Clear path to title not on Frogs’ minds
By Danny Gillham
Sports Editor

After a 17-10 victory over Tulane Nov. 9, the Frogs were in a three-way tie for first place in the Conference USA standings.

The team also made its debut in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll (No. 24), as well as the Associated Press poll (No. 25).

Then, when the team was idle this past week, two things happened:
• Louisville beat Southern Miss in two overtimes, 20-17.
• Alabama-Birmingham defeated East Carolina 36-29.

The losses gave the Golden Eagles and Pirates two conference losses and give the Frogs, with one conference loss, a clear shot to the C-USA title and a trip to the Liberty Bowl.

The team also moved up to the No. 22 spot in both polls.

However despite its final opponents having combined 5-14 records, the team says there is not yet a clear-cut path to Memphis, site of the AXA Liberty Bowl.

“If you focus on anything other than what we’re doing now, it’s going to bring about certain arrogance that we really don’t need,” junior defensive end Robert Pollard said.

“That can always lead to a team’s downfall.”

Head coach Gary Patterson said his team knows the challenge ahead, and sees no arrogance in the players.

“I don’t believe this team is overconfident at all,” Patterson said. “I think that we have a goal in mind, and it’s still up the mountain. It’s not like we’re not looking down.”

Patterson said the team will treat the situation like last season, when it needed to win the last two games just to be bowl eligible.

“I think you just keep your back against the wall,” Patterson said. “I don’t think anybody expected us to do (this). It’s not like we were Louisville, the preseason favorites.”

Sophomore offensive lineman Anthony Alabi said the team needs no other motivation than East Carolina and Memphis standing in its way of a trip to Memphis.

“These next two games are a block in our way of getting to a conference championship, and that is motivation enough,” Alabi said. “To know that you want something, and somebody’s trying to keep you from getting it, that gets you up for games.”

Danny Gillham