University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
#8 Mississippi
Memphis Drops Season Opener To No. 8 Mississippi
Sep 06, 2009 | Football
Sept. 6, 2009
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By Joshua Wilkins Graduate Assistant
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Despite holding No. 8 Ole Miss to just 195 yards through the first three quarters and just a 10-7 lead for most of the first half, the Tiger football team fell to the Rebels 45-14 in front of 45,207 fans at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.
"We didn't do what we said we had to do to win the game," Tiger Coach Tommy West said. "Offensively, we felt like if we could score or punt - not turn the ball over and help them, it gives us a chance to get into the fourth quarter, and gives us a chance to win the game. There is no doubt in my mind that would have happened (had we been able to do that). I thought we played good enough defense to have a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter."
With a motivated performance by their secondary, including interceptions by Deante' Lamar and Darius Davis, Memphis frustrated Ole Miss' starting quarterback Jevan Snead through three quarters. Entering the fourth, Snead was just 8-17 passing with the two picks.
"We were frustrated offensively," Rebel Coach Houston Nutt said.
The highlight of the game for the Tigers' offense may have been senior receiver Duke Calhoun breaking Damien Dodson's career catches record with Calhoun's 148th career reception on a seven-yard toss from Arkelon Hall early in the fourth quarter.
Calhoun also took over second place in the school's all-time receiving yardage list passing Dodson at 2,096 yards, and Calhoun would finish just 12 yards shy of Earnest Gray's all-time mark of 2,123. The senior would finish the day with five catches for 53 yards giving him 149 catches and 2,111 yards respectively.
Memphis responded to an early 10-0 Ole Miss lead, with a two-yard touchdown run by senior Curtis Steele set up by Lamar's interception. Matt Reagan's PAT made the score 10-7. Reagan's two PATs in the game, left him two shy of 200 career points (198).
Steele led the Tiger ground game with 90 yards rushing on 19 carries, and two scores. Junior Lance Smith added 63 yards on 10 carries.
"I thought we ran the ball good enough to win the game," West said. "It wasn't great. You're going to hand the ball off and you are going to have some no gains because they are really good up front on defense. I thought our guys battled their tails off, and I thought we really, we busted some runs."
Trying for a tying or go-ahead score late in the second quarter, Hall was intercepted by Ole Miss defensive back Fon Ingram, who returned the ball 38 yards for a touchdown which made the halftime score 17-7.
"We tried to get a first down, but then again in that situation I'm not sure I wouldn't have handed it off and punt the ball and get out of (the first half) 10-7," West said. "Saying that, hindsight is 20-20. Hindsight is easy."
Hall was 15-30 passing in the game for 110 yards and two interceptions. It was only the second time in his career, Hall was picked off more than once.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Memphis was able to mount a late drive to the Ole Miss 43-yard line before Hall and Steele were stopped on third-and-one and fourth-and-one respectively early in the fourth quarter.
"Yea, we missed a guy (on fourth down)," West said. We had a chance there in the fourth quarter, and we missed a couple of fourth downs. I give them credit for that."
Neither team had much success on third down conversions with Memphis going 4-16, while Ole Miss was 5-12 and started 1-8.
Four plays later Ole Miss went up 24-7 with a four-yard run by Dexter McCluster.
Memphis retaliated with an eight-play, 80-yard scoring drive. The drive included Calhoun's record-breaking catch, a 28-yard run by Steele, and was capped off by Steele's five-yard touchdown run with 9:09 to play.
Two Snead touchdown passes, and a critical fumble by the Tigers that gave Ole Miss the ball at the Memphis 17-yard line with 5:25 to play, ultimately put the game out of reach for the Tigers. Ole Miss scored the game's final touchdown with seven seconds to play.
"You watched the game, and the score wasn't anything like the game was," West said. The game was a hell of a game up until we gave up the other score in the second half."
Linebacker Greg Jackson, who had two TFLs, and defensive end Jada Brown recorded sacks for the Tiger defense. D.A. Griffin also had two critical pass breakups for the Tigers.
The loss was the fifth straight in the series for the Tigers after recording back-to-back wins over the Rebels in 2003 and 2004.
