The Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Louisville's 30-point loss at home to Memphis last season is still a painful memory for the Cardinals.

Coach Bobby Petrino vowed to have his team better prepared when the 14th-ranked Cardinals visit the Tigers tonight.

"Going into the season, we looked at this as being one of the big games of the year, and we certainly didn't like the way we played a year ago," Petrino said.

Memphis beat the Cardinals 37-7 in 2003, Louisville's worst loss since falling to Florida State 31-0 in 2000. The Cardinals (5-1, 4-0 Conference USA) got revenge for that loss two years later, beating the Seminoles 26-20 in overtime.

Memphis (5-2, 2-2) is one win from being bowl-eligible again after making a postseason game for the first time in 32 years last season. The Tigers were expected to compete for a conference title this year with Louisville and Southern Mississippi but find themselves in the middle of the pack.

"I think it's just another step that we're taking in building this program," Memphis coach Tommy West said.

GOING BOWLING? At 5-3, Alabama gets its second shot at bowl eligibility Saturday night against Mississippi State.

The Tide haven't been to a bowl the past two seasons thanks to NCAA sanctions and wouldn't have been eligible with a losing record last year anyway.

"The biggest thing that we talk to our team about is just getting that sixth win," coach Mike Shula said. "These guys have worked hard, played hard, played some close games. Five-and-three doesn't show well enough the way they've worked."

Alabama came up just short in its first bid for win No. 6, losing 17-13 at Tennessee two weeks ago, before an open date.

The Tide probably will be an underdog in their final two games, at LSU and against Auburn.

PURDUE: Coach Joe Tiller doesn't have fond memories of the Boilermakers' last trip to Iowa in 2002.

That's more than quarterback Kyle Orton can say.

"I don't remember anything at all," Orton said. "The first thing I remember is the plane ride home."

Orton was knocked out of that game, a 31-28 loss to the Hawkeyes, with a concussion, giving way to Brandon Kirsch, who was playing his first collegiate game.

It wasn't a happy homecoming for the Altoona, Iowa, native, but Orton is hoping for a much warmer welcome when Purdue (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) is in Iowa City on Saturday.

He'll have plenty of support in the stands.

"My mom bought about 100 tickets, and I'm trying to get more from my teammates, so there will be plenty," Orton said. "They've been looking forward to watching this game for a while. It's a huge game for our team and for me."

All those Orton backers might go home disappointed if his injured left hip does not improve.

Orton strained his hip flexor in last week's loss at Northwestern and was pulled in the third quarter because of the injury.

PENN STATE: Safety Andrew Guman has a partially collapsed lung and will not play against Northwestern on Saturday.

Guman is second on the team with 57 tackles, including a team-best 38 solo tackles. Paul Cronin probably will start in his place.

"It's too bad. He played a heck of a football game Saturday," coach Joe Paterno said. "He has been playing well and is one of our leaders."

Penn State spokesman Jeff Nelson said Wednesday that one of Guman's lungs was operating about 15 percent below regular capacity.