Tigers Fall In Liberty Bowl Classic Saturday

Saturday, December 30

Memphis, Tenn.

11:30 a.m.

University of Memphis

10-3 , 7-1

Iowa State University

8-5 , 5-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Iowa State

Memphis

Photo by: Brandon Dill

Dec 30, 2017 | Football

Box Score 2017 Liberty Bowl Gamebook (Iowa State vs. Memphis)

Memphis plays in first one-point decided Liberty Bowl since 1983.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – It wasn't the way Tiger Nation wanted it to end. However, the 2017 Liberty Bowl wrapped up an incredible season in University of Memphis football history.

The Tigers dropped a narrow 21-20 decision to Iowa State before a Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium crowd of 57,266, the 10^th-largest in the postseason classic's history and the third-largest since the stadium went through ADA renovations in 2009.

Riley Ferguson and Genard Avery, the Memphis Most Outstanding Offensive and Defensive Players, respectively, did their parts in helping the Tigers' cause Saturday.

Ferguson was 21-of-33 passing for 286 yards and two scores. Avery had five total tackles (four solo), two sacks (19 yards) and 2.5 TFL (28 yards). The two sacks were tied for the second-most in Liberty Bowl history, and Avery's sack yardage (19) and TFL yardage (28) were the fifth-most and second-most in the classic's history, respectively.

Statistical Leaders	Iowa State	Memphis
Rushing	David Montgomery/24 carries-52 yds	Patrick Taylor Jr./17 carries-68 yds
Passing	Kyle Kempt/314 yds-2 TD	Riley Ferguson/286 yds-2 TD
Receiving	Allen Lazard/142 yds-TD	Phil Mayhue/85 yds-TD
Tackles	Marcel Spears/11 tackles	Jonathan Cook, Curtis Akins/9 tackles

How It Happened

Iowa State struck first just under two minutes into the game when Kyle Kempt hit Hakeem Butler on a 52-yard scoring strike for a 7-0 Cyclones lead.
Seven minutes later, Memphis knotted the score at 7-all when Ferguson found Anthony Miller from 10 yards out.
The Tigers' first score came off a short field after an Iowa State miscue on special teams gave Memphis the ball at the Cyclones 40-yard line.
Memphis nearly came up with another big play late in the second quarter, but an interception in the end zone was overturned.
Eight plays later, the Cyclones scored on a Joel Lanning two-yard TD run for a 14-7 lead.
The Tigers answered at the halftime buzzer with a Riley Patterson 34-yard FG to cut the Iowa State lead to 14-10.
After halftime, Memphis grabbed its first lead of the contest when Ferguson connected with Phil Mayhue on a 36-yard scoring strike for a 17-10 lead 1:38 into the third quarter.
With five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Memphis' Curtis Akins intercepted Kyle Kempt in the end zone and returned it out to the 20-yard line. However, the pick was negated by a roughing the passer penalty.
Two plays later, Kempt's tipped pass attempt fell into Allen Lazard's hands in the back of the end zone for a 21-17 Iowa State lead.
On the next possession, Memphis cut the Cyclones' lead to 21-20 on a second Patterson field goal, this time from 30 yards out.
The fourth quarter had no scoring, but a frenetic finish.
With timing winding out in the final period, Daniel Montgomery appeared to cross the goal line to extend the Iowa State lead to 28-20. However, Montgomery fumbled before crossing the plane, giving the Tigers one final opportunity.
The lost fumble was Iowa State's first of the year.
Memphis started on its own 20-yard line with 4:06 left and drove to the Iowa State 40.
However, on a 4^th-and-10, the Tigers were unable to pick up the first down to extend the drive.