When your team sits at 6-3 with a chance to further secure abowl bid every time you step on the field, the next game is alwaysa big game.
But when you're Memphis and your next opponent is Louisville, ittakes on even more importance.
"You'll really see how big this game is," said senior linebackerGreg Harper. "This has always been a big game, Memphis andLouisville. Practice is more intense, more focused than everbefore. We're ready to get after it."
Going into Saturday's game at Papa John's Stadium, everything isset up nicely for the Tigers.
They have won three straight games by an average of 26.7 pointsper game, the offense and defense continue to improve and theTigers have are coming off a bye week.
Not that it is going to be easy.
Louisville enters the game at 7-2 (3-2 in Conference USA), withtheir only two losses by 3 points each.
Last Friday the Cardinals lost 31-28 to undefeated TCU.
At home this year, they are a perfect 4-0.
"Louisville's pretty good --they're good every year -- but Ithink we have a shot," Harper said. "We'll have to pick it up anotch to pull out this one. Whatever we've been doing we need justa little extra. If we can do that, I think we'll be all right."
One of the key match-ups on Saturday will be a prolificLouisville offense against the Memphis defense.
The Cardinals' attack features junior quarterback Stefan LeFors,who has stepped in and filled the shoes of Dave Ragone nicely thisseason.
In the loss at TCU, LeFors threw for 459 yards and onetouchdown, which earned him C-USA offensive player of the weekhonors.
As a complement to LeFors' arm, running back Eric Sheltonheadlines the conference's most productive ground attack. Sheltonis averaging 84 yards per game.
Louisville ranks first in C-USA in points scored (34.0), rushingyards (212.4) and total yards (484.2).
Harper knows that to compete defensively, the Tigers will haveto play disciplined, opportunistic football.
"We have to tackle. These guys break a lot of tackles," Harpersaid. "Everybody has got to get to the ball and createturnovers.
"If we can just get it done on the defensive side of the balland give our offense a chance with some good field position, Ithink we've got a pretty good shot."
Good field position will be a key.
The Achilles heel for the U of M this year has been specialteams.
Against East Carolina, Memphis gave up a touchdown on a kickoffreturn and a long punt return set up another score. Earlier thisseason Memphis gave up another touchdown on the kickoff returnagainst Mississippi State. Those types of lapses in Louisvillecould be even more damaging.
The good news for the Tigers lately has been the offense.
For the past three games Memphis has been as good as anybodythis side of Norman, Okla. They have averaged over 42 points pergame during the current three game winning streak -- that's morepoints than B.J. Symons and pass-happy Texas Tech have scored intheir last three.
According to Danny Wimprine, the recent scoring surge is aproduct of offensive patience, a lesson that the Tigers will haveto remember on Saturday.
"We've got to stay within ourselves (on offense)," Wimprinesaid. "We can't go in there with the mindset that we have to make abunch of plays and end up turning the ball over. If we take whatthe defense gives us we'll be fine."
For their part Memphis players seem confident that Louisvillecan be beaten, even in their own stadium.
"Anybody can beat you on any given day," said senior defensiveend Treveco Lucas. "We just need to keep playing like we've beenplaying, just keep doing what the coaches tell us to."
7-3 would never feel so good.
