost teammate. Marshall, a program that knows all too well how to deal with tragic circumstances, is also dedicating the game to Taylor Bradford.

This is a C-USA East match-up for two teams that have been overlooked by most due to their combined 1-7 record. A win tonight can help turn around either teams' seasons.

This is especially true for Memphis—if the Tigers win the majority of their remaining games, they have a shot at claiming the C-USA East title.

A moment of silence will be observed before the game tonight, which will air on ESPN2 at 8 p.m.

(AP Photo/Univ. of Memphis)

UCF came so close to grabbing the brass ring against #6 Texas, only to fall short 35-32.  The Knights look to get back on the winning track this Saturday as they begin Conference USA play versus Memphis.

While many fans are still talking about the near-miss against the Longhorns, head coach George O'Leary knows that these conference games are the ones that will most dictate where and if UCF (1-1, 0-0) will play in the postseason. This game starts a very interesting stretch for UCF in which they alternate conference and non-conference tilts over the next 6 games. UL-Lafayette, East Carolina, USF, and Tulsa follow the Memphis game.

While UCF is trying to get over their Texas-sized hangover, coach Tommy West and his Tigers (1-1, 0-0) are looking for their second win after beating down 1-AA/Football Championship Subdivsion foe Jacksonville State, 35-14.  This being the conference opener for both teams, it's vital for both schools to get the job done early on.

Having said that, I feel that UCF will get over their loss to Texas and take it to the Tigers 41-14. This preview will be broken down into two parts. Part 1 will tell you my reasons UCF will win this game. 

UCF Will Win Because... 
All over the UCF campus, Knight fans are raving about their running attack, which is 2nd in C-USA and averages 199 yards per game. UCF currently boasts the nation's leading rusher in junior RB Kevin Smith (Miami, FL/Southridge) who is fresh off a 149 yard, 2 TD performance versus Texas last Saturday. He is so revered in Orlando, that fans have dubbed him "24K," because his running style is nothing but solid gold for the Black and Gold Nation.

In order for the Knights to get back in the win column, they will have to ride on the back of Smith and the running game to control the clock and keep the Memphis's spread offense off the field. Senior QB Kyle Israel (Orlando/University) needs to continue to manage the ballgame and not make any mistakes so UCF can establish the play-action pass to WRs Rocky Ross (Jacksonville, FL/Bolles) and Kamar Aiken (Hollywood, FL/Chamanide-Madonna).

On the defensive side, the Knights get a big boost with the return of junior LB Cory Houge (Naples, FL/Naples) who missed the first two games due to a foot injury. The fan support for the team will be key, especially considering that Memphis isn't as sexy a team and name as was Texas. Anything more than 35,000 fans at the Bright House will be exciting to see for this UCF fan, and no amount of water will satisfy UCF fans' thirst to get a "W" against the Tigers. 

Coming up soon...Part 2