Rucker Hauls in Two TDs in Loss to Tennessee

Saturday, November 6

Memphis, TN

7:00 PM

University of Memphis

1-8 , 0-5

University of Tennessee

3-6 , 0-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Tennessee

MEMPHIS

Nov 06, 2010 | Football

Box Score

Nov. 6, 2010

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By: Preston McClellan

MEMPHIS - Behind 509 yards of offense and five touchdowns from freshman quarterback Tyler Bray, the Tennessee Volunteers overpowered Memphis 50-14 Saturday night at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

Things began with a promising look for Memphis as the Tigers took over on its own 38 after Tennessee's opening drive ended on downs. Memphis drove 62 yards in eight plays capped by a four-yard touchdown toss from Ryan Williams to Marcus Rucker to draw first blood and take a 7-0 advantage with 11:02 left in the first quarter.

Bray finished with 325 yards on 19-of-33 passing and five touchdowns, both career highs. Tauren Poole led the way on the ground for Tennessee, totaling 101 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries. He also had two receptions for 50 yards and one score.

Rucker led the Tiger offense, finishing with a career-tying five receptions for 76 yards and two touchdowns. Williams finished with 221 yards on 18-of-27 passing to go along with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Making his first career start at linebacker, Mitch Huelsing led the way on defense for Memphis, amassing a career best 11 tackles (10 unassisted) to go along with one tackle for loss. DeRon Furr finished with two tackles for loss, a pass break up and a fumble recovery.

Bray connected on the first of his five strikes with 4:51 remaining in the first quarter when he found Tauren Poole for a nine-yard touchdown reception. Poole would finish the half with two catches for 50 yards and added 81 yards on 13 carries. A missed PAT by Michael Palardy left the Volunteers trailing 7-6.

Tennessee scored again less than four minutes later, when Bray found fellow freshman Justin Hunter streaking down the sideline for a 42-yard touchdown score to put the Vols ahead 13-7.

Ryan Williams was intercepted on the first play of the Tigers' next drive, and the Volunteers would take over at the Memphis 33-yard line. Tennessee used six plays to go 26 yards and set up a 26-yard Pilardy field goal to extend its advantage to 16-7.

A three-and-out on the next series gave Tennessee the ball back at its own 24-yard line. Nine plays, 76 yards, and 3:55 later, the Volunteers extended their advantage to 23-7 when Bray hooked up with Denarius Moore for a 14-yard touchdown reception.

Cannon Smith entered the game at quarterback on the next series for the Tigers, but was unable to shift the momentum. The redshirt-sophomore completed a pass with first down yardage to Billy Foster before he was picked off by Janzen Jackson on his next attempt.

The interception set up another touchdown toss from Bray, who found Da'Rick Rogers for a 22-yard score as Tennessee pulled further ahead 30-7.

Gregory Ray rushed twice for 22 yards to open the next Memphis drive before a fumble by Smith again set the Volunteers up with excellent field position. Bray again capitalized, this time finding Gerald Jones for a nine-yard score as Tennessee pulled ahead 37-7.

The Volunteers, who amassed 398 yards of total offense in the first half, tacked on more field goal on its next possession and took a 40-7 lead into the break. After gaining 62 yards and scoring on its first possession, Memphis managed just 55 yards of offense for the remainder of the first half.

Each team would open the second half with back-to-back punts before Ryan Williams' second interception of the night set up another Volunteer touchdown. On the play following the interception by Malik Jackson, Poole spun away from a duo of Tiger defenders and sprinted 21 yards into the endzone for his first rushing touchdown of the evening.

The PAT from Palardy extended the advantage to 47-7, and the Volunteers would add another field goal before the end of the quarter to make it 50-7.

Memphis added one more score before the final whistle when Williams found Rucker streaking down the sideline for a 38-yard score. It was Williams' ninth touchdown pass of the season and Rucker's fifth touchdown reception, both of which are team highs. It marked the second time this season Rucker has caught multiple-touchdowns and the third game that Williams has thrown multiple-TDs.

The Tigers return to action in C-USA next week when they travel to Huntington, W.Va. to take on the Thundering Herd of Marshall. Game time is slated for 2:00 p.m. (CT).