GRIZZLIES WORLD HEADQUARTERS –- Dana Davis, director of player development and team travel, is expected to be promoted soon to vice president of basketball operations and team programs.

Davis has served with the organization since majority owner Michael Heisley purchased the team in 2000. He’s worked closely with Heisley and team president Jerry West over the past four seasons, and most recently, helped bring to town a free youth basketball camp that benefited underprivileged youth in FedExForum.

* STRUGGLES REMAIN: Through the first three weeks of the season, Conference USA football teams remain winless (0-8) against Top 25 competition.
UAB has lost to Oklahoma and Georgia. Marshall dropped a 42-10 decision to West Virginia. Southern Miss was trounced by Florida, as was Central Florida. SMU and UTEP lost to Texas Tech. Rice was overwhelmed by Texas.
Saturday, C-USA teams will have four more opportunities, but their chances for upsets will be slim. C-USA teams will find themselves paired against No.4 West Virginia (playing at East Carolina); No. 10 LSU (playing host to Tulane); No. 15 Tennessee (playing host to Marshall) and No. 18 Florida State (playing host to Rice).
Being 0-12 before league play starts will do little to help the conference’s image, one still reeling from the recent losses of programs like Louisville (No. 8) and TCU (No. 16). No C-USA team is ranked, even though Houston is 3-0. Only Southern Miss and UTEP are receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

* A CHANCE FOR NATIONAL PUB: Houston has an opportunity to attract the attention of the AP Poll and USA TODAY Coaches Poll voters.
Behind prolific passer Kevin Kolb, Houston plays host to 3-0 Oklahoma State Saturday in a game carried by CSTV. Kolb surpassed 10,000 career passing yards in a win over Grambling last weekend and has made 40 straight starts in his career. He is the only quarterback in school history to top 10,000 yards.
While a win wouldn’t be over a top 25 program, it would be a respectable victory against a team from a BCS conference and come a week before a nationally televised game at Miami, which is struggling to return to the top 25.

* BAD BREAK: UTEP had an off weekend, but still lost a key player. Senior linebacker Jeremy Jones, the team’s leading tackler, broke his right leg during a drill. Jones had 130 tackles a year ago. He had 15 in an overtime loss to Texas Tech.