Football Cards Selected C-USA Favorite by SID's
May 31, 2001 | Football
May 31, 2001
CHICAGO -- - Louisville has been chosen to repeat as Conference USA's football champion in 2001, according to a poll taken by the league's Sports Information Directors at C-USA's annual SID meetings in Chicago yesterday.
The Cardinals received 74 of a possible 80 points, garnering five first place votes. Louisville is coming off a 9-3 season in which it won its first Conference USA championship and represented the league in the AXA Liberty Bowl. The Cards will be aiming for their fourth consecutive bowl appearance this fall with the help of 17 returning starters. Junior quarterback Dave Ragone earned Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2000 after throwing for 2,621 yards and 27 touchdowns. Junior safety Anthony Floyd recorded a nation-leading 10 interceptions last season as U of L finished second in the nation last season with 38 forced turnovers.
East Carolina and Southern Miss, which each received one first place vote, were selected to finished tied for second place after each team received 66 points. The Pirates were 8-4 in 2000 and won the inaugural galleryfurniture.com Bowl over Texas Tech. Senior David Garrard, who passed for 2,332 yards and 19 TDs last season, while rushing for 358 yards and five more scores, quarterbacks ECU's offense, while two-time first team All-C-USA linebacker Pernell Griffin spearheads the Pirates defense. USM made its fourth straight bowl trip last season, winning the GMAC Mobile Alabama Bowl and finished 8-4. The Golden Eagles return nine starters on offense, including three-year starting quarterback Jeff Kelly, while defensive back Chad Williams and linebacker Rod Davis are the top returning players on defense.
TCU will make its Conference USA debut this fall and it was selected to place fourth, receiving one first place vote. The Horned Frogs were champions of the Western Athletic Conference last season and finished 10-2, making its third straight bowl trip. TCU welcomes back quarterback Casey Printers (fourth in the nation in pass efficiency) to lead the offense and linebacker Chad Bayer (team-high 107 tackles) to spearhead the defense. Junior LaTarence Dunbar was the nation's leading kick returner last season, averaging 33.7 yards per return.
UAB edged out Cincinnati for fifth place. The Blazers are coming off a 7-4 season and return 18 starters, including 10 on a defense that was rated No. 11 in the nation last season. Defensive lineman Bryan Thomas and Eddie Freeman highlight the stingy UAB defensive unit. The Bearcats were 7-5 last season and represented C-USA in the Motor City Bowl. UC features All-American kicker Jonathon Ruffin, the 2000 Lou Groza Award winner and defensive end Antwan Peek.
Memphis was picked seventh, followed by, Tulane, Houston and Army. Memphis returns seven starters, including defensive end Andre Arnold, to one of the nation's best defenses, while Tulane has a prolific offense, led by quarterback Patrick Ramsey. Houston was injury-riddled last season, but hopes to turn things around this season with the help of a talented receiving corps while Army will look to move up the conference ladder in head coach Todd Berry's second year after making many adjustments to its system in his first season at the helm.
Conference USA's season will get underway on Thursday, August 23, when Louisville hosts New Mexico State in the John Thompson Classic, the first college football game of the 2001 campaign. The conference champion will receive a bid to the AXA Liberty Bowl on December 31 in Memphis, Tenn. Other guaranteed bowl slots include the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, the galleryfurniture.com Bowl in Houston and the Motor City Bowl in Detroit.
Poll Results Pts (first place votes)1. Louisville 74 (5)2. East Carolina 66 (1) Southern Miss 66 (1)4. TCU 58 (1)5. UAB 446. Cincinnati 387. Memphis 348. Tulane 289. Houston 2410. Army 8
