Generations of Memphis players and fans have questioned whentheir Tigers would get back to a bowl game.
Now the only question left to answer is "Where?"
With bowl aspirations on the line, the Tigers went on the roadSaturday and clobbered Louisville 37-7, in front of a crowd of30,114. The victory removed any reasonable doubt about thepossibility of postseason play.
"We've got seven (wins) now, and we are going to a bowl," saidhead coach Tommy West. "I don't think there is any way anybodycould turn this football team away. It's just too good a team."
Going into the game, the Tigers (7-3, 3-2 in Conference USA) hadnever beaten Louisville (7-3, 3-3) during West's tenure as headcoach, let alone in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. They played wellbut lost in Memphis to the Cardinals last year.
Last week, Louisville was a couple of missed field goals awayfrom beating TCU, a top 10 school.
"Louisville has been the team in the conference, the four yearsthat I've been here, that you had to measure (your team) by," Westsaid. "To come on the road and beat them the way we beat them isreally special."
For Louisville, the game started with promise.
Running back Lionel Gates scored on a 12-yard scamper, set updirectly by a blocked punt, to take a 7-0 lead in the firstquarter.
But after another fruitless possession from Memphis, the Tiger'sdefense came up big.
Senior defensive tackle Eric Taylor intercepted Stefan Lefors'stipped pass and returned it 52 yards for the tying touchdown.
"I asked Taylor (after the touchdown) if he was tired," saidrunning back DeAngelo Williams, "He was like, 'Yeah, I can'tbreathe,' and I said, 'Well, you're living the life of a runningback now.'"
On the return, Taylor made a Williams-type move as the 295-poundlineman stutter-stepped past LeFors before diving in for themomentum-shifting score.
"(Taylor) looked pretty good to be honest," West said. "Theirquarterback came over to chop him, and he cut back into the insideand got it into the end zone."
The interception return marked the third time in the last fourgames the defense returned an interception. The play also seemed toignite the Tiger's offense.
"Every time they score (on defense), it puts a lot of pressureon the offense," Williams said.
Williams didn't play as if he felt too pressured though. Thesophomore back ran for 154 yards on 27 carries and a touchdown. Itwas William's ninth consecutive 100-yard rushing performance. TheDoak Walker Award candidate also caught three passes for 25yards.
Following the interception, the Memphis defense came up withanother stop.
The offense followed with a touchdown producing drive at the endof the quarter. Williams burst for 17 yards to make it 14-7.
The play gave Williams his tenth rushing touchdown of theseason.
That was all the offense the Tigers would need, though theyreceived plenty more.
Quarterback Danny Wimprine had another solid performance. Thejunior was 17 of 29 for 201 yards passing and a touchdown. It wasalso the fourth straight game Wimprine did not throw aninterception.
"(Wimprine) has really played well in this four-game stretch,"West said. "He's throwing the ball away when it's not there. He'sjust really doing smart things."
Williams added 154 yards on 27 carries and improved upon hisnational lead in all-purpose yards.
Defensively, the Tigers harassed LeFors and the fifth-rankedLouisville offense all day. The Cardinals had averaged 486 yardsper game but were held to just 216 total yards and 12 first downs.The Tigers also collected three sacks and an interception.
"Coming in, we knew they were the No. 5 offense in the nation,"Taylor said. "Coach (Joe Lee) Dunn said if you want to be the best,you have to beat the best. I believe that we did it."
Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said his team's inability to runthe ball consistently led to the demise of the Cardinals passingattack.
"Defensively, they put a lot of pressure on us," Petrino said."They took away a lot of our run and play action game and made ussit in the pocket and make plays. We were just unable to do it.That's something that hasn't happened to this offense in a longtime.
"Give them credit. They were the better team tonight. There's nodoubt about it."
West said his defense was creating nightmares for Louisville thewhole game.
"They had no chance," he said. "I would have hated to have beenin their shoes calling plays in the first half. We had them backedup the whole time. We played well, but the field position was thedifference in the game."
In the third quarter, Wimprine accounted for 14 points. Aquarterback sneak, combined with his two-point conversion receptionput Memphis up 28-7. After a safety by the Memphis defense,Wimprine connected on a 19-yard play with receiver Darron White toround off the scoring.
The victory gave the Tigers a seven-win season for the firsttime since 1976 and virtually assured a bowl appearance.
"This means a lot for this entire program, especially thecoaches and the seniors who are here and have been through thetough times," Wimprine said. "Everybody is very, very excited andcan't wait to get back on the field next week."
Wimprine said that with the way Memphis is playing now, anythingshort of a win every game would be a disappointment.
"We want to try to win out," Wimprine said. "Hopefully,Cincinnati will be the next victim."
