Mississippi at Memphis

Memphis had a nightmare of a season last year, finishing with a dismal 2-10 record. It was a season full of what could of been... but everything went wrong. It's a program that had gone to three straight Bowl games, and yet the wheels fell off in 2006. They lost five games by small margins: 3, 6, 3, 2 and 3 points. And, even though they lost to East Carolina by 15, they actually led that game in the 4th quarter. The team could have quit, especially after a tough loss at Houston in OT 23-20, but they did not. They went to UTEP to face a team that needed a win at home vs. this 1-10 Memphis team to become Bowl eligible. Memphis humiliated UTEP 37-19. They finished 2-10, definitely bad. But this team with a few breaks, actually could have gone to a Bowl game. This season they bring back most of that team - eight on each side. The defense will be much better and the offense is loaded. Ed Orgeron is in a tough place, trying to compete in the SEC. The Rebels managed a 28-25 squeaker vs. Memphis last year at home, despite being outgained, having a turnover edge and home field advantage. The problem is this year, the game is at Memphis. The Rebels failed to win any games on the road last year and have won on the road just two times in the last three years! Again, there is no Eli Manning in the huddle this season. The 2003 Manning-led Rebels averaged 34.3 points per game. It has now been 28 games since the Rebels have seen even 29. Last year they managed under 17 ppg and we don't see that too many things that have changed. These teams have met in the last four years and Memphis has outscored the Rebels over those four games. This season Memphis again looks like the better team, with the luxury of playing it at home.