Tulane Green Wave vs Memphis Tigers Match Player Stats On Oct 31, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Oct 31, 2015

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- With an assist from the defense, quarterback Paxton Lynch and No. 16 Memphis finally blew open a surprisingly tight game with lightly-regarded Tulane.

Lynch threw for 343 yards and a touchdown Saturday night as the Tigers overcame a 13-0 second quarter deficit to post a 41-13 American Athletic Conference decision at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

Lynch hit on 26-of-42 passes, including a 43-yard scoring strike on a perfectly-executed screen pass to running back Jamarius Henderson with 1:26 left in the third quarter for a 25-13 advantage.

After Green Wave quarterback Jordy Joseph was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone six seconds later, Memphis added a touchdown on the fourth quarter's second play on a 15-yard run by wide receiver Anthony Miller.

Tailback Jarvis Cooper capped the scoring on a 1-yard run with 8:16 left in the game for the Tigers, which finished with 581 total yards and topped the 40-point mark for the sixth time this year.

Memphis (8-0, 4-0) overcame the well-prepared Green Wave (2-6, 1-4) and an array of mistakes. The Tigers were flagged for 106 yards of penalties and dropped at least four passes before the game was 20 minutes old.

But Memphis' defense, after being gashed for touchdowns on Tulane's first two possessions, allowed only 115 total yards for the game's remainder.

Joseph, a redshirt senior making his first career start in place of Tanner Lee (finger), completed 10-of-24 passes for 131 yards.

Tulane started the game with a 17-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that lasted 11 minutes and 13 seconds, converting three third downs and getting two other first downs via Memphis penalties.

Tailback Dontrell Hilliard finished that march with a 3-yard run, then made it 13-0 45 seconds into the second quarter on a 43-yard sprint off right tackle.

The Tigers got on the board with 10:38 remaining in the first half on a 2-yard scoring run by tailback Doroland Dorceus, then used a 24-yard field goal by kicker Jake Elliott with 6:48 left to draw within 13-10.

A bad punt snap led to a safety at the 3:48 mark of the half as Green Wave punter Peter Picerelli fell on a loose ball in the end zone.

Elliott then converted a 40-yard field goal on the ensuing possession with 2:13 remaining, providing Memphis with a 15-13 halftime lead.

NOTES: Tulane LT Arturo Uzdavinis (concussion) missed the game, ending a streak of 32 straight starts. ... Memphis hasn't returned a kickoff for a TD in 223 games, dating back to Kevin Cobb's 95-yard return on Nov. 9, 1996 in an upset of Tennessee. That's the longest current streak of its kind in FBS. ... Tigers PK Jake Elliott entered the game with 124 consecutive point-after attempts, ranked fourth among current FBS kickers.