Friday’s game will be the 24th meeting between Tulsa and SMU … SMU leads the series 13-10, but Tulsa has taken the last three meetings, including a 43-40 overtime decision in Oklahoma last year in a game that featured seven lead changes after halftime … Tulsa had two 100-yard rushers and two 100-yard receivers in last year’s game.
Friday’s game will be the 34th meeting between Tulane and Memphis in a series that dates to 1954 … Memphis holds a 21-11-1 series lead and has won 10 straight against the Green Wave … Tulane’s last win against the Tigers was in the 2000 season … Memphis got three field goals from K Jake Elliott in last year’s 24-14 win in New Orleans.
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between UCF and Austin Peay … The game was added to the 2017 schedule after UCF was left without a scheduled game against Georgia Tech in the wake of Hurricane Irma … Saturday’s game will be the third meeting between the schools, which split a home-and-home series in 1983 and 1984.
Saturday’s game will be the fifth meeting between Houston and USF … The series is tied at 2-2 … The Cougars have taken both previous American Athletic Conference meetings with a 35-23 victory in Houston in 2013 and a 27-3 decision in Tampa in 2014 … USF took the first two meetings, which were played in 2001 and 2002.
Saturday’s game will be the second meeting between UConn and Missouri … The only previous matchup was a 9-6 Missouri win in Columbia in the 2015 season … Both teams scored one touchdown in that game, but a safety and a blocked PAT proved to be the difference for the Tigers.
4th and 24 and the final TD are the first two up in the hopper this week
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
D’Eriq King • So. • QB • Houston • Manvel, Texas
King led Houston to a 28-24 win against No. 17/14 USF, snapping the Bulls’ winning streak at 12 games. King took over at quarterback midway through the first quarter and completed 12 of 20 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 83 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns. With Houston trailing by three points, King converted a fourth-and-24 with 1:07 left in the fourth quarter to keep the final drive alive, a drive capped by King’s 20-yard touchdown run with 11 seconds left to give the Cougars the winning points.
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DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Genard Avery • Sr. • LB • Memphis • Grenada, Miss.
Avery becomes the third straight Memphis player to earn Defensive Player of the Week honors after he turned in a record-breaking performance in the Tigers’ 56-26 win against Tulane. Avery finished with eight tackles, which included an American Athletic Conference-record 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks to go with quarterback hurry. Avery led a Memphis defense that set a school record with 13 tackles for loss and had seven sacks against the Green Wave.
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SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mike Hughes • Jr. • CB • UCF • New Bern, N.C.
Hughes had 105 yards on returns to help UCF to a 73-33 win against Austin Peay as the Knights improved to 7-0 for the first time in program history. Hughes had a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and had a 14-yard punt return against the Governors. Hughes, who had three tackles on defense, enters this week as the national leader in punt return average (20.5 ypr).
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HONOR ROLL
McKenzie Milton • So. • QB • UCF • Kapolei, Hawaii
Completed 24 of 26 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing TD in a 73-33 win against Austin Peay.
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D’Juan Hines • Sr. • LB • Houston • Spring, Texas
Had a game-high 13 tackles with 2.0 tackles for loss in a 28-24 win against USF.
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Deadrin Senat • Sr. • DT • USF • Immokalee, Fla.
Had 12 tackles with 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in a 28-24 loss to Houston.
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Justin Lawler • Sr. • DE • SMU • Pottsboro, Texas
_Had eight tackles with a sack and 3.0 tackles for loss in a 38-34 win against Tulsa. _
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Trey Quinn • Jr. • WR • SMU • Lake Charles, La.
Had eight receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-34 win against Tulsa.
William Jackson gets some love this week
King gets an Honorable Mention
“flat foot race?!?” I don’t think anyone with flat feet can run that fast.
In a primetime conference showdown, Tulsa travels to Raymond James Stadium to take on #23 USF. Coming into Thursday night, the Bulls look forward to keeping their championship opportunity alive while the Golden Hurricane attempt to get back on the winning track.