University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
4-1 , 1-1
UConn
1-4 , 0-3
Tigers Explode In 70-31 Road Win Friday
Oct 06, 2017 | Football
Ferguson, Miller tie game records; Tigers set total offense record.
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After a suffering its first loss of 2017 less than a week ago, the University of Memphis football squad hit on all cylinders in its 70-31 American Athletic Conference win over Connecticut Friday night. The contest was played before a crowd of 19,230 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium.
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Those in attendance at the contest saw school record-tying efforts from Tigers quarterback Riley Ferguson and wide receiver Anthony Miller. Ferguson tied a program single-game record with seven touchdown tosses, and Miller tied his own single-game receptions mark with 15 catches. Miller also set a school single-game record with four touchdown receptions.
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Ferguson tied Paxton Lynch's record of seven scoring passes. Lynch had seven touchdown strikes in the 2015 regular-season finale win over SMU. Miller first set his own single-game receptions record with 15 catches in the 2016 regular-season finale victory over No. 18/21 Houston.
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In fact, the entire Memphis offense got into the "setting-record" act. The Tigers racked up a school-record 711 yards of total offense. It is the second 700-yard total offense game in program history and the second in the last three seasons (704 yards at Tulsa in 2015).
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Memphis also snapped 100 plays, which is only the second time in program history that the Tigers had 100 plays in a game. The Tigers ran 108 plays in a 2007 contest against SMU.
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The quarterback tandem of Ferguson and David Moore combined for 480 yards passing, also a school single-game team record. The previous team passing record was 447 yards at Tulsa in 2015.
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The Tigers defense did its part as well, helping the visitors from the Bluff City win the turnover battle. Memphis finished the game with a +3 in turnover margin with two fumble recoveries and one interception. The Tigers had no turnovers.
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| Statistical Leaders | Memphis | Connecticut |
| Rushing | Doroland Dorceus (122 yds/2 TD) | Arkeel Newsome (114 yds/2 TD) |
| Passing | Riley Ferguson (431 yds/7 TD) | Bryant Shirreffs (310 yds/TD) |
| Receiving | Anthony Miller (224 yds/4 TD) | Tyler Davis (87 yds) |
| Tackles | Genard Avery (7 tackles/sack) | Junior Joseph (12 tackles/8 solo) |
How It Happened
- The Tigers found themselves behind 14-7 after a slow first-quarter start. But, then Memphis exploded offensively.
- Memphis rolled up 223 yards of total offensive in the second quarter and outscored the Huskies 28-10 in the period.
- The Tigers tied the contest at 14-all on the first of four Riley Ferguson-to-Anthony Miller connections in the contest. The tandem's first scoring strike was from 17 yards out.
- Memphis took its first lead of the game midway through the second quarter when Ferguson and Miller connected on an eight-yard score. The touchdown gave the Tigers a 21-14 advantage.
- Under a minute later, Connecticut tied the contest at 21-all on a Bryant Shirreffs' 30-yard scoring strike to Alec Bloom. That was the last tie of the match-up.
- Memphis scored its go-ahead touchdown with just under two minutes left in the first half for a 28-21 lead. The Tigers pushed back into the lead on the third Ferguson-to-Miller connection of the quarter.
- The Tigers defense then got into the act, forcing a Connecticut fumble with under a minute left before halftime. Genard Avery caused the fumble, and Tito Windham recovered it on the Huskies 34-yard line.
- Four plays later, Ferguson tossed his fifth score of the half, this time a 14-yarder to Tony Pollard for a 35-21 advantage.
- The Huskies managed a field goal before the halftime buzzer to cut into the Memphis lead at 35-24, but the Tigers had the momentum.
- Just as in the second quarter, the Tigers put up impressive offensive numbers after halftime. Memphis scored 21Â points and had 240 yards of total offense in the third period.
- On the other side, the Tigers defense was swarming in the third quarter. The Memphis defense shut out the Huskies in the period and held them to 77 yards in the quarter. The Tigers forced Connecticut to turn the ball over once (fumble) and forced them to give the ball over on downs once.
- Ferguson kept rolling in the third quarter with touchdown passes of five and 32 yards to Joey Magnifico and Miller, respectively. The two scores extended Memphis' advantage to 49-24 with over a minute remaining in the period.
- A Doroland Dorceus seven-yard touchdown run closed Memphis' third-quarter scoring and increased the lead to 56-24.
- Memphis added two more scores in the final quarter – a Dorceus 26-yard scamper and a David Moore-to-Mechane Slade 10-yard reception. It was the first touchdown pass for Moore and the first scoring catch for Slade.Â
Team Stats
MEM 0, UCONN 7
UCONN - NEWSOME, Arkeel 64 yd run (TARBUTT, Mike kick), 3 plays, 77 yards, TOP 1:16
MEM 7, UCONN 7
MEM - DYKES, Sean 30 yd pass from FERGUSON, Riley (SMITH, Spencer kick) 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:42
MEM 7, UCONN 14
UCONN - HOPKINS, Nate 1 yd run (TARBUTT, Mike kick), 8 plays, 41 yards, TOP 2:40
MEM 14, UCONN 14
MEM - MILLER, Anthony 17 yd pass from FERGUSON, Riley (PATTERSON, R. kick) 6 plays, 45 yards, TOP 1:19
MEM 21, UCONN 14
MEM - MILLER, Anthony 8 yd pass from FERGUSON, Riley (SMITH, Spencer kick) 12 plays, 76 yards, TOP 4:15
MEM 21, UCONN 21
UCONN - BLOOM, Alec 30 yd pass from SHIRREFFS, Bry. (TARBUTT, Mike kick) 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:47
MEM 28, UCONN 21
MEM - MILLER, Anthony 40 yd pass from FERGUSON, Riley (PATTERSON, R. kick) 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:21
MEM 35, UCONN 21
MEM - POLLARD, Tony 14 yd pass from FERGUSON, Riley (SMITH, Spencer kick) 4 plays, 34 yards, TOP 0:44
MEM 35, UCONN 24
UCONN - TARBUTT, Mike 37 yd field goal 8 plays, 40 yards, TOP 0:53
MEM 42, UCONN 24
MEM - MAGNIFICO, Joey 5 yd pass from FERGUSON, Riley (PATTERSON, R. kick) 13 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:37
MEM 49, UCONN 24
MEM - MILLER, Anthony 32 yd pass from FERGUSON, Riley (SMITH, Spencer kick) 2 plays, 32 yards, TOP 0:19
MEM 56, UCONN 24
MEM - DORCEUS, D. 7 yd run (PATTERSON, R. kick), 1 plays, 7 yards, TOP 0:03
MEM 63, UCONN 24
MEM - DORCEUS, D. 26 yd run (SMITH, Spencer kick), 8 plays, 85 yards, TOP 3:22
MEM 63, UCONN 31
UCONN - NEWSOME, Arkeel 13 yd run (TARBUTT, Mike kick), 7 plays, 68 yards, TOP 2:52
MEM 70, UCONN 31
MEM - SLADE, Mechane 10 yd pass from MOORE, David (PATTERSON, R. kick) 14 plays, 74 yards, TOP 7:23
