In a field of orange speckled with blue The University of Memphis's rival game of the year was set. At stake was the chance for both teams, The U of M and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, to get a step closer to bowl play.
Tiger-fan excitement was at a fevered pitch.
While some Tiger fans headed to Knoxville to catch Saturday's match-up live, others chose to watch the game on television.
Unfortunately, the only way that would've happened is if they shelled out $30 for Time Warner's pay-per-view.
Monday, the question of why the game was not aired on a network Memphians could watch rumbled around The U of M campus.
Sharon Kyser, a marketing manager for Time Warner MidSouth, said the decision on which station airs the game depends on which media company buys the rights.
"No networks picked up the game," she said.
She added that a lot of times it's the school's decision.
"Like with the Ole Miss game," Kyser said, "they decided not to air it to get people to the stadium."
U of M's Athletic Media Relations department said the decision was Tennessee's.
"We did not have anything to do with that decision," said Jennifer Rodrigues, director of U of M's Athletic Media Relations. "Supposedly it was originally picked up then dropped by ComCast Sports."
Rodrigues said that even if ComCast had aired it, Memphis fans would have not been able to see it because The U of M's deal with Time Warner does not include a station that would have carried it.
Bob Winn, associate director of U of M's external affairs department, confirmed Rodrigues's comment that the game was picked up then dropped by ComCast.
"We have no rights to dictate to the networks what games they air," he said. "A network has to be interested."
Winn said it was probably Tennessee's lack of success in the four games leading up to Saturday's that made the decision.
"Of course we cannot afford satellite trucks, etc. to bring the game to the fans ourselves," he said. "The decision usually lies with the home team."
Winn also said Tennessee stood to make more money at $30 per PPV than by letting a network air it.
"I am not sure how the money is (divvied up)," he said. "I don't know how much, if any, we get or how much Tennessee gets."
Calls to The U of M's business departments were unreturned.
College athletics carries a big price tag. Not only do coaches and administrative teams have to be paid but also, according to an unnamed source at Wilson Air, a charter jet company in Memphis, colleges spend a lot on flying teams to and from games.
"When we fly teams we go all out," said the Wilson Air employee who wished to remain anonymous. "We take care of catering and everything."
The source added that The U of M flies close to 200 people per game and, depending on many variables, the school could shell out $50,000 or more per game.
"Colleges do this because it allows the players more time to rest for the game versus riding a bus," the source said.
There's good news for Memphis fans, though. At least one more away game will be aired locally.
"I believe that Saturday's game against Southern Mississippi was picked up by Jefferson Pilot Sysems which owns WLMT," Kyser said.
