This weekend there is a game between a team from the state of Tennessee and a team from the state of Florida with national championship implications.
As the number one Miami Hurricanes travel to Knoxville to take on the Tennessee Volunteers, there is a match up between the two southeastern states that won’t shake up the BCS standings.
The Memphis Tigers (2-7) try to salvage their season against the South Florida Bulls (6-2) in Tampa.
Head coach Tommy West said although his team is out of postseason contention, the players still have plenty to play for.
“Right now we are hunting for things to do,” West said. “We are not going to a bowl, nor will we have a winning season. So what can we do to make a step in the right direction?”
West answered by challenging his team to do something the 17 previous Bulls opponents to travel to South Florida could not do.
“That will be a pretty monumental task to go on the road and win against a team with that kind of winning streak,” West said. “That would certainly be a feather in our hat.”
West said his team is looking forward to the challenge of accomplishing what lately has become a rare feat.
South Florida has a 17-game winning streak in Raymond James Stadium that the Tigers seek to end.
“It certainly is a great challenge (to win at South Florida),” West said. “Not only do we have a chance to win, but we have a chance to do what a lot of people haven’t been able to do.”
The Bulls are 4-0 at home this season outscoring opponents 160-35.
Senior quarterback Marquel Blackwell leads South Florida’s offense.
Blackwell has thrown for 1,819 yards and 12 touchdowns with just three interceptions, tied for the fewest in the nation.
The 6-1, 205-pound quarterback also uses his legs to move the ball down the field. Blackwell is the third leading rusher on the Bulls with 214 yards.
Just ahead of Blackwell in rush yards are running backs junior Vince Brewer and sophomore Clenton Crossley.
Brewer has gained 279 yards with one touchdown, and Crossley has rushed for 229 yards and two touchdowns.
Other weapons in the Bulls offense are senior wide receivers Hugh Smith and DeAndrew Rubin.
Smith has 471 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while Rubin has compiled 314 and three touchdown receptions.
On the other side of the ball, South Florida defense is ranked 16th in the nation. The Bulls are 12th in the nation in rush defense, giving up 95.8 yards a game.
In the air, South Florida allows 203.4 yards a contest.
Opponents are scoring 19.4 points per game on the Bulls defense, while Memphis gives up 27.6 points a game.
The Tigers are ranked 107th in the nation in rush defense, allowing 212.6 yards a game.
The pass defense is more stable. Tiger opponents are gaining 183.3 yards through the air.
On the offensive side, the passing game has been successful also.
Sophomore quarterback Danny Wimprine has thrown for 2,126 yards-good enough for second in Conference USA.
Wimprine is tied for the lead in touchdown passes with Louisville quarterback Dave Ragone and Tulane signal caller J.P. Losman with 18.
Last week Wimprine threw for two touchdowns and 342 yards in a 26-21 loss to Houston.
Senior wide receiver Travis Anglin was responsible for 150 of those yards. Anglin achieved his career high in receiving with eight catches.
For the season, Anglin leads the Tigers with 41 receptions and 563 receiving yards.
Fellow receivers Antoine Harden and Tavares Gideon have chipped in with 795 yards and eight touchdowns.
West said he wants his top performer to keep pushing because this game might be the one game to turn around the fortunes of the Memphis Tigers football program.
“Every week is very important,” West said. “When you are building a program, the record always counts. You don’t know when it is going to come. You have to keep your team playing hard, and there will come a spot sometime we’ll look back and say: There is where it turned.”
West said his team must prove to the nation that it hasn’t given up on 2002.
“It is important to me, and, I hope, to our players, that they individually get a chance to prove when the times get a little bit tough that we fight through it,” West said.
