University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
Mississippi
Memphis Falls to Ole Miss in Season Opener
Aug 30, 2008 | Football
Aug. 30, 2008
Final Stats | Notes
OXFORD, Miss.-- Football coaches around the nation preach that turnovers are the deciding factors between winning and losing games. In early season games -- especially season openers -- coaches realize their squads will make mistakes. However, their hope is the mistakes will not prove costly.
That was not the case for Memphis head coach Tommy West and his Tigers for a second-straight season opener versus the Rebels. After five turnovers gave Ole Miss a 23-21 win in the 2007 opener, the Rebels turned the 2008 game's only two turnovers into six points just before halftime to break open a tight game en route a 41-24 victory.
The six points off the two turnovers didn't seem devastating on the stat sheet, but they were on the field, as the two miscues took the steam out of the Tigers' sails before the intermission.
Down 21-7 with over eight minutes remaining in the second quarter, Memphis put together an impressive drive that had the Tigers on the doorstep of cutting the Rebel lead in half. The Tigers started on their own 29 and moved the ball to the Ole Miss 25, where they faced a 4th-and-1. West decided to go for the first down, and Memphis got it on a Will Hudgens' four-yard run.
With a 1st-and-10 at the Rebel 21, Memphis had all the momentum. However, on the next play, Hudgens' pass to the end zone was intercepted and returned to the Ole Miss 33 by Kendrick Lewis. Eight plays later, Rebel kicker Joshua Shene booted a 26-yard field goal through the uprights for a 24-7 Ole Miss lead with only 1:59 left in the first half.
The Tigers began the ensuing possession on their own 24 and hoped to regain some momentum heading into halftime. However, on the drive's third play, the turnover bug bit Memphis again. This time, the Rebels' Dustin Mouzon -- who returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown in last year's game -- picked off an Arkelon Hall offering at the Memphis 35 yard line with 1:37 left. Four plays later, Shene blasted a 47-yard field goal for a commanding 27-7 advantage.
Memphis put together a five-play, 37-yard drive just before the first half buzzer that ended with a Matt Reagan 39-yard field goal. The Rebels, however, had a 27-10 halftime lead and the momentum. Ole Miss also dominated the first half in terms of total yardage with a 292-188 advantage.
After the intermission, Memphis received the opening kick-off and hoped to get back in the contest. But, penalty miscues halted the Tigers' second-half opening drive, and Memphis punted the ball to the Rebels.
On the next drive, Ole Miss put the contest out of reach with a nine-play, 54-yard scoring drive that ended with a Jevan Snead-to-Shay Hodge 15-yard touchdown strike for a 34-10 lead.
The Tigers, though, did not fold and scored two touchdowns in the final quarter, but the Rebels took the win.
The play in the first quarter made it seem as if fans were in for an enjoyable back-and-forth contest. Ole Miss struck first when Snead and Hodge connected on a 64-yard scoring play for a 7-0 Rebel lead. Memphis answered on the next drive when Hudgens hit Earnest Williams from three yards out to tie the score at 7-all. Ole Miss then responded on its next possession when Dexter McCluster hit paydirt from 32 yards out for a 14-7 Rebel lead.
The second quarter, though, proved to be the turning point with the Rebels outscoring Memphis 13-3 to take control of the contest with a 27-10 advantage.
Hudgens, who returned for his final season at Memphis after being selected in this past summer's MLB Amateur Draft, accounted for all three Tiger touchdowns (2 TD passes, 1 rushing TD). He was 8-of-15 passing for 102 yards, and also rushed the ball nine times for 26 yards. Transfer quarterback Arkelon Hall made his first start in a Tiger uniform and was 15-of-27 passing for 159 yards. Hall also gained 38 rushing yards on seven carries.
Carlos Singleton and Williams each had six receptions to lead the Tiger receiving corps. Singleton led all receivers in the game with 89 yards. Curtis Steele led the Memphis ground attack with a game-high 83 yards on 15 carries.
Brandon Patterson (8 hits) and Alton Starr (7 hits) led the Tiger defense.
Snead, who made his Ole Miss debut, passed for 185 yards and two scores. Brandon Bolden led the Rebel rushing game with 76 yards and one touchdown. Jamarca Sanford paced the Ole Miss defense with 13 total tackles.
