Tigers Post Thrilling 34-27 Win Over Temple Thursday

Thursday, October 6

Memphis, Tenn.

7:00 PM

University of Memphis

4-1 , 1-0

Temple

3-3 , 1-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Temple

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Tigers Post Thrilling 34-27 Win Over Temple Thursday

Oct 06, 2016 | Football

Box Score Memphis 34, Temple 27 Temple FB Notes - 10-6-16 VIDEO: Coach Norvell Press Conference VIDEO: Highlights

Memphis explodes for 31 second-half points in the victory.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Talk about a tale of two halves.

After nearly being shutout in the first half, the University of Memphis football team exploded for 24 unanswered points after intermission to post a 34-27 win over Temple before a crowd of 34,743 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and an ESPN national audience Thursday night. The contest was the Tigers' American Athletic Conference opener.

The win improved Memphis' record to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in The American. Temple fell to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the league.

The Tigers won their conference opener for a third-straight season. It is the first time in the modern era of Memphis football (since World War II) that the program won three-straight conference openers.

Junior running back Doroland Dorceus rushed for 93 yards on seven carries and one touchdown. Freshman running back Darrell Henderson also rushed for a 28-yard score in the fourth quarter, his first career rushing touchdown.

Senior place-kicker Jake Elliott set the program's scoring record after Henderson's touchdown with his 370^th career point. He added another PAT after Tony Pollard's 95-yard kickoff return for a score to give him 371 career points. Elliott moved past DeAngelo Williams (362 points) and Stephen Gostkowski (369) in Thursday's contest to take over the top spot.

Down 13-3 at the break, Memphis blew up in the final five minutes of the third quarter and scored 17-straight points to take a 20-13 lead.

After an Elliott field goal cut the Owls' lead to 13-6, Dorceus rumbled 71 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 13-all. Then, 51 seconds later, the Memphis defense got into the scoring column when Genard Avery picked off a Phillip Walker pass that was tipped by teammate Shareef White. Avery returned the interception 23 yards to put the Tigers ahead 20-13. It was the third game this season that the Tigers defense scored points in a game.

The Tigers continued their scoring onslaught early in the fourth quarter with Henderson's 28-yard scamper for a 27-13 lead. Before the Henderson score, it looked as if Temple would close the gap to 20-16 early in the fourth quarter. The Owls, though, missed a 29-yard field goal, and Memphis started its next drive on the 20-yard line. Five plays later, Memphis increased its lead to 27-13 on Henderson's first career rushing score.

Temple answered with a touchdown to pull to within seven at 27-20 with 6:47 left. Memphis, though, had an even bigger response.

On the ensuing kickoff, Tony Pollard pulled off something that Tiger Nation had not seen in 20 years. The redshirt freshman took the kickoff and broke away for a 95-yard return to give the Tigers another 14-point cushion at 34-20. It was the program's first kickoff return for a touchdown since Kevin Cobb took one back 95 yards against in-state rival Tennessee on Nov. 9, 1996. That day, Memphis used Cobb's kick return for the touchdown to propel the Tigers to a 21-17 upset victory over the No. 6 Volunteers and Peyton Manning. Pollard's 95-yard kickoff return is tied for the fourth-longest in program history.

The Owls again answered with another touchdown to cut the Memphis advantage to 34-27 with 3:49 on the clock.

On its next possession, Memphis ran off 2:53 and punted, giving the Owls one final opportunity with under a minute to play. Temple moved into Memphis territory at the Tigers 46-yard line, but on 1^st-and-10, Owls quarterback Phillip Walker's pass was picked off by Chauncey Lanier with :18 left to seal the victory.

Avery led the Memphis defense with nine total tackles. Austin Hall had eight stops.

Memphis returns to action Oct. 14 with its American Athletic Conference road opener at Tulane. ESPNU is televising the 7 p.m. (CT) from Yulman Stadium.