Turnovers haunt Tigers in loss at Temple

Saturday, October 12

Philadelphia, Pa.

11:00 a.m. CT

University of Memphis

5-1 , 1-1

Temple *

5-1 , 2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Memphis

Temple

Kenneth Gainwell had his fourth-straight 100-yard rushing game in the loss at Temple.

Photo by: Jon Lambert

Oct 12, 2019 | Football

Box Score Postgame Notes Temple Memphis at Temple Stats Memphis Season Stats

Owls take advantage of four Memphis miscues in 30-28 win

PHILADELPHIA – Too many mistakes proved too much to overcome Saturday for the University of Memphis.

Three first-half turnovers created an early 16-point deficit for the 23^rd-ranked Tigers and a fourth-quarter Memphis miscue led to a key Temple touchdown. The Owls used the gifts in a 30-28 American Athletic Conference victory at Lincoln Financial Field.

The loss was the first of the season for the Tigers (5-1, 1-1 The American). Temple improved to 5-1 and 2-0.

Although the Tigers suffered a disappointing loss, they came extremely close to pulling off a comeback and remaining unbeaten. With slightly less than two minutes remaining, it appeared as if quarterback Brady White's 4^th-and-9 desperation pass – with a Temple defender draped around his leg – was caught by a diving Joey Magnifico for a first down at the Owls 30. An officials' review ruled the ball struck the ground before Magnifico wrapped his arms around it.

Temple took over on downs with 1:50 left and was able to keep Memphis from scoring on the Tigers' final possession (with no timeouts).

White passed for 363 yards and two touchdowns, but lost two fumbles and was intercepted once. Freshman running back Kenneth Gainwell rushed for 106 yards – his fourth straight 100-yard game – and added 98 receiving yards.

Temple quarterback Anthony Russo completed 20-of-33 for 224 yards and two touchdowns, while receiver Branden Mack had nine receptions for 125 yards.

The Tigers finished with 492 total yards, 36 more than Temple.

Trailing by nine at the half, the Tigers opened the third quarter by stopping the Owls and putting together their most impressive drive of the game: 95 yards in 11 plays. Gainwell had a pass reception for 22 yards to the Memphis 45 to ignite the drive and a key 18-yard catch – on third-and-11 from the Temple 46 – to extend the drive. Kylan Watkins got the touchdown on a 23-yard run to make it a two-point game: Temple 23, Memphis 21.

But Temple used White's second fumble of the day to go 55 yards in five plays, scoring on a 12-yard pass from Russo to Mack for some breathing room: 30-21.

It didn't take long for Memphis to answer. The Tigers drove 75 yards in seven plays, getting a 27-yard pass reception from White-to-Magnifico to the Temple 3 and the TD on a 3-yard toss from White-to-Tyce Daniel to trim the Owls' lead to 30-28 with 9:58 to go. It would be the game's final score.

Memphis trailed 13-0 in the first quarter, undone by an interception and two fumbles.

Temple had taken a 7-0 lead on its opening drive, then White was intercepted, a miscue that led to a 31-yard field goal by Will Mobley and 10-0 Owls' lead midway through the quarter.

On the ensuing Memphis possession, Brady was stripped of the football and it was recovered by Temple's Sam Franklin, who returned it to the Tigers 12-yard line. The UofM defense kept the Owls out of the end zone, but Mobley added another field goal – this one form 29 yards out – for a 13-0 lead.

Midway through the second quarter, the Tigers took advantage of a Temple turnover, recovering a fumble at the Owls 34-yard line. A 35-yard pass play on first down from White to Magnifico gave the Tigers first down at the Temple 31. Three plays later, White found Damonte Coxie on a back-shoulder throw in the left corner of the end zone to trim the Owls lead to 16-7.

Temple responded with a lengthy scoring drive of 75 yards, capped by a 12-yard reception by Isaiah Wright for a 23-7 lead.

The Tigers answered, going 75 yards themselves and getting a 25-yard touchdown run by Gainwell. On the scoring run, Gainwell displayed a combination of patience, footwork and power. He hesitated briefly at the line of scrimmage of avoid a tackle and shook off another tackle at the 10-yard line, breaking free and reaching the end zone to make it 23-14.

At the half, Temple dominated in time of possession (20 minutes to 10), but the Owls and Tigers were practically even in total yards. The Tigers had 252 to 263 for the Owls.

Gainwell had 72 rushing yards and 60 receiving yards (on five receptions) at the half, while White was 12-of-20 passing for 201 yards and a TD.

Memphis returns home next weekend to play host to Tulane at 6 p.m.

TIGERS NOTEBOOK

Tigers running back Kenneth Gainwell nearly became the first player in the Football Bowl Subdivision this season to post a 100-yard rushing/100-yard receiving game. But on his final reception of the day, he was dropped for a 2-yard loss to finish with 98 receiving yards. He is the first player in the FBS this season with a 100-yard rushing game and 90-plus yard receiving game.
Gainwell's eight receptions represented a career high. His previous high was six.
Tiger Tyce Daniel's 3-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was the first pass reception of his career.
Memphis tight end Joey Magnifico is five yards shy of becoming the second TE in school history with 1,000 receiving yards.