Predict and Win Games of the Week: UAB at Memphis, Syracuse at Louisville
UAB at Memphis
Memphis will take to the field Saturday for coach Tommy West’s final home game. It was announced on Monday that West, who is in his 9th season with the Tigers, is being released from the program. West has taken Memphis to bowl games five of the last six years although with a 2-7 record this year, they will not be heading into post season play.
UAB coach Neil Callaway is having a good week though coming off a huge win over Florida Atlantic. The 59-26 score was the most decisive in Callaway’s tenure at UAB.
After a win like that you might think that UAB will take this one walking away but this is the Battle for the Bones and in a rivalry game, anything can happen. Memphis won the last two times these schools met. With emotions running high, this could be a great game.
Syracuse at Louisville
No matter what happens this weekend, one of these two schools will improve an otherwise difficult conference season as Syracuse heads to Louisville Saturday. Both schools come into the game 0-4 in the Big East and 3-6 overall.
Syracuse coach Doug Marrone is struggling to overcome a rash of injuries as two more starters, Max Suter (safety) Cody Catalina (tight end) went down to season-ending injuries against Pittsburgh last weekend. Defensive tackle Arthur Jones and offensive tackle Jonathan Meldrum are also out after the Pitt game, both with season ending knee injuries. They join Cody Catalina, Nick Provo, Max Suter Dorian Graham, and Jared Kimmel who are all out for the season with injuries.
Add that to last week’s loss of top receiver Mike Williams and Texas A&M’s 12th man tradition isn’t looking all that bad. Syracuse was down to only 55 scholarship players last week in Pittsburgh.
Louisville is suffering from their own rash of injuries leaving the starting duties at quarterback third string, red-shirt freshman Will Stein and at running back, red-shirt freshman Darius Ashley. Not necessarily a bad thing though as Ashley ran 164 yards against West Virginia and might just provide a much needed boost to a struggling Louisville offense. The offensive line will need to do a much better job at protecting Stein against a tough Syracuse defensive front. West Virginia caught Stein five times behind the line of scrimmage.
Syracuse beat Louisville the last two times they’ve met. This should be an interesting game.
Predict and Win
We’ve got a great new prize for this week’s Predict and Win contest. Pick the score exactly and you’ll find yourself with 4 VIP all-inclusive club seats to the St. Petersburg Bowl, a bowl gift package, and a two-night bowl package stay at the TradeWinds Island Resort.
Even if you don’t get it exactly, we’ve still got two tickets to the game, two dinner coupons for Beef O’Brady’s at the TradeWinds Island Resort, two Tradwinds Island Resort High Slide Passes and two koozies (because what’s a tailgate without a koozie?).
You can enter twice by predicting the score of the UAB at Memphis game and the Syracuse at Louisville game in the comment section below.
Two entries not enough? Be sure to enter on FaceBook, Twitter and Myspace. We’re giving away separate prizes on each site.
Related posts:
- Game of the Week Recap: Louisville Pulls Out a Close One, UAB Keeps Bowl Hopes Alive
- Predict the Score and Win: Tulsa at Southern Miss, Louisville at USF
- Predict and Win Game of the Week: Syracuse at Pittsburgh, Houston at Tulsa
- Game of the Week Recap: Houston Avoids a Close Call, Pittsburgh Extends to 8-1
- Predict and Win: USF at UConn, Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
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How about UAB 28 Memphis 17
and
Syracuse 35-14