Bowl game: The R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Date: Friday December 21st, 8 p.m.(ESPN2)
Venue: Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana
Teams: Memphis Tigers(C-USA) vs. Florida Atlantic Owls(Sun Belt)

The breakdown: This bowl matches two teams that are so evenly matched its scary. Memphis averages 29.4 points per game on offense, whereas the Florida Atlantic Owls are putting up 30.1 points per game on the scoreboard. Both teams have very good offensive attacks.

Behind any great offense is usually a great field general and the Memphis Tigers' quarterback is senior Martin Hankins. This year he's completed 60.7% of his passes for 2,939 yards while tossing 22 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

{mosimage} The unquestioned leader for Florida Atlantic is super sophomore Rusty Smith. The 2007 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year completed 57.3% of his passes for 3,352 yards while firing 27 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. If Memphis wants a chance at winning this one, they are going to have to find ways to rattle Smith, something very few opponents have done this season.

If you want solid running backs, this game will also feature a pair of those as well. The Memphis Tigers' tailback is senior Joseph Doss. This year Doss has 154 carries and has chewed up 715 yards of real estate, while racking up 5 touchdowns.

Junior tailback Charles Pierre will be toting the rock for Florida Atlantic. He's put up nearly identical numbers to those of Joseph Doss. This season Pierre has 159 carries for 733 yards, while scoring seven touchdowns. It's safe to say that the running back match up in this game is dead even.

If you're looking for the best offensive player in this game, look no further than sensational sophomore receiver Cortez Gent of Florida Atlantic. He's put up gaudy stats this season, hauling in 61 passes for 1,030 yards and nine touchdowns. He racked up those numbers in just 11 games, because he didn't play against Oklahoma State.

{mosimage} Florida Atlantic has another stud receiver and his name is Jason Harmon. The freakishly athletic tight end snagged 56 balls for 728 yards and four touchdowns this season for the Owls. He also has unleashed his patented "Harmon Hurdle" a few times this season, once against Middle Tennessee State and against South Florida. Harmon leaps over defenders that try and tackle him low with ease. Check out the picture, the guy can leap to Mars!

The Memphis Tigers' also have a very fine receiving corps. Their leading receiver is yet another stud sophomore by the name of Duke Calhoun. He's hauled in 58 balls for 850 yards and five touchdowns this year for the Tigers. He'll have some help in the game from fellow sophomore receiver Carlos Singleton. He's snared 47 balls for 704 yards and 10 touchdowns for Memphis and will definitely be a man to lookout for in this game.

On special teams' the Florida Atlantic Owls very own DiIvory Edgecomb not only has one of the best names in college football, but he also happens to be one of the best all-purpose threats as well. This year the stud return man has piled up over 1,000 yards on kickoff returns, averaging just over 22 yards per return. He's chewed up a team-leading 1,558 all-purpose yards this season, simply sensational numbers by anyone's standards. Keep an eye out for Edgecomb in this game.

The Memphis Tigers' best return man is of course junior cornerback Michael Grandberry. This year he's shredded opposing defenses to the tune of 1,133 yards on kickoff returns. If Memphis wants a chance in this game, I think they are going to need some big time plays on special teams from Grandberry.

Both defenses are extremely generous in surrendering yardage and points. Memphis and Florida Atlantic have both allowed over 400 yards per game and over 30 points per contest. I'd look for the scoreboard operator to get carpel tunnel in this one, since both offenses are so superb at scoring and both defenses are generous.

The Florida Atlantic defense might have been generous in surrendering chunks of yardage this season, but you certainly can't point the finger at its two immensely talented linebackers, Frantz Joseph and Cergile Sincere. Joseph is the emotional and spiritual leader of the Owl defense and has racked up a team-leading 121 tackles this season. His 121 tackles not only lead the team, but the Sun Belt Conference as well. The monstrous linebacker has also recorded 10.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 2 interceptions. Cergile Sincere has put up eyebrow raising numbers as well, racking up 111 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks this season for the Owls. Both Sincere and Joseph were named to the All-Sun Belt first team defense.

The undisputed leader of the Memphis Tiger defense is linebacker Jake Kasser. He's racked up a team-leading 95 tackles this season and earned second-team All-C-USA honors. The star linebacker has also tallied three tackles for loss and recovered three fumbles.

Since this game is so evenly matched on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, this match up will likely hinge on whoever wins the turnover battle and on paper, Florida Atlantic has the advantage. They were the best in the nation in turnover margin, with a +1.58 rating in the category. Two of the biggest reasons they led the nation in that category were their trio of ball hawking cornerbacks, Tavious Polo, Corey Small, and Taheem Acevedo. Polo is one of the biggest reasons you should watch this game. The immensely gifted freshman snagged seven interceptions this season, tying him for 4^th in the nation in that category. He's been one of the nation's best kept secrets and I hope this bowl game helps to bring him more recognition nationally, because he deserves it. Junior Corey Small and senior Taheem Acevedo have both picked off five passes this season for the Owls.

Memphis is not far behind with a + .75 rating in turnover margin, ranking them 17^th nationally. One reason they rank so highly in that category is because free safety Brandon Patterson has snagged three interceptions this season for the Tigers. Three other cornerbacks have picked off two passes this season for Memphis: LeRico Mathis, Tony Bell, and another all-name team candidate, LaKeitharun Ford.

{mosimage} This game is on paper, probably the most evenly matched bowl game you are going to find. The game features two potent offensive attacks that can light up the scoreboard and two defenses that are incredibly generous in allowing points. I'm going to pick the Florida Atlantic Owls in this one, simply because they are the best in the nation in turnover margin and they have the game's most dynamic offensive player, sophomore receiver Cortez Gent. Another advantage that I think will help the Owls prevail in this one is their trio of lockdown cornerbacks, Tavious Polo, Corey Small, and Taheem Acevedo. I see one of those three guys making a big interception that will be a difference maker in this one. The scoreboard will be lit up early and often in New Orleans in one of the most high-scoring affairs of the 2007-2008 bowl season. Florida Atlantic wins in a fairly close one. Coach Howard Schnellenberger will be smiling as he brings Florida Atlantic its first bowl victory in school history.

The pick: Florida Atlantic 49 Memphis 35


R.I.P. Taylor Bradford: I'd like to take this time to extend my condolences to the University of Memphis football team, the family of Taylor Bradford, and his surrounding friends and family. Bradford was tragically shot and killed earlier this season and you should remember that the University of Memphis football team has been playing with heavy hearts this season. I didn't know Taylor Bradford at all, but I hate to see a life ended prematurely, because there were so many more lives that Bradford could have touched. It's quite a shame. May you rest in peace, Taylor Bradford.

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Brando said:

	I dig the in depth analysis.. but if you think you know who is going to win.. you should start racking your 'picks' for the NCAA bowl games on http://www.picktastic.com.... This way your users can track how well you do on picking the winners from week to week...
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December 15, 2007 | url
Votes: +0

Lloyds Apple said:

	Peery does that on Facebook right now. Nice gimmick though. We'll have to get some gimmicks like that over here, in addition to in-depth ananlyses.
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December 17, 2007
Votes: +0

Lloyds Apple said:

This game is on at 8pm tonight. I actually saw Rusty Smith play in high school a few times. He was good at that level too, but I never dreamed he'd have 27 touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore. That is a hell of an accomplishment. Smith played at Sandalwood H.S. with Ohio State backup RB Maurice Wells and Florida Safety Jamar Hornsby. In HS Hornsby also played WR and was very good. He is suspended, I think, for the Gators right now. Here is a quote for ESPN about what he did. I have no idea what all he got in trouble for but this could have something to do with it: Safety Jamar Hornsby had a sworn complaint filed against him in April after he allegedly tossed a man onto the hood of a woman's car in a parking lot. Wells and Hornsby were top recruits coming out of HS. Smith was good but has overachieved. In their final game in the playoffs against Apopka, Smith hit Hornsby a couple times deep. Both passes were thrown perfectly to a streaking Jamar Hornsby. Apopka dominated the line of scrimmage, big time, and should have killed Sandalwood. The Smith/Hornsby combo made it a game. If Hornsby ever gets his act straight, he'll be a great player. As for tonights game, I picked FAU in my predictions, 49-35. Please don't sue me for plagiarizing.

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December 22, 2007
Votes: +0

Lloyds Apple said:

	Here's my picks, 1-14, hopefully you help bump me up to 50%. http://deathrattlesports.com/s...-1-14.html
	report abuse vote down vote up

December 22, 2007
Votes: +0

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