Tigers Defense Leads To Impressive Win In Football Opener

Saturday, September 5

Memphis, Tenn.

6:00 pm CT

University of Memphis

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Missouri State

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Missouri State

Memphis

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Tigers Defense Leads To Impressive Win In Football Opener

Sep 05, 2015 | Football

Box Score

Memphis holds Missouri State to 125 yards of total offense, 18 yards rushing.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Eight starters lost from last season's Tigers defense. Well, no problem early on in 2015.

The University of Memphis used a suffocating defensive performance to hold Missouri State to 125 yards of total offense in an impressive 63-7 victory in the 2015 season opener for both programs. Before a crowd of 41,730 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, the Tigers defense also held the visiting Bears to 18 yards rushing on 30 carries and only 10 first downs.

In the 2014 season opener, the Memphis defense held Austin Peay to 146 yards of total offense and 10 first downs, the last time the Tigers held an opponent to both fewer than 150 yards of total offense and 10 or fewer first downs. The last time Memphis held an opponent to under 50 yards rushing was at Houston in 2013. The Cougars managed only 38 yards on the ground in that contest.

The defense also helped in two first-quarter scoring drives for Memphis, recovering two fumbles deep in Bears territory.

The first short-field drive was set up when Jackson Dillon recovered a Breck Ruddick fumble at the Missouri State 25 yard line. Five plays later, Paxton Lynch hooked up with Mose Frazier for a five-yard scoring strike to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead. Then, on Missouri State's third possession, Ryan Heaston fumbled, and Wynton McManis scooped up the loose ball at the Bears 36 yard line, setting up another short field for the Memphis offense. Five plays later, Doroland Dorceus went over from two yards out for a 21-0 Tigers first-quarter lead.

Taking a cue from the defense, the special teams got into the scoring act late in the first quarter when Roderick Proctor returned a punt 63 yards for a score. It was the Tigers' first punt return for a touchdown by a returner in 129 games. The last time a Memphis return man scored was against Tulane in the 2004 campaign.

Frazier and Dorceus each scored another first-half touchdown, and Jarvis Cooper added a four-yard touchdown run to give Memphis a 42-0 halftime lead.

Cooper scored on another four-yard scamper just after halftime before Missouri State got on the board. The Bears' lone touchdown came with five minutes left in the third quarter when Ruddick hit Malik Earl from two yards out.

The Tigers added two more late touchdowns for the 63-7 final.

Cooper led the Tigers rushing attack with 102 yards on 18 carries and two scores. Jamarious Henderson and Sam Craft added 73 and 72 yards rushing, respectively.

Lynch, who only played in the first half, was 8-of-12 passing for 78 yards and one touchdown. Clay Holgorsen, who came on in relief of Lynch, went 7-of-8 passing for 80 yards and his first collegiate touchdown toss. Frazier led the Tigers receiving corps with six receptions for 89 yards and two scores.

Memphis returns to action Saturday, Sept. 12 when it travels to Lawrence, Kan., for its 2015 road opener. The Tigers-Jayhawks battle is set for a 6 p.m. (CT) kickoff on ESPN3.