University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
10-2
#12/11 UCF
12-0
Tigers Fall Short in AAC Title Game
Dec 02, 2017 | Football
Memphis learns postseason destination Sunday
But, Tiger Nation, you should only be bursting with pride for your University of Memphis football team. Proud of the way the Tigers played. Proud of their fight. Proud of their desire.
And yes, proud of the way the team represented your city, the city of Memphis!
The Tigers fell just short in their quest for the American Athletic Conference Championship with a 62-55 double-overtime loss at UCF at Spectrum Stadium. The game was the highest-scoring championship game in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history.
The two teams combined for 1,479 yards, the most for an FBS game in 2017. The Tigers piled up school-record 753 yards of total offense in the setback. Getting lost among the offensive numbers was the clutch play of the Tigers defense. Memphis forced four UCF turnovers, including three interceptions. Two of the interceptions halted Knights' drives deep in Memphis territory.
Now, the Tigers turn their attention to the postseason. Memphis learns its bowl fate Sunday afternoon.
| Statistical Leaders | Memphis | UCF |
| Rushing | Darrell Henderson/15 carries-109 yds-TD | Otis Anderson/16 carries-117 yds-TD |
| Passing | Riley Ferguson/471 yds-4 TD | McKenzie Milton/494 yds-5 TD |
| Receiving | Anthony Miller/14 rcpt-195 yds-3 TD | Tre'quan Smith/6 rcpt-161 yds-2 TD |
| Tackles | Curtis Akins/12 tackles-8 solo-0.5 TFL | Pat Jasinski/13 tackles-8 solo-1.5 TFL |
How It Happened
- The Tigers held a 31-24 halftime lead, but UCF battled back to regain the advantage at 38-34 on a Tre'Quan Smith 34-yard TD pass from McKenzie Milton.
- UCF then pushed further ahead with the game's next 10 points to build a 48-34 lead five minutes into the fourth quarter.
- The Tigers, though, did not go away.
- A Tony Pollard 66-yard TD scamper cut the Knights' lead in half at 48-41 with 9:02 left.
- After the Memphis defense forced a UCF punt, the Tigers drove 68 yards on seven plays and the drive ended with a 10-yard TD pass from Riley Ferguson to Anthony Miller.
- The score tied the game at 48-all with 4:13 left.
- Neither team was able to get the game-winning score in regulation.
- Memphis got the ball first in the first OT period and pushed ahead 55-48 on another Ferguson-to-Miller connection from 15 yards out.
- UCF answered with a TD in the first OT to knot the score at 55-all, and the Knights grabbed the lead at 62-55 in the second OT.
- The Tigers, however, did not go quietly.
- A clutch Miller reception on a 4th-and-7 took the Tigers inside the UCF 10-yard line in the second OT.
- But, on a 2nd-and-goal play, Ferguson was intercepted, ending the most-exciting conference championship game in FBS history.
- Memphis fought back from the start of the title game tilt.
- UCF rushed out to a 10-0 lead, but a Patrick Taylor Jr. three-yard run cut the Knights' lead to 10-7.
- The Knights again pushed their lead to 10 at 17-7 and 24-14, and each time Memphis responded.
- A Pollard 13-yard TD pass from Ferguson cut the UCF advantage to 17-14, and a Darrell Henderson 30-yard TD run sliced the lead to 24-21.
- With 4:13 left before the break, Ferguson hit Miller on a 68-yard scoring connection to give Memphis its first lead of the game at 28-24.
- The Memphis defense held UCF scoreless the remainder of the half, and the Tigers added a Riley Patterson 27-yard FG for a 31-24 halftime lead and setting up a wild second half and overtime.
Team Stats
MEM 0, UCF 7
UCF - SNELSON, D. 24 yd pass from MILTON, M. (WRIGHT, Matthew kick) 5 plays, 55 yards, TOP 1:48
MEM 0, UCF 10
UCF - WRIGHT, Matthew 31 yd field goal 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 2:24
MEM 7, UCF 10
MEM - TAYLOR, Patrick 3 yd run (PATTERSON, R. kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:59
MEM 7, UCF 17
UCF - AKINS, Jordan 48 yd pass from MILTON, M. (WRIGHT, Matthew kick) 4 plays, 73 yards, TOP 1:25
MEM 14, UCF 17
MEM - POLLARD, Tony 13 yd pass from FERGUSON, Riley (PATTERSON, R. kick) 6 plays, 89 yards, TOP 2:05
MEM 14, UCF 24
UCF - SMITH, Tre'Quan 50 yd pass from MILTON, M. (WRIGHT, Matthew kick) 4 plays, 76 yards, TOP 1:21
MEM 21, UCF 24
MEM - HENDERSON, D. 30 yd run (PATTERSON, R. kick), 2 plays, 31 yards, TOP 0:30
MEM 28, UCF 24
MEM - MILLER, Anthony 68 yd pass from FERGUSON, Riley (PATTERSON, R. kick) 5 plays, 97 yards, TOP 1:57
MEM 31, UCF 24
MEM - PATTERSON, R. 27 yd field goal 8 plays, 66 yards, TOP 1:50
MEM 31, UCF 31
UCF - MILTON, M. 16 yd run (WRIGHT, Matthew kick), 6 plays, 46 yards, TOP 1:54
MEM 34, UCF 31
MEM - PATTERSON, R. 22 yd field goal 9 plays, 74 yards, TOP 2:45
MEM 34, UCF 38
UCF - SMITH, Tre'Quan 34 yd pass from MILTON, M. (WRIGHT, Matthew kick) 7 plays, 65 yards, TOP 3:06
MEM 34, UCF 45
UCF - SNELSON, D. 28 yd pass from MILTON, M. (WRIGHT, Matthew kick) 4 plays, 85 yards, TOP 1:33
MEM 34, UCF 48
UCF - WRIGHT, Matthew 31 yd field goal 10 plays, 57 yards, TOP 3:43
MEM 41, UCF 48
MEM - POLLARD, Tony 66 yd run (PATTERSON, R. kick), 2 plays, 70 yards, TOP 0:49
MEM 48, UCF 48
MEM - MILLER, Anthony 10 yd pass from FERGUSON, Riley (PATTERSON, R. kick) 7 plays, 68 yards, TOP 2:38
MEM 55, UCF 48
MEM - MILLER, Anthony 15 yd pass from FERGUSON, Riley (PATTERSON, R. kick) 2 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
MEM 55, UCF 55
UCF - KILLINS, Adrian 2 yd run (WRIGHT, Matthew kick), 4 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
MEM 55, UCF 62
UCF - ANDERSON, O. 1 yd run (WRIGHT, Matthew kick), 3 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
