If you can't get excited about this one, you should probably check your pulse.
The University of Memphis football Tigers (4-4, 2-3 in Conference USA) play host to cross-state rival Tennessee, Saturday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, before what most are expecting to be a packed house.
And if you haven't noticed yet, the Tigers, who have two weeks of rest and preparation under their belts heading into the 11 a.m. kickoff, are desperate for a win.
"We've had two disappointing losses (UAB and Houston) that I think took a piece of everybody on our football team with them," head coach Rip Scherer said. "We've got to it back and put them behind us.
In any situation like this, you have a choice of whether you're going to keep competing or roll over and play dead, and we're certainly not going to do that."
The Volunteers (4-3, 2-3 in Southeastern Conference) didn't do it either.
After opening the season as the nation's 12th-ranked team, Tennessee dropped three of its first five games, including a 21-10 week-six loss to Georgia, who the Vols had beaten nine consecutive times.
But after sliding out of the Top 25, Tennessee has rebounded behind true freshman quarterback Casey Clausen, who made his first collegiate start in a 20-10 win over Alabama Oct. 21. Clausen completed 17-of-24 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns, but showed poise beyond his years.
Last week, Clausen and Vol senior tailback Travis Henry led Tennessee to a 17-14 upset victory over now 24th-ranked South Carolina. Henry, who is projected as an NFL prospect, was named the SEC's Player of the Week after rushing for 115 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns, including one with 26 seconds left that buried the Gamecocks.
Last season, it took a 15-yard touchdown catch by former Melrose standout Cedrick Wilson with just one minute remaining to beat the Tigers 17-16 in Neyland Stadium.
If Memphis expects to be as competitive Saturday, they'll have to find some consistency on an offense that ranks 109th in the country, averaging just 247 total yards per game.
Scherer said he plans to name his starting quarterback, either Neil Suber or Scherer's son Scott, just before gametime Saturday.
