University of Memphis
Southern Miss
Tigers Topple Southern Miss., 22-17
Oct 06, 2001 | Football
Oct 7, 2001
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Ryan White kicked a 45-yard field goal with 7:33 to play and Memphis' defense scored twice as the Tigers held off Southern Mississippi 22-17 on Saturday night.
In a game filled with turnovers and mistakes, Memphis's defense scored a touchdown and had a safety in the second half, while holding the Golden Eagles to 98 yards after the break.
But more importantly, the Tigers (3-2, 1-1 Conference USA) kept the Golden Eagles (3-1, 1-1) from taking the lead while the Memphis offense struggled.
Of the eight scores, six were the result of miscues that ranged from blocked punts, turnovers and the safety.
Southern Mississippi's Jeff Kelly, who had thrown only one interception in the first three games of the season, was picked off four times.
On the opening drive, a fumble by Southern Mississippi's Tim Blackwell gave Memphis the ball on the Golden Eagles 4. Three plays later, Dante Brown went over from the 1.
It would be the only touchdown of the night for the Tigers' offense.
Southern Mississippi countered with Brant Hanna's 23-yard field goal on the next series and a 7-yard pass from Kelly to Bobby Garner early in the second quarter for a 10-7 lead. Garner's touchdown was set up when Etric Pruitt blocked a punt.
White's first field goal of the night tied it after the Tigers' DeMorrio Shank picked off Kelly's pass late in the second quarter.
That's when the Memphis defense kicked in. Derrick Ballard's 29-yard interception return with 7:12 to go in the third quarter gave Memphis the lead for good at 17-10.
The two teams managed only one first down each in the third period.
A Memphis safety on the second play of the fourth quarter extended the lead to 19-10, but Southern's special team's play put the Golden Eagles back in the game.
Pruitt blocked his second punt of the night with just over 12 minutes to play, leading to a 1-yard scoring run by Dawayne Woods, cutting the lead to 19-17.
But White's second field goal put the game out of reach.
Southern Mississippi had won seven straight over the Tigers entering Saturday's game.
