University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
Houston
Tigers Edged By Houston In Triple Overtime, 33-30
Oct 22, 2000 | Football
Oct. 21, 2000
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Houston never led Memphis in regulation. But the Cougars rallied when it mattered most - in triple overtime.
It took three extra periods before a winner emerged Saturday. It was Houston 33-30, after Jason McKinley connected with Brian Robinson for an 18-yard touchdown pass.
``The thing that pleased me was the way our offense responded time after time,'' Houston coach Dana Dimel said. ``We had turnovers and miscues on special teams, but each time our offense came up with something against an extremely good defense.''
Robinson, who caught eight passes for 83 yards, beat Idrees Bashir on the winning play to offset a 43-yard field goal by the Tigers' Ryan White earlier in the third overtime.
Memphis coach Rip Scherer pointed to a personal foul penalty during the Tigers's third overtime possession that hindered Memphis's chances.
``You reap what you sow in life, and you reap what you sow on the football field,'' Scherer said. ``We shot ourselves in the foot with the stupid personal foul penalty in our third overtime possession. That was very stupid.''
Memphis (4-4, 2-3 Conference USA) sent the game to triple overtime when Scott Scherer completed a 4-yard scoring pass to Billy Kendall on fourth down.
Houston (3-4, 2-1) forced the overtime with a nine-play, 84-yard drive in the fourth quarter. McKinley connected with Stephen Cucci four times for 26 yards on the drive, including a 5-yard touchdown with 3:46 to play.
Memphis had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, but White's 48-yard field goal attempt was wide right.
Memphis, which generated little offense in the game, held a 17-10 lead early in the fourth quarter when the Tigers capitalized on a Houston fumble at its own 25. Two plays later, Scherer hit Ryan Johnson with a 25-yard touchdown pass.
Memphis led 10-7 at the half, capitalizing on other Houston miscues in the second quarter.
Through the first quarter, there was little offense on either team's part as most of the action involved exchanging of punts.
The Tigers' first break came when Michael Stone intercepted McKinley's pass and returned it 28 yards to the Cougars' 5 yard line. Two plays later, Sugar Sanders scored from 2 yards out.
Houston answered with the longest drive of the half, marching 80 yards in 13 plays, the final 7 yards coming on a pass from McKinley to Tommie Baldwin. During the drive, McKinley connected with Robinson four times for 40 yards.
A muffed snap by Houston's Mike Clark gave Memphis the ball at the Cougars' 12, leading to White's 38-yard field goal as time ran out in the half.
