C-USA Preview: Week Ten

If ESPN were trying to hype this week in the C-USA, what silly name would they give it? BorderWar Saturday? There are two border wars, and two in-state clashes…OK, that’s a stretch. Forget it, Week Ten needs no hype. Both the divisional leaders are looking to deliver another knock out punch, and the second place squads, Tulsa and UCF, are hanging on for dear life. What’s on tap? Wait no longer:

Game of the Week

East Carolina at Memphis – This has to be the game of the week, right? Surprising Memphis, who earlier this year I had all the way down at #10 in the power rankings, has a chance to seize the East with a win over visiting ECU. The Tigers have three C-USA wins by 7 points over bottom feeders Marshall, Rice and Tulane but nonetheless, control their own destiny in the title quest. ECU looks much better on paper, but Martin Hankins has this team turned over and looking surprisingly potent on offense (18^th nationally in passing). It’s the C-USA, so when in doubt, pick overtime. ECU 35, Memphis 32 (OT)

Best of the Rest

Tulsa at Tulane – Tulsa has been one of the best C-USA stories of 2007, a team with a bunch of talent that can’t seem to put bad teams away yet always seems capable of dropping a 50 spot on an opposing D. Paul Smith is one of the conference’s premier players, but with the help he’s getting from the defense, would need to be Heisman-worthy to lead this team to a marquee season, and he hasn’t been that. Matt Forte is finally getting some national love, but it isn’t to half the degree he deserves. Every person in the building knows he’ll be carrying, and Forte’s still good for 190 a game. David Skehan will pick a Paul Smith pass, but the Golden Hurricane eeks another close one. Tulsa 34, Tulane 30.

UTEP at Rice – You know that friend you have who you’re not really sure what to make of, but you always call him to hang out because he turns every night in to a crazy party, even if it ends in disaster? That’s UTEP. 6 of the Miners’ 7 games against FBS opponents have been decided by 5 points or less, including the last four coming down to a field goal or less. Rice is back at the bottom of the standings after gagging at Marshall, but is there any reason to think this will be a blow out? UTEP is the master at “keeping both teams in the game,” and if Chase Clement can keep Rice in the game, UTEP certainly won’t stop him. UTEP 38, Rice 34

Ho Hum

Marshall at UCF – Fresh off the heels of their first win, the Herd travels to Orlando for a date with a UCF squad clamoring to get back in the East race. Bernard Morris is actually a pretty exciting dual threat QB for the Herd, but the offense will be no match for the Knights, who are just now fully recovered from the USF beat down. I’m saying Kyle Israel out dual-threats Morris, and the Knights have it on ice by the late third. Let’s hope Marshall at least gets an Epcot visit out of the deal. UCF 41, Marshall 17.

Boooooooooooooring

Southern Miss at UAB – The Blazers have been absolutely awful lately, delivering two out and out stink bombs against Houston and ECU. Southern Miss, on the other hand, has been a tough team to peg, what with the big win at ECU and the awful loss to Rice at home. This seems like a classic trap game, for some reason, what with the Eagles coming off UCF and looking ahead to Memphis and UTEP the next two weeks. I know I’ve spilled a lot of ink on the woes of UAB, but I’m playing the trap game card and expecting the Blazers to create a lot of turnovers and squeak out the home upset. UAB 29, So. Miss 21.

SMU at Houston – Raise your hand if you want to see a Cougar eat a Pony? That’s what you’ll get this Saturday in H-Town as SMU ushers in the post-Bennett era by playing sacrificial lamb at the hands of the Cougars. I guess the Ponies could come out with a loose and wild performance, but I’m not counting on it against a Houston team that now sports a top-15 offense nationally in both rushing and passing and seems to be clicking on all cylinders with three straight conference wins. Donnie Avery catches 2 TDs and Rocky Schwartz takes an INT to the house: Cougars by a lot. Houston 40, SMU 20.