The 15th ranked (AP) Tennessee Volunteers close out their non-conference schedule Saturday (Sept 30) as the Vols face their second C-USA opponent in as many weeks when they travel to the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium to oppose unranked Memphis University in an ESPN televised football game. Kickoff is set for Noon (EDT).
The Vols will be on the road for the first time although not out of state after opening the season with four games in Knoxville. UT leads the all-time series with Memphis 19-1, with the lone loss coming in Memphis in 1996 by a score of 21-17. In that loss, Peyton Manning quarterbacked the Volunteers. The Vols have won the last four contests with the Tigers, including a 20-16 win last year at Neyland Stadium. Other than a 49-28 UT win in 2001, the games between the in-state rivals have been competitive and generally low scoring in the Fulmer era. The Vols have scored more than 24 points just once, and four of the six games have been decided by single digits. Former Vol Tommy West, winless in two tries against his alma mater, leads the Tigers for the sixth year on the heels of three straight bowl appearances.
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Six year Memphis head coach Tommy West fired defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn after the Tigers 20-35 loss at East Carolina Sept 16th. West has now had an extra week to get the defense whipped into shape because of a bye week following the East Carolina loss.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that we (the defense) got better.” West said. “Of course we started at zero. I’ve said it’s harder than I thought it would be with the total flip. We’ll try to keep a couple of things off the old package. Had we not had the open date, there’s absolutely no way we could have done this. To be honest, when we get to the game on Saturday, I hope we get better as the game goes on. That’s how we’ll have to be.”
The leader of the Tennessee offense is quarter back Erik Ainge who might enjoy facing a defense in disarray. Ainge ranks third in the SEC and 10th in Division 1-A with a 165.91 passer efficiency rating this year. He eclipsed the 3,000-yards passing milestone with 258 yards through the air vs. Marshall. Ainge will be looking to connect with senior Jayson Swain or junior Robert Meachum. Meachum continues to lead the SEC with 105 yards receiving per game through four games. In the game versus Marshal Swain caught five passes for a career-high 98 yards.
Sharing the backfield with Ainge is a pair of freshman halfbacks, Montario Hardesty and LaMarcus Coker. Against Marshall, Coker finished with 146 yards on eight carries and now averages10.5-yards per rush this season. The Vols are averaging 115 rushing yards per game and have scored six rushing Touchdowns on the year. Montario Hardesty made his second consecutive start last Saturday vs. Marshal and had a 20-yard touchdown run to give him scoring runs in each of the last four games.
Tennessee has been installed as the favorite giving a –13 point chalk. The total is set at 45.
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