Colleges

Scouting report

By Izzy Gould
Published November 11, 2006

UCF (2-7, 1-4 C-USA) at Memphis (1-8, 0-5), 8: The Knights lost their fourth in a row last week, 23-10 to East Carolina. One bright spot has been sophomore Kevin Smith, who is only the seventh Knight to surpass 2,000 career rushing yards. He has 2,019 in 21 games. The Tigers have lost six in a row, and 13 projected starters have missed at least one game. Nine are out for the season.

FAU (3-6, 2-2 Sun Belt) vs. Troy (4-4, 3-0), 4: The Owls lost at Middle Tennessee 35-14 last week. Failing to score on their first two drives after reaching Blue Raiders territory (missed 35-yard field goal and interception) frustrated coach Howard Schnellenberger. The Trojans have lost seven consecutive road games but won the series' past three meetings.

FIU (0-8, 0-3 Sun Belt) vs. La.-Monroe (1-7, 0-4), 7:10: The teams enter with a combined 15-game losing streak. The Panthers last won Dec. 3, 2005, 35-33 over Middle Tennessee. The Warhawks' only win this season was 24-6 against I-AA Alcorn State in the opener. FIU remains without Lionell Singleton, who has five interceptions, because of a suspension resulting from the brawl against Miami.

B-CC (5-4, 3-3 MEAC) vs. Howard (3-6, 2-4), 4: Bethune-Cookman can finish in the upper half of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference by winning their last two. Last week, it lost 34-17 to conference leader Hampton. B-CC's Eric Weems leads the MEAC in catches per game (6.4), receiving yards per game (91.5) and all-purpose yards per game (143.4). The Wildcats have won five of the past six in the series, 11-11-1 all time.

Florida A&M (6-3, 4-2 MEAC) vs. Hampton (9-1, 6-1), 6: The Rattlers have won four of the past five in the series. But the Pirates can clinch the conference title and the accompanying I-AA playoff berth with a win. The Rattlers have won six of seven to stand two back of Hampton and one back of Delaware State. Linebacker Vernon Wilder leads the conference at 9.2 tackles per game, and quarterback Albert Chester leads it at 238.6 total yards per game.

[Last modified November 11, 2006, 02:23:30]