R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Preview: Memphis Tigers vs. Florida Atlantic

Wade Peery

Analyst Written on December 11, 2007

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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)

Memphis quarterback Martin Hankins can sling the rock and sling it well.

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 completed 60.7% of his passes for 2,939 yards while tossing 22 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Florida Atlantic quarterback Rusty Smith is one of the best sophomore quarterbacks in all of college football. He was recently named the 2007 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.

The unquestioned leader for Florida Atlantic is their super sophomore of a quarterback, 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.

Memphis running back Joseph Doss is one of the best running backs in C-USA.

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.

That's Florida Atlantic tailback Charles Pierre jumping through the air over a pile of defenders.

Junior tailback Charles Pierre will be toting the rock for Florida Atlantic. He has put up nearly identical numbers to those of Joseph Doss. This season Pierre has 159 carri

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written on December 11, 2007 Sports