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2011 CFN C-USA Week 7 Roundup
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CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Oct 15, 2011
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2011 CFN Conference USA Week 7 Staff Picks, Roundup, & More
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2011 C-USA - Week 7
East
UAB |
UCF
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East
Carolina
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Marshall
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Memphis
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Southern
Miss
West
Houston |
Rice
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SMU
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Tulane
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Tulsa
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UTEP
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Week 7 Game Recaps
Rice at Marshall
UCF at SMU
UTEP at Tulane
East Carolina at Memphis
UAB at Tulsa
Player of the Week
SMU QB J.J. McDermott completed 20-of-31 passes for 358 yards and two touchdowns with a pick in the win over UCF.
Three Best Games of the Week
1. at SMU 38 … UCF 17
2.
at Marshall 24 … Rice 20
3.
at Tulsa 37 … UAB 20
East Carolina... at East Carolina 35 … Memphis 17 … It took way too long to wake up and put away a miserable Memphis team, but Dominique Davis did get it together with 307 yards and three touchdowns while running for 25 yards and a score. The miserable pass rush finally started to get a little pressure with three sacks, and the defense stepped up in the second half, but the team as a whole isn’t looking ready to challenge the better Conference USA teams. The run defense and the inconsistent line will be put to the test against Navy next week, and then comes a winnable game against Tulane at home. Win that, and then the season gets interesting with Southern Miss to follow.
Houston ... Didn’t Play This Week
Marshall ... at Marshall 24 … Rice 20 … This wasn’t exactly a smooth game with the offense failing to get much out of the passing game, but the running game, particularly quarterback A.J. Graham, who threw for 110 yards and ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns, but it was the play of the ultra-aggressive defense that made all the difference with 14 tackles for loss with Vinny Curry dominating with three sacks and nine tackles. Terrific on third downs, the defense saved the offense time and again and came up with the key fumble recovery late to lead to the winning score, and the O came through when it had to. Unfortunately, now the offense has to gear it up a bit more with Houston coming up next.
Memphis ... at East Carolina 35 … Memphis 17 … Memphis got the offense moving a little bit early, but the defense that’s having so many problems against the pass didn’t come up with any key stops in the second half once Dominique Davis and the hot ECU passing game got going. Skylar Jones threw for 124 yards, but he threw two picks, while Taylor Reed threw a touchdown pass but only completed 5-of-12 passes. Memphis can’t keep the chains moving, and if an offense can’t work against East Carolina, there are going to be problems against Tulane coming up and forget about generating any offense against UCF in a few weeks.
Rice ... at Marshall 24 … Rice 20 … Rice outplayed Marshall in several ways, but the offensive line couldn’t keep the Herd out of the backfield and just 2-of-12 third down conversions turned out to be a killer. Taylor McHargue threw for 150 yards and a score, and Sam McGuffie ran for 70 yards and a touchdown, but the two fumbles were disastrous and the offensive line had a nightmare of a time. With Tulsa and Houston up next, this one will hurt. It’s a tough second half schedule, and for a run defense that’s having a hard time holding up, and with an offense that’s having a rough time manufacturing yards, this was a road win the Owls needed to have.
Southern Miss ... Didn’t Play This Week
SMU ... at SMU 38 … UCF 17 … Call this the big statement for SMU and its run to a possible Conference USA title. J.J. McDermott stayed hot completing 358 yards and two scores with a pick, and Zach Line ran well with 82 yards and two scores, averaging 5.1 yards per carry, against the terrific UCF defensive front. The key was the play of the offensive line. UCF hasn’t been getting to the quarterback enough, but the SMU front five that’s been mediocre in pass protection didn’t allow a sack or a tackle for loss. Now on a five game winning streak, there’s no letting up with yet another test against Southern Miss on the road before going to Tulsa. The Houston game is well down the road, but if the Mustangs can beat the Golden Eagles next week, all of a sudden, they’ll be more of a national story.
Tulane ... UTEP 44 … at Tulane 7 …
The Green Wave sputtered and coughed against a mediocre UTEP defense because the turnovers uncharacteristically started to flow. D.J. Ponder threw three picks and Ryan Griffin gave up a pick in the blowout, and the defense didn’t do anything to pick up the slack for the floundering attack. Trent Mackey made 14 tackles with a sack, but that was about the only positive for an defense that couldn’t come up with enough stops against a mediocre passing game that struggled to connect. Fortunately, Memphis is up next to cure all the ills of a four-game losing streak. If Tulane can’t beat the Tigers at home, pack up the truck on the rest of the season.
Tulsa ... at Tulsa 37 … UAB 20 … It wasn’t a pretty performance and the defense continues to have problems, but the Golden Hurricane was able to win without a problem thanks to G.J. Kinne’s best game of the season, throwing for 341 yards and three scores, while Ja’Terian Douglas ran for 137 yards and a score on just 14 carries. Turnovers were a big problem coming into the game, and giving up three fumbles and a Kinne pick showed just how far the team has to go to tighten up. UAB’s only change to keep this close was with takeaways, and Tulsa gave them up. That shouldn’t be a problem against Rice, but the offense has to be perfect against SMU in a few weeks.
UAB ... at Tulsa 37 … UAB 20 … UAB’s offense moved better, but the defense still can’t stop anything on a consistent basis because the line isn’t generating enough pressure and isn’t slowing down the run. Tulsa isn’t exactly a power team, but it was able to bang away without a problem. For all the issues on the line, though, the Blazers got three sacks and were a bit more disruptive than normal, but it wasn’t enough. Bryan Ellis was back under center, and while he only completed 20-of-42 passes, he threw for 280 yards and two scores with Jamarcus Nelson catching two passes for 111 yards and two scores. Against UCF, the O line has to keep playing well in pass protection and has to keep Ellis clean.
UCF ... at SMU 38 … UCF 17 …
What happened to the UCF defensive front? The special teams have been a nightmare, and the passing game has been sketchy at times, but the defensive line has been a puzzling problem over the last few weeks with no pressure and not enough production against the run. Jeff Godfrey wasn’t bad, completing 23-of-32 passes for 231 yards and a score, but Blake Bortles was a bit better completing 9-of-12 passes for 1198 yards and a score. Even so, it was still a disastrous loss that all but ends any hopes to repeat. Fortunately, UAB and Memphis are up next to quickly turn the record back around after losing three of the last four games.
UTEP... UTEP 44 … at Tulane 7
CFN Analysis: This is what the offense is supposed to do coming off a two game losing streak. It exploded on the road with four interceptions from the defense helping to set up the offense, and the running game came through with Joe Banyard hitting the 72-yard home run and seven different players accounting for 266 yards and three scores. The passing game wasn’t exactly sharp, with three different quarterbacks combining to complete 7-of-17 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown with two picks, but the defense did its part to pick up the slack and Tulane couldn’t get the offense moving. There are plenty of issues – turnovers are a problem and more plays need to be made behind the line – but at 3-3 with four home games in the next five, the Miners are in the hunt for a bowl game.
Saturday, October 15
at Marshall 24
... Rice 20
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Game Story, CFN Analysis, & Recap
CFN Prediction: Marshall 20-17
Line: Rice -5.5 O/U: 51.5
at SMU 38 ... UCF 17
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Game Story, CFN Analysis, & Recap
CFN Prediction: SMU 24-17
Line: SMU -3 O/U: 44
UTEP 44 ... at Tulane 7
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Game Story, CFN Analysis, & Recap
CFN Prediction: UTEP 34-31
Line: Tulane -1 O/U: 56.5
East Carolina 35
... at
Memphis 17
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Game Story, CFN Analysis, & Recap
CFN Prediction: East Carolina 34-17
Line: East Carolina -16 O/U: 56
at Tulsa 37
... UAB 20
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Game Story, CFN Analysis, & Recap
CFN Prediction: Tulsa 34-20
Line: Tulsa -22 O/U: 58.5
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