University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
South Florida
Williams Leads Memphis Past South Florida, 31-15
Nov 27, 2004 | Football
Nov. 27, 2004
By FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - DeAngelo Williams rushed for more than 200 yards for the fourth time in seven games, gaining a career-high 263 and scoring two touchdowns Saturday to lead Memphis to a 31-15 victory over South Florida.
Williams hiked his Conference USA single-season rushing record to 1,828 yards and finished the Tigers' regular season with a nation-leading 19 TDs, as well as nine games with at least 100 yards on the ground.
The 217-pound tailback scored on a 51-yard run to give Memphis (8-3, 5-3) a 23-7 lead late in the third quarter. He also set up a first-half field goal with a 72-yard burst and put the game away with a 44-yard TD run midway through the fourth quarter.
Andre Hall, C-USA's second-leading rusher, also had a big day for South Florida (4-6, 3-5), gaining 134 yards on 24 carries. But the Bulls' hopes for a second-half comeback faded after Memphis stopped Hall on fourth-and-1 from the Tigers' 1 early in the fourth quarter.
Williams, who carried 28 times, broke his 44-yard TD run on Memphis' next possession.
Tavares Gideon caught a 20-yard TD pass from Danny Wimprine and Stephen Gostkowski kicked field goals of 47, 19 and 37 yards for Memphis, which lost to South Florida each of the past two years with Williams sidelined because of injuries.
Pat Julmiste completed 18 of 36 passes for 191 yards for South Florida, which needed to beat Memphis and also upset Pittsburgh next week to become bowl eligible. Julmiste scored both of his team's touchdowns on runs of 1 and 5 yards.
A week after giving up a school-record 577 yards in a 45-23 loss to Cincinnati, the Bulls were torched for 470 yards by Memphis.
Wimprine was 12-of-20 for 142 yards for Memphis, which has won three straight since dropping consecutive games to Cincinnati and Louisville.
Williams, meanwhile, eclipsed his previous career best of 262 yards against Houston on Oct. 2. He also ran for 200 against Louisville and 225 against East Carolina, while just missing the mark a fifth time with 199 against Southern Mississippi.
