What’s the better football job: Memphis or Ole Miss?

December 4, 2011 by 6 Comments

Memphis and Ole Miss are bitter rivals with a lot in common right now.  Both are coming of two football seasons which fans want to forget with athletic directors that are stepping down in the next year.  With all of these similarities between the two struggling programs the question becomes what is the better situation for an incoming coach?

Let’s start with Ole Miss, which because of unrealistic expectations and a tough division makes it easily the worst available job in all of college football.  The fans are so delusional that they do not realize the best they can hope for is third or fourth place in the SEC West and maybe a bowl appearance.  Every year they expect their Rebels to win the western half of the SEC, and when they do not it is time to fire the coach.  So why would a coach place himself under that type of scrutiny when history suggests he will not be successful? The next head coach at Ole Miss is destined for failure, and if you do not believe me, just take a look at the Rebel’s history since the SEC split into two divisions in 1992.

Since SEC football expanded in ’92 there have been 19 seasons, with each season concluding in an SEC championship game.  Ole Miss has played in none of those games.  That means that Ole Miss has never won the outright SEC West title (but they do have a SEC West co-championship in 2003).  In fact, the last time Ole Miss won the SEC title was nearly five decades ago in 1963. Also, the Rebels have finished in the top three of the SEC West just six times since ‘92, while finishing in last place four times with two winless years in conference (they have more seasons with no wins in conference than they do SEC West championships!).  During this time span Ole Miss has only seven seasons with a conference record of .500 or better, and four of those seasons are 4-4.  So the Rebels have only three seasons with five or more wins in conference, but fans expect Ole Miss to compete for SEC West championships.

As long as LSU, Auburn, and Alabama are in the SEC West the Rebels will never have a realistic shot at winning the division.  With Arkansas on the rise, the addition of Texas A&M to the SEC West, and the addition of Missouri to the conference, the future of Rebel football is beginning to look bleak.

On the other hand, Memphis football is so bad that the Tigers probably couldn’t win the OVC right now, making it easily the second worst available coaching job in all of college football.  Three pitiful years (one under West and the other two under Porter), combined with a leadership group that cannot run a football press conference correctly let alone a football program, and a frustrated fan base have severely crippled any incoming coach’s chances to be successful.

However, there are no national powerhouses in C-USA, whereas the SEC West alone has three.  In fact, all the good teams in C-USA are leaving for AQ conferences, which should serve as an encouraging sign for Tiger fans who want wins.  One would think that with Houston, UCF, and SMU leaving the Tigers will be able to win more games in conference.  Alas, remember when Louisville, Cincinnati, and USF left before the 2005 season, the Tigers were supposed to dominate, but sadly they have not.

Memphis has a conference record of 18-38 in the seven seasons since C-USA split into two divisions. The Tigers have never won a C-USA championship in the leagues 15 year history, and are routinely the worst team in the conference.  At least the fans know the program is bad and they only want a few wins every year, not a conference title.

The Tigers are so desperate for wins that if the next coach can average four or five wins over the next three seasons he might earn himself a contract extension.  Conversely, if the Rebel’s next coach averages four or five wins over the next three seasons he will be fired. Just ask Houston Nutt who averaged six wins in his four year tenure.

Really this argument all comes down to whether you want to be a bad team in a mediocre conference (Memphis) or a bad team in a good conference (Ole Miss).  However, Ole Miss is a job that pays much more than Memphis.  And since both programs’ next coach will be gone by 2015, it might be best to take the millions of dollars Ole Miss is willing to pay and make off like bandit.

Click here to read 5 Reasons Why Memphis Should and Should Not Hire Houston Nutt.

Click here  to read Who should replace Houston Nutt at Ole Miss?

Click here  to read The end of an era in University of Memphis athletics.

Click here to read All Shook Up: R.C. Johnson in his own words.

Click here to read Fantasy Shirley: A Real Interview with a Fake University President.

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from different college football games throughout the Mid-South.

 

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Who should replace Houston Nutt at Ole Miss?

November 21, 2011 by 5 Comments

Ole Miss made the decision to fire Houston Nutt after his fourth year as head coach, a decision that surprised no one. Nutt was successful early on in is tenure at Ole Miss, but his performance these last two years have been abysmal. He is only 10-20 in SEC play during his four year tenure at Ole Miss, and he is currently riding a 12 game conference losing streak. Combine that with the fact that he has lost his last two meetings with arch rival Mississippi State and you have a situation where he has to be replaced as the Rebel’s head coach. Ole Miss fans are on pins and needles in anticipation, and cannot wait to see who the next football coach for Ole Miss will be. Here are 5 coaching candidates that the Rebels should pursue:

1. Mike Leach
With an overall record of 84-43 in is ten years with Texas Tech, Mike Leach is a no brainer and should be at the top of any Rebel fan’s wish list. He has never had a losing season and has a bowl record of 5-4. Mike Leach’s air raid offense is exciting, and his teams are always able to post huge numbers while out scoring opponents. Add to his already impressive resume a 19-11 record against his top three rivals (Texas, Baylor, and Texas A&M) and you have a coach who is established and ready for the bright lights of SEC football.

2. Rich Rodriguez
While Rich Rod’s last coaching gig did not end particularly well he is still a good coach and a good fit for Ole Miss. In his ten years as head coach of a FBS team (West Virginia and Michigan) Rich Rod has four conference championships, a record of 75-48, and his teams have gone to two BCS bowls with wins over Georgia in the 2006 Sugar Bowl and a win over Oklahoma in the 2008 Fiesta bowl (although Coach Rodriguez left to coach Michigan before the Fiesta bowl game). He has proven that he can win with his spread offense and should be near the top of anybody’s list of coaches.

3. Gus Malzahn
Malzahn is being touted as the greatest offensive mind in college football today.  He has no head coaching experience, but he is being highly sought after because his explosive offense helped lead Auburn to a national title last season.  There are two problems with trying to land Malzhan, the first of which is his salary.  He makes over $1.3 million as an assistant at Auburn, so he is very comfortable financially and he can wait for the best coaching job to open up.  The second problem with landing Malzahn is that he is becoming an extremely hot commodity.  His name is already coming up in the North Carolina search, and will continue to come up when the caching carousal begins to turn full speed at the end of the season.  However, landing Malzahn will certainly rejuvenate a fan base that needs some excitement after the past two seasons.

4. Hugh Freeze
Coach Freeze is currently leading Arkansas State to their best season ever and is another top notch coach that Ole Miss should try to land. While he does not have the head coaching experience of a Leach or Rodriguez, he has proven that he knows his way around a football field with this year’s Arkansas State team.  His quick paced offense is currently 25th in the nation in passing yards and averages more than 30 points per contest.  Contrary to Malzahn, Freeze is not as financially well off, and he is in fact the lowest paid football coach in the FB.  even though he is a head coach he makes nearly 800K less than Malzahn who is only an assistant coach.  Luring Freeze away from Arkansas State should be easy to do for Ole Miss, but he lacks the big name that they need to excite and rejuvenate their fans.

5. Charlie Strong
Charlie Strong has been itching for a chance to be a head coach in the SEC for years now, and Ole Miss would be lucky to land a coach with his defensive prowess.  He is currently the head coach at Louisville, where his defense ranks 23rd in total defense and is giving up a mere 18.6 points per game.  Coach Strong is very familiar with the SEC having been a defensive coordinator for ten years in the conference, and he knows exactly what it takes to win in the nation’s toughest conference.  Also, he has two national titles under his belt from his years at Florida, where his defenses ranked amongst the best in the nation.  Perhaps the best attribute that Coach Strong has is the fact that he is African American.  The Rebels have always struggled with the public perception involving the university an its race relations.  Hiring an African American football coach be a way to move beyond the school’s controversial past.

Click here to read 5 Reasons Why Memphis Should and Should Not Hire Houston Nutt.

Click here to see where Ole Miss ranks in MemphiSport’s latest TAMs Rankings.

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from different college football games throughout the Mid-South.

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Can anyone knock Arkansas out of the No. 1 spot in TAMs Rankings?

November 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The college football season is coming to an end with three weeks left before conference championships begin.  It is going to be a TAM Saturday as six TAM teams will face off in very meaningful games. Arkansas kept their SEC West championship hopes alive by throttling fellow TAM team Tennessee. Southern Mississippi was pushed all the way to the brink of defeat by UCF, before a pass deflection on a two point conversion sealed the win for the Golden Eagles.  Arkansas State is one win away from being crowned Sun Belt champion, with their next game against TAM ranking bottom dweller MTSU. The Bulldogs will try to become bowl eligible this weekend against the best TAM team, Arkansas. Vanderbilt throttled Kentucky over the weekend, and can become bowl eligible with a win over a Tennessee team that is still looking for their first conference win of the season.  Ole Miss continues to spiral out of control in Houston Nutt’s last year.  The Rebels only scored 7 points and were embarrassed at home by Louisiana Tech.  This week’s most disappointing team goes to the worst team in the TAM rankings the Memphis Tigers, who dominated three quarters before surrendering 24 fourth quarter points in a loss to UAB. Without further ado, the TAMs Rankings for the week of November 16, 2011…

Rankings compiled by MemphiSport. Updated every Wednesday.

1.  Arkansas (9-1): Last week No. 1
The Razorbacks won their third game against a TAM teamthis season in convincing fashion, as they dominated Tennessee on Saturday.  Arkansas is now ranked No. 6 in the BCS and still has an outside chance at a SEC championship.  If Arkansas wins out there will be a three way tie at the top of the SEC West and a tie breaker will need to be implemented in order to decide who will represent the West in the SEC championship.  Arkansas plays Mississippi State next and then it is a showdown with the best team in the country and arch rival LSU to possibly determine the SEC West champion.
Last Game: W 49-7 vs. Tennessee @ Razorback Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Mississippi State @ Little Rock Arkansas
Best Win:  42-38 vs. Texas A&M @ Cowboy Stadium
Worst Loss:  38-14 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 2 (Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Tennessee)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

2.  Southern Mississippi (9-1):  Last week No. 2
UCF was one two point conversion away from pulling off a huge upset against Southern Miss, but the Golden Eagles found a way to deflect the pass and hold on for the win.  The victory over UCF made Southern Miss the C-USA East champions and they will likely play Houston for the C-USA crown.  Next up is a pitiful UAB team, followed by a game against the worst TAM team Memphis to wrap up the season.
Last Game:  W 30-29 vs. UCF @ M.M. Roberts Stadium
Next Game: vs.  UAB @ Legion Field
Best Win:  30-24 vs. Virginia @ Scott Stadium
Worst Loss:  26-20 vs. Marshall @ Joan C. Edwards Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

3.  Arkansas State (8-2): Last week No. 3
Arkansas State held on Saturday to defeat Louisiana-Lafayette by one point and remain in control of the Sunbelt race.  The Red Wolves are going bowling for the first time since 2005 which has every Arkansas State fan excited.  They get a chance to improve their TAM record this weekend when they play TAM rankings bottom dweller MTSU.   If Arkansas State wins out they will get ten wins for the first time ever which is a major accomplishment for the Red Wolves.  We are beginning to hear whispers about Coach Freeze leaving to coach Ole Miss next year, so it will be interesting to see how the team responds to the off field distraction.
Last Game:  W 30-21 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette @ ASU Stadium
Next Game:  vs. MTSU @ Floyd Stadium
Best Win:  47-3 vs. Memphis @ ASU Stadium
Worst Loss:  26-7 vs. Virginia Tech @ Lane Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Memphis)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

4.  Vanderbilt (5-5):  Last week No. 6
Vandy dismantled Ole Miss on Saturday and is just one win away from becoming bowl eligible for just the fifth time in school history.  They will look to become bowl eligible when they travel to Neyland Stadium, and play rival and fellow TAM team Tennessee in what is going to be an intense game on Saturday.  Turnovers will be key as Vanderbilt leads the SEC in takeaways while Tennessee has only turned the ball over 13 times all season.
Last Game:  W 38-8 vs. Kentucky @ Vanderbilt Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Tennessee @ Neyland Stadium
Best Win:  30-8 vs. Ole Miss @ Vanderbilt Stadium
Worst Loss: 34-0 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Ole Miss)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Arkansas)

5.  Mississippi State (5-5):  Last week No. 4
Dan Mullin still has yet to defeat an SEC West foe not named Ole Miss since he has become the Bulldogs head coach.  Alabama absolutely dominated the Bulldogs offense, holding them to only 12 yards rushing and just 131 total yards.  The Bulldogs do not get any relief in the schedule this week when they take on the top TAM team Arkansas.  If Mississippi State loses this week then their game against arch rival Ole Miss will matter even more, since the Bulldogs will need to defeat the Rebels to become bowl eligible.
Last Game: W 24-7 vs. Alabama @ Davis Wade Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Arkansas @ Little Rock Arkansas
Best Win: 59-14 vs. Memphis @ Liberty Bowl
Worst Loss:  24-10 vs. Georgia @ Sanford Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Memphis)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

6.  Tennessee (4-6): Last week No. 5
Tennessee still has yet to beat an SEC team and another loss will eliminate the Vols from bowl contention.  Good news for Volunteer fans is the return of sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray, who practiced on Tuesday for the first time since broke his thumb against Georgia on October 8.  However, Bray is still listed as questionable for the Vols matchup against Vanderbilt this weekend, so it will be interesting to see how much playing time Coach Dooley will give him.  The Vols must beat Vanderbilt and Kentucky in order to become bowl eligible.
Last Game:  W 49-7 vs. Tennessee @ Razorback Stadium
Next Game:  vs.  Vanderbilt @ Neyland Stadium
Best Win: 45-23 vs. Cincinnati @ Neyland Stadium
Worst Loss:  37-6 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (MTSU)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Arkansas)

7.  Ole Miss (2-8):  Last week No. 7
Just when you think that the Rebel’s season has hit rock bottom Ole Miss gets a shovel and keeps on digging.  They suffered their fifth straight loss at home against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, and they get the best team in the nation next when LSU comes to town.  To make matters worse Coach Nutt has suspended starting quarterback Randall Mackey and leading rusher Jeff Scott for Saturday’s game.  Their best hope is that LSU decides not to make the trip to Oxford in order to prepare for their contest against Arkansas.
Last Game: L 27-7 vs. Louisiana Tech @ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Next Game: vs. LSU @ Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium
Best Win:  38-28 vs. Fresno State @ Bulldog Stadium
Worst Loss:  27-7 vs. Louisiana Tech @ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 2 (Vanderbilt and Arkansas )

8.  MTSU (2-7): Last week No. 8
Logan Kilgore and Jeff Murphy split time under the center, but MTSU still suffered their seventh loss of the season on Saturday.  The Blue Raiders will not be going bowling this year thanks to Saturday’s loss and are now playing for pride the rest of the season.  Good news for MTSU is if they can find a way to win two of their final three games they will likely jump Ole Miss in our TAM rankings.  They play fellow TAM team Arkansas State next in a showdown of the two best Sun Belt teams in the TAM rankings (also the only two Sun Belt teams in the TAM rankings).
Last Game:  L 42-14 vs. Louisiana-Monroe @ Malone Stadium
Next Game:   vs. Arkansas State @ Floyd Stadium
Best Win: 38-31 vs. Memphis @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Worst Loss:  49-21 vs. Georgia Tech @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Memphis)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Tennessee)

9.  Memphis (2-6):  Last week No. 9
Memphis held the lead for most of Saturday’s game against UAB and was up 35-17 when the fourth quarter started.  However, by the time the fourth quarter ended the Tigers had surrendered 200 total yards and 24 unanswered fourth quarter points in a losing effort.  They have to forget Saturday’s debacle and get ready for a Marshal team that is still fighting for bowl eligibility.
Last Game: L 41-35 vs. UAB @ Liberty Bowl
Next Game:  vs. Marshall @ Liberty Bowl
Best Win: 33-17 vs. Tulane @ Tulane Stadium
Worst Loss:  41-35 vs. UAB @ Liberty Bowl
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 3 ( Miss St., Arkansas State, MTSU)

The Mid-South is full of fans with allegiances to different area college football programs. Which FBS program in the three states surrounding the Memphis area is the best? To help end some arguments and start others, every week MemphiSport ranks all the college football teams in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi . We call it the TAMs Rankings.

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport. Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from games.

 

 

 


 

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5 Reasons Why Memphis Should and Should Not Hire Houston Nutt

November 11, 2011 by 1 Comment
Five Reasons Not to Hire Coach Nutt: 

1.  It is too soon to give up on Coach Porter.

One of the most important reasons not to hire Coach Nutt if you are Memphis is because Coach Porter is still in the process of building a program.  While the Tigers have struggled in Porter’s two year tenure, they are showing signs of improvement.  Memphis has a lot of underclassmen contributing on this year’s team, and this year’s experience under Coach Porter’s guidance will prove invaluable and help the program out in the long run.  He still has not gotten the depth necessary yet to compete at a top level, but he is only a few recruits away from making Memphis a threat.

2.  Despite Coach Nutt’s success his conference record is not good.

Coach Nutt has an impressive resume, but he only has a 52-58 conference record spanning the last fourteen seasons with Arkansas and Ole Miss.  Since he has been at Ole Miss his conference record is a pathetic 10-20.  It certainly seems like teams that are familiar with Coach Nutt’s system have success against him, a fact that should concern every Tiger fan that wants Coach Nutt.

3.  Houston Nutt may use Memphis as a stepping stone to get back to a major program.

Should Memphis hire Coach Nutt there is a possibility that Coach Nutt will leave as soon as a vacancy at a bigger program becomes available.  He did it to Boise State in 1997 when he left the Broncos after only one season to go coach Arkansas.  If you are curious about the damage a coach who leaves after one year can cause, look across the state to a Tennessee team that is still trying to rebuild after Lane Kiffin left to coach USC.  Add to this issue the fact that the Tiger’s have recently been spurned by a certain basketball coach who left because of the money and prestige of another program and you have a leadership group who wants to make sure that does not happen again.

4.  Coach Nutt is too expensive.

Houston Nutt is making almost 2.5 million dollars this season, while Larry Porter is only making about $316,500.   When you compare their salaries, Houston Nutt is making almost eight times as much as Coach Porter, and thanks to Coach Nutt’s buyout clause Ole Miss has to pay him six million dollars next year to not coach.  There is no way Memphis can afford to keep Nutt satisfied financially when bigger programs are always lurking and can shell out millions of dollars at a time for a coach.

5.  Coach Porter is a better recruiter than Houston Nutt.

Let me remind everyone that Coach Porter is the 2007 and 2009 Rivals.com National Recruiter of the Year and he is bringing in talented players.  Coach Porter only has one full recruiting class under his belt and he is getting talented players to commit to Memphis.  On the other hand, Coach Nutt won early on at Ole Miss with Ed Orgeron’s players, but failed to bring in the talent necessary to continue to have success at Ole Miss.

Five Reasons to Hire Coach Nutt:

1.  Hiring Coach Nutt will bring some energy and enthusiasm to a dwindling fan base.

There is no doubt that the hiring of Coach Nutt will create a buzz that will permeate throughout the city. Season ticket sales will increase, people will begin to take Memphis football more seriously, and Tiger fans will have a reason to be excited about their football program.  It will also change the fans perspective of the Memphis football program, because right now the perception of most fans is that Memphis does not care about its football program.  Hiring Houston Nutt will show that Memphis is willing to pay top dollar for an elite coach.

2.  Coach Nutt has an impressive resume.

Coach Nutt has a notable resume that includes 19 years of head coaching experience; fourteen of those years are in the SEC, which is one of the best conferences in the nation.  He has three SEC West titles and he is a three time SEC Coach of the Year.  Also, Houston Nutt’s overall record as a head coach at the FBS level is 104-77 and he has four bowl wins too.

3.  Hiring Coach Nutt will make Memphis more appealing to major conferences.

With conference realignment taking place Memphis needs to do everything it can to make itself more appealing to major conferences.  Hiring Coach Nutt will show the nation that Memphis is committed to their football program and willing to pay top dollar for an elite coach.  Houston Nutt has extensive experience coaching in a major football conference, and he will add instant credibility to a program that is desperate for a spot in an AQ conference.

4.  Houston Nutt is undefeated against C-USA teams since becoming a head coach at the FBS level.

Since becoming a head FBS coach in 1996 Houston Nutt has dominated C-USA teams.  He is an impressive 7-0 against Conference USA foes, and Memphis needs somebody who will get them wins inside their conference.  The last time Memphis had a winning record in conference was  in 2008 when the Tigers went 4-4 in conference play.  In fact, Memphis is a staggering 2-19 in conference since 2009, and the Tigers are in desperate need of somebody who can led them to more conference victories.  With his undefeated record against C-USA opponents Houston Nutt can bring a swagger to the Memphis program and make them belive that they can win games against conference foes.

5.  If you cannot bet him, join him.

Memphis knows first hand how good a football coach Houston Nutt is after taking some severe beatings from him in the past.   No Memphis football team has ever defeated Coach Nutt since he became head coach of Arkansas or while he was at Ole Miss.  Houston Nutt’s Rebel teams have all but eradicated the once intense rivalry between Memphis and Ole Miss. In the two contests since Houston Nutt became the Rebel’s head coach he has beaten Memphis by a combined score of 86-38.

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport. Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from games.

Photos by JD Meredith and Joe Murphy.

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Arkansas remains the top TAMs team for the sixth consecutive week

November 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Our TAM teams had yet another thrilling weekend full of big wins, narrow losses, and a coaching change we all saw coming.  Arkansas kept their BCS bowl hopes alive with a big win in the de facto SEC bronze medal game against South Carolina.  Southern Miss is on a collision course with a Houston team that is vying for a chance to crash the BCS party.  Arkansas State has its first seven win season since joining the FBS and is still atop the Sun Belt. While Ole Miss and Tennessee remain the only two teams in the TAM rankings who are still searching for conference wins.  Tennessee did beat up on fellow TAM team MTSU 24-0, but the Rebel’s loss to lowly Kentucky was the straw that broke the camel’s back in Oxford as Houston Nutt will not be returning as head coach of Ole Miss next season.  Vanderbilt gave another SEC foe all they could handle before falling short.  Mississippi State is riding a two game winning streak into this week’s contest against an Alabama team that is sure to be motivated coming off of their first loss of the season.  Thankfully for Tiger fans Memphis was on a bye week and they get UAB this week in what will be a game to determine who the worst team in C-USA is.  Without further ado, the TAMs Rankings for the week of November 9, 2011…
Rankings compiled by MemphiSport. Updated every Wednesday.

1.  Arkansas (8-1): Last week No. 1
Tyler Wilson threw his first interception in four games this Saturday, but the Razorback’s still found a way to win against a very talented South Carolina group.  Jarius Wright leads the SEC in both receptions and receiving yards, and he is beginning to establish himself as one of the premier receivers in the nation.  Arkansas still has a chance to be the SEC West champion and play in the SEC championship, but they will have to beat LSU to force a three way tie at the top of the division.  The Razorbacks are going for their sixth straight win this Saturday against fellow TAM team Tennessee.
Last Game: W 44-28 vs. South Carolina @ Razorback Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Tennessee @ Razorback Stadium
Best Win:  42-38 vs. Texas A&M @ Cowboy Stadium
Worst Loss:  38-14 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 2 (Ole Miss and Vanderbilt)
Losses Against TAMs Teams:0

2.  Southern Mississippi (8-1):  Last week No. 2
Southern Miss keeps on rolling through C-USA play this time by beating East Carolina 48-28.  This is the first time all season that the Golden Eagles defense has given up more than 24 points to a conference opponent, and they remain one of the stingiest defenses in the nation, only allowing 19.6 points per game.  They play Central Florida next and then they get the two worst teams in the conference (Memphis and UAB) to close out their season.
Last Game:  W 48-28 vs. East Carolina @ Dowdy Ficklen Stadium
Next Game: vs.  UCF @ M.M. Roberts Stadium
Best Win:  30-24 vs. Virginia @ Scott Stadium
Worst Loss:  26-20 vs. Marshall @ Joan C. Edwards Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0

3.  Arkansas State (7-2): Last week No. 5
Arkansas State continues to cruise through conference play this season, this time they handle a winless Florida Atlantic team to set up a match up against Louisiana-Lafayette with huge Sun Belt Championship implications.  Coach Freeze has done a great job with this year’s team, but the Red Wolves have one more hurdle to jump on Saturday before they can be crowned Sun Belt champions.   The Red Wolves will try to remain perfect in TAM ranking play when they take on MTSU in two weeks.
Last Game:  W 38-21 vs. Florida Atlantic @ FAU Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
Best Win:  47-3 vs.Memphis @ ASU Stadium
Worst Loss:  26-7 vs. Virginia Tech @ Lane Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Memphis)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

4.  Mississippi State (5-4):  Last week No. 3
Mississippi State has its first two game winning streak of the season after a blow out victory over FCS foe UT-Martin.  The Bulldogs have won three of their last four against subpar competition,  and they get an angry Alabama team that is coming off of their first loss of the season.  Coach Dan Mullin is looking for his first win against an SEC West foe not named Ole Miss this weekend, but Alabama is not going to make it easy for him to do so.  In order for the Bulldogs to pull off the upset they need a huge game from their due it all back Vick Ballard.
Last Game: W 55-17 vs. UT-Martin @ Davis Wade Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Alabama @ Davis Wade Stadium
Best Win: 59-14 vs. Memphis @ Liberty Bowl
Worst Loss:  24-10 vs. Georgia @ Sanford Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Memphis)
Losses Against TAMs Teams:0

5.  Tennessee (4-5): Last week No. 6
Tennessee snapped their 4 game losing streak on Saturday against MTSU by shutting out the Blue Raiders in Rote to a 24-0 victory.  The Vols have now only lost 12 regular season games in the months of November and December dating back to 1990.  They will need all of that November magic this week when they take on the top TAM team Arkansas.  In their five SEC games this year the Vols are only averaging 10.2 points per game.  If they stand a chance in Arkansas this week they will need to find a way to get more production out of Taureen Poole and the running game so that they can keep Tyler Wilson off of the field.
Last Game:  W 24-0 vs. MTSU @ Neyland Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Arkansas @ Razorback Stadium
Best Win: 45-23 vs. Cincinnati @ Neyland Stadium
Worst Loss:  37-6 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (MTSU)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

6.  Vanderbilt (4-5):  Last week No. 4
Vanderbilt lost another close game to an SEC opponent on Saturday, this time it was in the “Swamp” against Florida.  In fact, if you take out the 34 point beat down the Commodores suffered at the hands of Alabama their average margin of defeat in conference is only 8 points. While Coach Franklin has Vandy headed in the right direction, the Commodores must find a way to win close games if they are going to become bowl eligible this season.  Next up for Vanderbilt is Kentucky and then they play rival and fellow TAM team Tennessee.
Last Game:  L 26-21 vs. Florida @ Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Kentucky @ Vanderbilt Stadium
Best Win:  30-7 vs. Ole Miss @ Vanderbilt Stadium
Worst Loss: 34-0 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Ole Miss)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Arkansas)

7.  Ole Miss (2-7):  Last week No. 7
The Rebels’ season went from bad to worse this Saturday when Kentucky demolished them with a beat down of epic proportions.  This loss was the straw that broke the Rebel’s back as it was announced early this week that Coach Nutt will not be returning next year as the head coach.  Ole Miss is playing for pride now that they are not going to be bowl eligible for the second consecutive year.  They play a solid Louisiana Tech team who has lost to two TAM teams (Southern Miss and Mississippi Stat) this season a combined total of 8 points.
Last Game: L 30-13 vs. Kentucky @ Commonwealth Stadium
Next Game: vs. Louisiana Tech @ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Best Win:  38-28 vs. Fresno State @ Bulldog Stadium
Worst Loss:  30-13 vs. Kentucky @ Commonwealth Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 2 (Vanderbilt and Arkansas)

8.  MTSU (2-6): Last week No. 8
MTSU lost to Tennessee this weekend taking their TAM record to 1-1, with one game against a TAM team remaining.  The Blue Raiders held the Vols to 24 points and shut them out in the second half, but MTSU could never find any rhythm offensively.  Star quarterback Logan Kilgore was pulled from the game in the second quarter by Coach Stockstill after throwing a bad interception.  MTSU needs to win out to become bowl eligible and keep their streak of two years of bowl eligibility alive.
Last Game:  L 24-0 vs. Tennessee @ Neyland Stadium
Next Game:   vs. Louisiana-Monroe @ Malone Stadium
Best Win: 38-31 vs. Memphis @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Worst Loss:  49-21 vs. Georgia Tech @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Memphis)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Tennessee)

9.  Memphis (2-6):  Last week No. 9
The Tigers are coming off of a bye week and they get the only team in C-USA worst than them this week when they take on UAB.  A win this week will triple the Tigers’ win total form last year, and will give them more than one conference win for the first time since 2008.    Memphis will need big games from Taylor Reed and Billy Foster if they are going to snap a two year losing streak in the “Battle for the Bones” rivalry since 2008.
Last Game: W 41-0 vs. Central Florida @ BH Networks Stadium
Next Game:  vs. UAB @ Liberty Bowl
Best Win: 33-17 vs. Tulane @ Tulane Stadium
Worst Loss:  47-3 vs. Arkansas State @ ASU Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams:3 (Miss St., Arkansas State, MTSU)

The Mid-South is full of fans with allegiances to different area college football programs. Which FBS program in the three states surrounding the Memphis area is the best? To help end some arguments and start others, every week MemphiSport ranks all the college football teams in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi. We call it the TAMs Rankings.
CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport. Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from games.
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Big Jack’s Rhymes: A New Broom in Oxford

November 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Anyone with half an eye can plainly see
Ole Miss football ain’t what it used to be.

The Rebels have been losing a lot of late
And today the coach got the gate.

Houston Nutt will coach the rest of the year
Then simply say, “Hey, I’m outta here.”

He won’t leave empty handed of that there’s no doubt
It will cost six million bucks to buy him out.

Pete Boone the AD also drew the Rebels wrath
Sometime next year he will walk down the Primrose path.

So there will be fresh blood in Oxford and that’s just fine
Who will take over, hey, your guess is as good as mine…

 

Written by Jack Eaton on 11/07/11. “Big” Jack can be heard every Friday at 8am on KWAM 990 alongside former County Commissioner John Willingham. He was recently inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

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10 Straight SEC Losses for Ole Miss

October 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Ole Miss gave Arkansas all they could handle on Saturday, but in the end the Razorbacks prevailed thanks to a late interception by Eric Bennett that sealed a 29-24 victory for Arkansas.  Arkansas improves to 6-1 on the year while Ole Miss falls to 2-5 with ten consecutive SEC losses.

The Rebels dominated the time of possession during the first half holding the ball for over twenty two minutes and led 17-7 at halftime.  However, a poor third quarter saw Arkansas score 19 unanswered points and the Rebel lead evaporate, “I wish we had that back,” Coach Nutt said, “There were two series on offense and two series on defense that we did not do anything.”

A pivotal play in the third quarter collapse for Ole Miss was a dropped pass by Donte Moncrief.   Moncrief finished with 5 catches for 70 yards, but if he catches that particular pass the Rebels have momentum and the ball inside the Razorback’s 30. “I wish Donte would have caught one more ball.  He made some great catches today but I wish he would have caught one more ball” stated Coach Nutt referencing the dropped pass.

The Rebels did do some things well on Saturday holding star quarterback Tyler Wilson without a touchdown pass for the first time all season.  Ole Miss also managed to contain an explosive Arkansas passing attack allowing only 232 passing yards, almost 100 yards less than the Razorback’s average of 321 passing yards per game.

The play of true freshman Nickolas Brassell is another bright spot for the Rebels in this loss.  Brassell gained 93 total yards while playing both sides of the ball.  Coach Nutt was very pleased with Brassell’s performance saying, “He is such a tough competitor… We play him about 30 plays on each side and those are not easy plays because you are covering man to man their best receiver, then you come over here to our place (offensive side of the ball) and get the ball on screens, bubbles, reverses and deep balls… He is just an awesome young man.”

While Ole Miss did do some things well their run defense continued to struggle like it has all year long.  Led by Dennis Johnson’s 160 rushing yards, Arkansas gained 206 yards on the ground and really pounded the Rebels in the second half.

Coach Nutt’s seat is hotter than it has ever been thanks to a 1-11 record in his last twelve conference games and a 1-2 record against Mississippi State.  Next up for Ole Miss is a trip to Auburn to take on the defending national champions. It is do or die time for Ole Miss as the Rebels are only two losses away from missing a bowl for the second consecutive year.  They need to turn things around quickly or Coach Nutt will not be back next year.

  CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from different college games throughout the Mid-South.

Photos by JD Meredith.

Filed Under: Ole Miss, The Big Features Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Big Jack’s Rhymes: 45 Point Loss

October 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment

For Ole Miss football fans it’s a season of discontent
As they wonder where their football went.

And considering the Rebels play it’s not so strange
That a vocal few have been calling for change.

Now a 45 point loss can’t be allowed to pass
And their patience has reached a critical mass.

Since the football program is dead now, their goal
Is for many many heads to roll.

They’ve had it with Coach Nutt, he’s become a bore
And they want him gone-out the door.

Pete Boone doesn’t get away Scott free
They want him hanging from yonder tree. (figuratively speaking)

So the fans have spoken,they’ve had their
And change is coming,it’s on the way.

The odds are short, 10 out of 10
It’s not a matter of if–but when.

 

Written by Jack Eaton on 10/16/11. “Big” Jack can be heard every Friday at 8am on KWAM 990 alongside former County Commissioner John Willingham. He was recently inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

Photo by JD Meredith. 

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Arkansas remains No. 1 in the TAMs Rankings

October 12, 2011 by Leave a Comment

It was a thrilling Saturday of college football, especially for our TAMs teams. The two teams in Arkansas are putting together special seasons. Arkansas State is in contention for their second ever Sun Belt championship after a win against conference rival Louisiana-Monroe. The Razorbacks wowed everyone with an impressive 38-14 win over Auburn. The best team in Mississippi is neither Ole Miss nor Mississippi State, and every team in the state of Tennessee lost on Saturday. This week’s most disappointing team is MTSU who after winning their first game of the year last week against Memphis found a way to lose to lowly Western Kentucky in double overtime 33-36. Without further ado here is the TAMs Poll for the week of October 12, 2011…

Rankings compiled by MemphiSport. Updated every Wednesday.

1.  Arkansas (5-1): Last week No. 1

Arkansas remains first in the TAMs much to the delight of my man Big Red.  The Razorbacks also kept their SEC West championship hopes alive after a big time victory over Auburn on Saturday.  We all know about Tyler Wilson and the potent Razorback offense, but what about their defense who in the last six quarters has only given up 17 points and held Auburn scoreless in the final three quarters of the Saturday’s contest.  If the defense continues to play the like this, Arkansas might be able to sneak into a BCS bowl this season.  Next up for the Razorbacks is a bye week, and then they play fellow TAMs team Ole Miss.

Last Game: W 38-14 vs. Auburn @ Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Ole Miss @ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Best Win:  42-38 vs. Texas A&M @ Cowboy Stadium
Worst Loss:  38-14 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

2.  Southern Mississippi (5-1):  Last week No. 4

Mississippi might not belong to Mississippi State like the billboards say. The Golden Eagles keep on winning and are beginning to look like the best team in Mississippi.  Southern Miss kept on rolling Saturday against Navy as they exploded offensively for 584 total yards and 63 points in their route of the Midshipmen.  However, if Southern Miss is going to make it to the C-USA championship game they need to win out with Marshall losing one more conference game.  All eyes will be on their November 12 matchup against Central Florida as that game could decide who will represent the East in the C-USA championship.  They only play one TAMs team and that team is Memphis at the end of the season. If the Golden Eagles win the C-USA championship we might get to see them take on Mississippi State in the Liberty Bowl and finally figure out who owns the state of Mississippi this season.

Last Game:  W 63-35 vs. Navy @ Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Next Game: vs. SMU @ M.M. Roberts Stadium
Best Win:  30-24 vs. Virginia @ Scott Stadium
Worst Loss:  26-20 vs. Marshall @ Joan C. Edwards Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

3.  Tennessee (3-2): Last week No. 2

The Vols have been jumped in this week’s poll thanks in large part to injuries and their shaky rushing attack.  They started their tough four game stretch off with a loss to Georgia on Saturday and will have to make due without super sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray who left the game with a broken thumb.  A one dimensional Tennessee offense managed a mere  -20 rushing yards against Georgia on Saturday, and in their two SEC games this season they have a pitiful   -29 yards rushing.  The schedule does not get any easier for Tennessee as they play the no. 1 and no. 2 ranked teams in the nation in consecutive weeks.  To make matters worse Tyler Bray is out four weeks due to a broken thumb.  He is scheduled to return just in time to take on fellow TAMs teams MTSU, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt in November.

Last Game:  L 20-12 vs. Georgia @ Neyland Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Best Win: 45-23 vs. Cincinnati @ Neyland Stadium
Worst Loss:  33-23 vs. Florida @ Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

4.  Mississippi State (3-3):  Last week No. 5

The Bulldogs disappointing season continued Saturday as they struggled against UAB for three quarters before pulling away in the fourth.  UAB was ahead at halftime 3-0 which was their first time all season leading a game going into the half.  The decision to bench Chris Relf in favor of Tyler Russell in the second half worked out well for Coach Mullin, but it has created a quarterback controversy and a distraction that a struggling Bulldog team can ill afford to have.  Next up for the Bulldogs is No. 15 South Carolina, and then they get a bye week to try and work through their quarterback struggles. 

Last Game: W 21-3 vs. UAB @ Legion Field
Next Game:  vs. South Carolina @ Davis Wade Stadium
Best Win: 59-14 vs. Memphis @ Liberty Bowl
Worst Loss:  24-10 vs. Georgia @ Sanford Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Memphis)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

5.  Vanderbilt (3-2):  Last week No. 3

I do not know what to say about the Commodores.  Last week they were the third best team in the TAMs Poll, but after failing to score in seven consecutive quarters I am beginning to wonder if they can score against the Memphis Tiger defense.  Even though Vanderbilt looks awful right now they still have a chance to get six wins and be bowl eligible for the first time since 2008.  However, Vanderbilt might not win another game this season if Coach Franklin does not find a way to get more production out of his offense.

Last Game:  L 34-0 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Next Game: vs. Georgia @ Vanderbilt Stadium
Best Win:  30-7 vs. Ole Miss @ Vanderbilt Stadium
Worst Loss: 34-0 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Ole Miss)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

6.  Arkansas State (4-2): Last week No. 6

Coach Freeze has Arkansas State fans fired up over this year’s squad.  The Red Wolves have one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, are just two wins away from bowl eligibility, and are in contention for their second ever Sun Belt championship.  Arkansas State is coming off of a bye week and Coach Freeze is looking to carry the momentum from the first half of the season over into the second half.  Ryan Aplin and the Red Wolves are going to have to step up as they have a tough game on Saturday against last year’s conference co-champion Florida International.  If Arkansas State can win this game things set up nicely for them to win the Sun Belt championship.

Last Game:  W 24-19 vs. Louisianna-Monroe @ Malone Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Florida International @ ASU Stadium
Best Win:  47-3 vs. Memphis @ ASU Stadium
Worst Loss:  26-7 vs. Virginia Tech @ Lane Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Memphis)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0  

 

7.  Ole Miss (2-3):  Last week No. 7

The Rebels will return to action this Saturday after a much needed bye week.  Houston Nutt has planted himself firmly on the hot seat and if Ole Miss does not start winning soon they will fail to make a bowl for consecutive years and Coach Nutt will be gone. Their next opponent is an Alabama team that leads the nation in scoring defense, giving up less than ten points per game. After Alabama Ole Miss gets to try and slow down the top ranked TAMs poll team Arkansas who averages over 460 total yards and close to 40 points per game . 

Last Game: W 38-28 vs. Fresno State @ Bulldog Stadium
Next Game: vs. Alabama @ Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium
Best Win:  38-28 vs. Fresno State @ Bulldog Stadium
Worst Loss:  14-13 vs. BYU @ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Vanderbilt)

 

8.  MTSU (1-4): Last week No. 8

The Blue Raiders are only two losses away from not being bowl eligible after a heartbreaking double overtime defeat to Western Kentucky on Saturday.  Logan Kilgore and the MTSU offense is not the problem as they are averaging 30 points per game and are the No. 20 team in the nation in total yards per game.  The problem is teams are scoring at will against the pitiful Blue Raiders D.  They are 108th in the nation in total defense and 112th in the nation in points against.  Next up for MTSU is a bye week then they will try for win number two against a Florida Atlantic team who has not won a game all season.

Last Game:  L 33-36 vs. Western Kentucky @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Next Game:   vs. Florida Atlantic @ FAU Football Stadium
Best Win: 38-31 vs. Memphis @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Worst Loss:  49-21 vs. Georgia Tech @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Memphis)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0  

 

9.  Memphis (1-4):  Last week No. 9

Another blowout loss to yet another conference opponent does not bode well for Coach Porter’s future.  Fans have begun clamoring for his resignation and with a talented East Carolina squad coming to town this Saturday those clamors could become shouts by the end of the second quarter.  Memphis still cannot move the ball offensively or score averaging only 13.5 points per game.  The defense is taking some small steps forward as they forced 3 turnovers and sacked the quarterback 5 times last game against Rice.  Their next and final TAMs opponent is Southern Mississippi at the end of the season.

Last Game: L 28-6 vs. Rice @ Rice Stadium
Next Game:  vs. East Carolina @ Liberty Bowl
Best Win: 27-6 vs. Austin Peay @ Liberty Bowl
Worst Loss:  47-3 vs. Arkansas State @ ASU Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 3 (Miss St., Arkansas State, MTSU)

 

The Mid-South is full of fans with allegiances to different area college football programs. Which FBS program in the three states surrounding the Memphis area is the best? To help end some arguments and start others, every week MemphiSport ranks all the college football teams in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi. We call it the TAMs Rankings.

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport. Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from games.

 

 

 

 

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Arkansas Tops First Ever TAMs Rankings

October 5, 2011 by 2 Comments

The Mid-South is full of fans with allegiances to different area college football programs. Which FBS program in the three states surrounding the Memphis area is the best? To help end some arguments and start others, MemphiSport is proud to debut the TAMs Rankings, a weekly poll ranking all the college football teams in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi (TAM).  This new rankings system also doubles as a tribute to the Bluff City’s ABA heritage.  Without further ado here are the rankings for week of October 5, 2011…

Rankings compiled by MemphiSport. Updated every Wednesday.

1.  Arkansas (3-1): Critics wondered how Arkansas would respond coming off of an embarrassing loss to Alabama and the Razorbacks responded emphatically with a thrilling come form behind win against Texas A&M.   These Razorbacks are just as potent offensively as last year’s squad ranking 7thin the nation in passing yards and averaging 39 points a game.  Arkansas cannot rest with the defending national champions SEC West foe No. 15 Auburn next up on the schedule.  This is a must win game if Arkansas is going to keep their hopes alive for an appearance in the SEC Championship game.  We look forward to the second half of the Razorbacks schedule as they will play four of the other members in the TAMs Rankings.
Best Win: 42-38 vs. Texas A&M @ Cowboy Stadium
Worst Loss:  38-14 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0



2.  Tennessee (3-1):  The Vols are off to fast start this season thanks to a prolific passing attack led by super sophomore Tyler Bray.  Tennessee has the 11thbest passing attack in the nation and is scoring 37.8 points a game.  However, the running game has not faired as well and Coach Dooley has to find some balance offensively if the Vols are going to get back to the SEC championship game.  We will find out what this Tennessee team is made of in the coming weeks as they have a tough four game stretch against Georgia, No. 1 LSU, No. 2 Alabama, and No. 18 South Carolina.  November is TAMs month for the Vols as three of their four opponents in the month are TAMs teams. 

Best Win: 45-23 vs. Cincinnati @ Neyland Stadium
Worst Loss:  33-23 vs. Florida @ Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

3.  Vanderbilt (3-1):Vandy is one of the most surprising stories of this young season so far.  Coach James Franklin has this Commodore team dominating opponents on the defensive side of the ball.  They rank 11th in the nation in total yards per game and are only giving up a staggering 15.8 points per game.  The Commodores are coming off a bye week and their last game was a disappointing 21-3 loss to South Carolina .  Vanderbilt hopes to right the ship and pull off a huge upset against No. 2 Alabama this week.  The Commodores man-handled TAMs team Ole Miss earlier this season and they have two TAMs teams left this season (Arkansas and Tennessee ).

Best Win:  30-7 vs. Ole Miss @ Vanderbilt Stadium
Worst Loss: 21-3 vs. South Carolina @ Williams-Brice Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Ole Miss)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

4.  Southern Mississippi (4-1):

Southern Miss is off to an impressive start to the 2011 season and their defense should be given most of the credit.  No team has scored more than 27 points against the Golden Eagles and they are only giving up 19.4 points a game.  They will be challenged in their next two games (Navy and SMU), but the schedule is favorable and Southern Miss has the opportunity to play for a C-USA championship.  The Golden Eagles only play one TAMs teams this year and that is Memphis in the “Black and Blue” game at the end of the season.

Best Win:  30-24 vs. Virginia @ Scott Stadium
Worst Loss:  26-20 vs. Marshall @ Joan C. Edwards Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

5.  Mississippi State (2-3):

Hopes were high for the Bulldogs coming into this season after a stellar campaign in 2010.  However, Mississippi State is dead last in the conference and Coach Dan Mullin still has yet to beat an SEC West opponent not named Ole Miss.  If the Bulldogs simply beat the teams they are supposed to beat the rest of the season they can still go to decent bowl, but an SEC title is out of reach.  For what it is worth the Bulldogs did throttle TAMs team Memphis in the first game of the season and their last two games of the season are against fellow TAMs teams Arkansas and Ole Miss.

Best Win: 59-14 vs. Memphis @ Liberty Bowl
Worst Loss:  21-10 vs. Georgia @ Sanford Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 ( Memphis )
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

6.  Arkansas State (3-2):

The Red Wolves have won three of their last four thanks in large part to the play of standout quarterback Ryan Aplin who is dominating opponents through the air.  Aplin has the team poised to make a run at their second Sun Belt Conference championship and a trip to the New Orleans Bowl.  Arkansas State absolutely dominated TAMs team Memphis early on in the season and they look forward to playing MTSU in their second to last contest of the year.

Best Win:  47-3 vs. Memphis @ ASU Stadium
Worst Loss:  26-7 vs. Virginia Tech @ Lane Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 ( Memphis )
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

7.  Ole Miss (2-3):

To say the Rebels are struggling offensively this year would be an understatement.  Ole Miss is dead last in the SEC in scoring, averaging a measly 22.6 points per game.  The schedule does not get any easier for Coach Nutt and the Rebels as their next three opponents are all ranked in the top 15.  Ole Miss already has an embarrassing loss to TAMs team Vanderbilt on their resume, they will play Arkansas in two weeks, and they end the season with Mississippi State.

Best Win:  38-28 vs. Fresno State @ Bulldog Stadium
Worst Loss:  14-13 vs. BYU @ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Vanderbilt)

 

8.  MTSU (1-3):

MTSU has struggled all season due in large part to an inept defense which is giving up an unimpressive 36.3 points per game.  The Blue Raiders defense could not stop Memphis, who came into the game averaging 15 points per game, from putting up 31 points.  The lone bright spot to the season so far for MTSU is the play of quarterback Logan Kilgore who is 19th nationally in passing yards (second in the Sun Belt behind Corey Robinson of Troy State).  They are undefeated against TAMs poll members having already defeated Memphis and have Tennessee and Arkansas State on the schedule as well.

Best Win: 38-31 vs. Memphis @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Worst Loss:  49-21 vs. Georgia Tech @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 ( Memphis )
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

9.  Memphis (1-4):

The pollsters could not agree on much, but one thing we could all agree on is that Memphis is the worst of the TAMs teams.  The Tigers have yet to beat any FBS foe and rank in the bottom of every FBS football statistic.  They are only averaging 15 points per game while their defense is giving up 38 points to the opposition.  Memphis has already played three TAMs teams and lost every game, giving up an average of 48 points per game to TAMs teams.

Best Win: 27-6  vs. Austin Peay @ Liberty Bowl
Worst Loss:  47-3 vs. Arkansas State @ ASU Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 3 (Miss St., Arkansas State, MTSU)

 

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets during University of Memphis home games. 

 

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