Seniors Shine In Liberty Bowl Finale

Saturday, November 25

Memphis, Tenn.

11:00 AM CT

University of Memphis

10-1 , 7-1

East Carolina

3-9 , 2-6

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

ECU

Memphis

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Nov 25, 2017 | Football

Box Score Memphis vs. ECU Postgame notes Memphis-ECU Gamebook Memphis Postgame Quotes

Tigers defeat ECU 70-13, now look to league title game next Saturday

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Wow, what a way to send your seniors off!

On a beautiful fall Saturday afternoon (finally!) at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, the University of Memphis football team overwhelmed ECU early on the way to a 70-13 American Athletic Conference victory.

The game was the regular-season home finale for the Tigers, including 21 seniors. The senior class wrapped up its career with a perfect 7-0 home record in 2017. It is the first time the Tigers posted an undefeated home record at the Liberty Bowl. It is only the third time in program history that Memphis posted an unblemished home mark. The other two times were in 1938 (6-0) and 1959 (5-0).

The seniors also improved their school-record win total to 37 over the last four seasons (37-13 record).

The 2017 Tigers also became only the second team in program history to win 10 games in a regular season, tying the mark by the 1938 squad (10-0 record). The 2015 Tigers won 10 games, but that squad's 10^th victory came in the Miami Beach Bowl.

While many contributed to the win, the seniors set the tone early. Memphis seniors scored four of the Tigers' first five touchdowns to give the Tigers a 35-0 lead just three minutes into the second quarter. Seniors Anthony Miller (pass from Riley Ferguson), Jonathan Cook (interception return), Phil Mayhue (pass from Ferguson) and Doroland Dorceus (19-yard run) all found the end zone in Memphis' early-scoring barrage.

Statistical Leaders	Memphis	ECU
Rushing	Patrick Taylor Jr./6 carries-127 yds-2 TD	Tyshon Dye/12 carries-71 yds
Passing	Riley Ferguson/299 yds-3 TD	Gardner Minshew/351 yds-2 TD
Receiving	Anthony Miller/3 rec-144 yds-TD	Trevon Brown/7 rec-128 yds
Tackles	Curtis Akins/7 total tackles-0.5 TFL	Aaron Ramseur/6 total tackles-TFL

How It Happened

The Tigers scored early and often and put the game out of reach in the first quarter.
Memphis scored 28 points in the first quarter and 21 more in the second to take a 49-0 halftime lead. The 49-0 lead was the largest by an FBS team over another FBS team this season.
On the Tigers first play from scrimmage, WR Anthony Miller caught a screen pass and sprinted 89 yards for the longest play of his career.
DB Jonathan Cook intercepted a pass and returned it 32-yards for a touchdown to extend the Memphis lead to 21-0. The interception was the second of Cook's career and the touchdown was his first.
RB Darrell Henderson rushed two touchdowns in the first half. Henderson finished the game with 10 rushes for 122 yards. The sophomore became the Tigers' first 1,000 yard rusher since Curtis Steele in 2009.
Freshman Damonte Coxie caught a 61-yard touchdown from Riley Ferguson to start the second half. The play was the longest of the wide receiver's career.
Sophomore RB/KR Tony Pollard returned a kickoff for a TD in the third quarter. He returned the kick 100 yards, tying his own school record. It was the third 100-yard kick return for a TD in his career. Pollard's kick return was the fourth of the season and sixth of his career. Both the season and career marks are school records.
Sophomore RB Patrick Taylor capped things off with a 60-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.