Memphis (8-3, 5-2 Conference USA) is one of the nation's hottest teams. The Tigers have won their past five by an average of 37-14 but will be missing one of the nation's top running backs, DeAngelo Williams (1,430 rushing yards, 5.9 per carry), and leading receiver Maurice Avery (46 receptions, 728 yards, eight touchdowns). They are out three to five weeks with knee injuries. Junior quarterback Danny Wimprine is a contender for all-conference honors and has completed 204 of 366 passes for 2,649 yards with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The defense, inconsistent early in the season, has taken to new coordinator Joe Lee Dunn the past five games. Memphis allowed a combined 23 points in wins over (normally) high-scoring Houston and Tulane, dominated prolific Louisville in a 37-7 rout and made big plays in the fourth quarter of last week's 21-16 win over Cincinnati.
STAT ATTACK
With one game remaining, some of South Florida's statistical categories are up for grabs, including rushing - senior DeJuan Green holds a 26-yard edge on junior Clenton Crossley - and could be decided Saturday at Memphis. Also, Maurice Jones needs 11 tackles to surpass Kawika Mitchell's single-season record, Craig Kobel needs two tackles for loss to equal Mitchell's record and Elgin Hicks' seven touchdown receptions are a record.
OFFBEAT
Senior receiver Huey Whittaker and junior safety Javon Camon have propelled USF to a record season for blocks. The Bulls have blocked five kicks (extra points or field goals) and two punts, matching the record total of seven that USF blocked in 1998. Whittaker, 6 feet 5 with long arms, has blocked three kicks, including two that led to wins, a field goal on the final play of regulation against Cincinnati and an extra point in overtime against East Carolina. Camon also has three blocks, including a punt and an extra point in last week's 22-19 loss against UAB. The Bulls parlayed the punt block, in the middle of the fourth quarter, into a touchdown that sparked the 16-point comeback to tie at 19. Cornerback Bruce Gipson blocked a punt against East Carolina, and it led to a touchdown.
QUOTABLE
"If we're 9-3 after next week's game, I'm stormin' the field." - SANDRA HILL
Mother of Memphis star running back DeAngelo Williams, speaking to Memphis' Commercial Appeal after the Tigers' win last week over Cincinnati, their fifth straight to improve to 8-3. Hill was excited despite her son's knee injury.
BOWL METER
The loss to UAB was crippling for USF (6-4, 4-3). The Bulls will not achieve the six Division I-A wins required to go to a bowl. A win Saturday at Memphis would lift USF into third place in the final Conference USA standings (behind Southern Miss and TCU), but the Bulls' only hope for a bowl would be an appeal to the NCAA to have a I-AA win count toward its I-A total, which is a long shot. Even if the appeal is granted, C-USA likely will have filled its five bowl tie-ins.
