Although fans haven't endured a football season like this in many years, the Tigers still have earned one win. After the game against UT-Chattanooga they didn't have to come out on to the field after the game and tell reporters, "it was just one of those days."
However, The University of Memphis is one of eight teams in Division I football (out of 119 teams) that doesn't have a win against another team from Division I.
The lone win came on Sept. 9 when Memphis beat UTC 33-14. Chattanooga, a Division I-AA team, is 3-7 on the year.
This weekend's game against UCF might give the Tigers their best chance for their first win against a D-I team. The Golden Knights have earned two wins in 2006, including a 35-16 trouncing of Villanova to begin the year and a 23-22 win against Marshall on Oct. 4.
"We're going to go in tomorrow and watch film and see how they is and watch them on TV," wide receiver Earnest Williams said. "They had played Southern Miss."
Against Southern Miss, UCF had a better showing than did Memphis. In a 19-14 loss at the end of October, the Golden Knights took a 10-0 lead. Memphis was down early in their game to the Golden Eagles 21-0 after 15 minutes of play. But an interception thrown by UCF in the fourth quarter that led to a USM touchdown sealed their fate.
"I wouldn't say they were a bad team," Williams said. "But we're not going to take them for granted."
No 1-8 team can take anything for granted, and Memphis is no exception.
After losing receiver and kickoff return man Antonio McCoy to a dislocated knee, the prospects of winning aren't being helped.
Memphis will be looking to avenge last year's 38-17 loss to UCF come Saturday. But instead of bowl hopes, Memphis will be looking for that Division I win.
"I'll never quit," said Memphis quarterback Martin Hankins. "That's one thing I can say. We'll just keep coming out here playing and focusing on getting a win. That's the only thing we can do right now, is try to get a win."
Saturday may be the team's best chance to do just that.
Last week's game against Southern Miss has been dubbed the Black and Blue Bowl, but this week's game may earn that distinction, due to the beating these two teams have taken this season.
"They're similar to us," said Tiger running back Joe Doss. "(They're)...a good team that's struggling and things aren't going our way."
