Nov. 28, 2008

MEMPHIS, TENN. - Twenty-five Tiger football seniors will be playing their final game at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on Saturday when Memphis (5-6; 3-4 C-USA) hosts Tulane (2-9; 1-6 C-USA) in the regular-season finale for both squads. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m., and the game will be carried live by CSS with Bob Neal and Chuck Oliver providing the commentary, and Sandra Golden reporting from the sidelines.

The Tigers have a second shot at bowl eligibility on Saturday after snapping a two-game winning streak with a loss to UCF at home last weekend. The Green Wave comes into the meeting on a seven-game losing streak. Tulane's lone Conference USA victory was to SMU (34-27), and the other win this season was over UL-Monroe (24-10).

Saturday's game is the 28th all-time meeting between the two schools on the gridiron. The Tigers hold a 15-11-1 series advantage. Memphis has won four straight, and five of the last six encounters against the Green Wave. Last year, the Tigers posted a 28-27 come-from-behind victory over Tulane in the Louisiana Superdome. The Green Wave's last win in the series was a 37-14 victory in the 2000 campaign. Memphis holds a commanding 9-2 series advantage in games played in the Bluff City. In fact, the Tigers have won eight of the last nine meetings at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

The two teams last played in Memphis in the 2004 campaign, with the Tigers defeating Tulane, 49-24. The last Tulane victory at the Liberty Bowl came in the 1998 season. That 1998 Green Wave squad finished 1998 with a perfect 12-0 record and a No. 7 national ranking.

Tulane Game Picked Up For TV
With this weekend's game against Tulane being picked up for broadcast by CSS, the Tigers will now have seven games televised this season. So far, Memphis has had six games televised this season including the Marshall and East Carolina contests that were also carried by CSS. In addition, ESPN aired the game against Louisville and CBS College Sports Network produced the Rice, UAB and Southern Miss games.

Tigers In Regular-Season Finales in the West Era
Memphis has a 4-3 record in regular season finales under head coach Tommy West. The Tigers have won their last four regular season finales, including last season's thrilling, triple-overtime 55-52 win over SMU at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Memphis also won its 2006 (38-19 over UTEP), 2005 (26-3 over Marshall) and 2004 (31-15 over USF) regular season finales. Below is a chart detailing Memphis' regular-season finales:

Yr        Score, Result    Opp.    Site
2001    34-36, L          Cincinnati         Home
2002    20-27, L          TCU    Away
2003    16-21, L          USF     Home
2004    31-15, W         USF     Away
2005    26-3, W           Marshall           Home
2006    38-19, W         UTEP   Away
2007    55-52, W (3ot)            SMU    Home

Close Calls In Final Home Games
In the Tommy West era, the Tigers sure have made the final home game an exciting one for their fans. Of the previous seven home finales, five were decided by single digits. In fact, the last two final home games went to overtime. In 2006, Memphis dropped a 23-20 overtime decision to Houston in the final home game of the season. Then, last year, the Tigers stretched it out a little longer, going to triple overtime before defeating SMU 55-52. The average margin of victory in the last seven Tiger home finales was 9.7 points. However, for only the five single-digit outcomes, the average margin of victory was 3.4 points.

Late Home Finale
The Tigers wrap up the 2008 regular season this Saturday on Nov. 29. It is one of the latest dates to play a regular season finale in school history. The latest regular season finale in school history was a Dec. 7 game in the 1918 campaign. The Tigers also played December regular season finales in 1950 (Dec. 1) and 1972 (Dec. 2). Memphis has played a Nov. 30 regular season finale six times in 1916, 1922, 1933, 1963, 1968 and 2002.

One More Shot
After a disappointing 28-21 loss to UCF last weekend, the Tigers have just one more chance at bowl eligibility when they host Tulane Saturday at the Liberty Bowl. The Tigers have made bowl appearances in four of the last five seasons, including a meeting last year with Florida Atlantic in the New Orleans Bowl. In that five-year span, Memphis has also played in the 2003 New Orleans Bowl, the 2004 GMAC Bowl and the 2005 Motor City Bowl.

Seniors Playing In Liberty Bowl For Last Time
Twenty-five Tiger seniors will be playing their final game at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium this weekend. The large group of talented Tigers includes Freddie Barnett (DL), Philip Beliles (C), Tony Bell (DB), Steven Black (WR), Michael Denning (OL), Brandon Douglas (DL), Terrence Echols (OL), Michael Grandberry (DB), Tyler Griffin (DB), Will Hudgens (QB), Charlie Jones (RB), Maurice Jones (WR), LeRico Mathis (DB), Antonio McCoy (WR), Clinton McDonald (DL), Corey Mills (DL), Brandon Patterson (DB), Brandon Pearce (OL), Tommy Phelps (LB), Carlton Robinzine (WR), Brett Russell (TE), Cody Stubblefield (OL), Brent Sutherland (P), Brent Todd (OL) and Earnest Williams (WR).

Fastest To 2,000 Yards
Junior receiver Duke Calhoun made a 54-yard touchdown catch in the UCF game, and in doing so, became only the third Tiger in school history to log 2,000 career yards receiving. Calhoun, who enters this weekend's game with 2,010 yards, also became the fastest Tiger receiver to 2,000 yards as he has only played in 35 career games. Earnest Gray tallied his 2,000th yard in the 10th game of his senior season (1978), and the 43rd game of his career. Damien Dodson recorded his 2,000th yard in the ninth game of his senior season (1999); the 39th game of his career.

Steele Rushes For 1,000+ In 2008
Junior Curtis Steele became only the fourth Tiger in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season in the Tigers' game versus SMU. In that contest, Steele rushed for 123 yards to bring his season total to 1,002 yards. Steele is the first Tiger to achieve 1,000-plus yards since DeAngelo Williams in 2005. Williams logged three straight 1000-yard seasons (2003-05); Gerard Arnold logged 1,059 yards in 1998; and Dave Casinelli tallied 1,016 yards in 1963.

Steele left the SMU game in the third quarter with a pulled hamstring and missed a majority of practices the following two weeks. He was questionable for the UCF game, but ultimately started the game. Against the Knights (2nd in C-USA in rush defense), Steele totaled just 38 yards, including a two-yard TD run, on 15 carries. He enters the regular-season finale versus Tulane with 1,040 yards, which ranks fifth all-time in single-season yardage. He needs just 20 yards to take over the No. 4 spot currently held by Gerard Arnold, who tallied 1,059 yards in 1998.

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