St. Petersburg Bowl - 2008 52 The Tigers had enjoyed their bowl
trips four of the previous five years. But, the invitation to the inaugural magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl was an opportunity to see where Memphis stood on the national scene, no matter the game's outcome. The bowl game had Memphis playing
its first BCS league foe in school postseason history, as the Tigers faced the USF Bulls. The Bulls won the game 41-14
before a predominantly pro-USF crowd of 25,205 at Tropicana Field, home of the MLB American League champion Tampa Bay Rays. The appearance at Tropicana Field made history for the Tigers, as it was the first time Memphis played in a Major League Baseball stadium. The Tigers entered the contest
averaging over 200 yards via their ground game, but the Bulls had the nation's ninth-best rushing defense and it showed. USF held Memphis to only 66 yards on 30 carries, and Tiger running back Curtis Steele, a 1,000- yard rusher, gained most of those with 48 yards on 12 rushes. Arkelon Hall was 15-of-31 passing for
154 yards and one score. Duke Calhoun was the Tigers' leading receiver with a game-high six catches for 39 yards and one touchdown. Brandon Patterson led the Tiger defense with nine tackles.
2011 Memphis Football Experience
With eight seconds remaining in the first half, Memphis scored on 3rd-and-goal off a two-yard pass from Arkelon Hall to Duke Calhoun.
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2008 MAGICJACK ST. PETERSBURG BOWL
Memphis USF
14 41
Tropicana Field (33,000) December 20, 2008
