University of Memphis Athletics
Postgame Notes: Memphis vs. Iowa State
Dec 29, 2023 | Football
KICKING IT OFF
• Coin Toss: Iowa State won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Memphis received the opening kickoff.
• Memphis Captains: Jaylon Allen, Simeon Blair, Cincir Evans, Seth Henigan and Jacob Likes
• Attendance: 48,789
TEAM NOTES
• Memphis defeated Iowa State, 36-26, in the 65th AutoZone Liberty Bowl to secure its eighth bowl win in program history and its third in a row.
• Quarterback Seth Henigan was named the AutoZone Liberty Bowl MVP after throwing for 364 yards and four touchdowns, while adding 27 yards and another score on the ground. Henigan's (4) touchdown passes, (5) total touchdowns and (30) total points scored are all tied for second-most in Liberty Bowl history.
• Memphis linebacker Chandler Martin set a Liberty Bowl and Memphis bowl-game record with 5.0 tackles for loss on his way to being named Defensive Player of the Game. He totaled eight tackles (seven solo) with five going for negative yardage. In addition, the five tackles-for-loss are tied for third most in single-game program history.
• The Tigers set four new program bowl-game records in the win and tied another. Memphis held Iowa State to zero rushing yards to break a record set in the 2017 Liberty Bowl against the Cyclones (32) and the Tigers went the entire game without being penalized to break the record of one penalty against Utah State in last year's bowl win. Henigan completed the longest pass in Memphis bowl history to wide receiver Joe Scates (70) and Martin's five tackles-for-loss broke both Arthur Maulet (3.5, 2016) and Tim Goodwell's totals (3.5, 2005). Henigan's four touchdown passes tied Riley Ferguson (2016), Paxton Lynch (2014) and Danny Wimprine (2004) for most by a Tiger in a bowl game.
• The Tigers allowed zero rushing yards from Iowa State, the second-fewest ever allowed in Liberty Bowl history and the fewest since 1982.
• Memphis tallied eight tackles-for-loss in the win, good for the second-most in a game this season.
• Silverfield moved to second in program history in wins (31) for a head coach through their first-four seasons, trailing only Mike Norvell (38).
• Memphis has scored 20 or more points in 27-consecutive games, the longest active streak in the nation.
• With the win, Memphis improves to 8-8 all-time in bowl games.
• Ryan Silverfield became the first head coach in Memphis history with three bowl wins.
• With the win, this season's Tiger team became just the fifth in program history to win 10 or more games (2019, 2017, 2014, 1938).
• 36 points by the Tigers marked the second-highest point total allowed by the Cyclones this season.
PLAYER NOTES
• Henigan wound up and found wide receiver Demeer Blankumsee for a 70-yard touchdown strike on the game's opening possession. It marked the longest completion in Memphis bowl-game history, topping a record from the 1956 Burley Bowl (Bubba Leonard to Eddie Gebara, 64 yards) vs. East Tennessee State.
• Henigan rushed in a touchdown from 11 yards out to give Memphis a 13-0 lead after the Tanner Gillis PAT with 5:53 to play in the first quarter.
• Henigan connected on another deep ball with just :30 remaining in the first quarter, this time finding former Iowa State wide receiver Joe Scates for a 29-yard strike. The Tigers attempted a two-point conversion but were denied, resulting in a 19-0 lead.
• Gillis drilled a career-long 49-yard field goal to put the Tigers up 22-13 going into the half.
• Tight end Anthony Landphere caught a five-yard touchdown from Henigan (his third of the game) on the opening drive of the second half to extend Memphis' lead to 29-13.
• Henigan found running back Sutton Smith in the flat who made three Cyclones miss on his way to a 48-yard catch and score, extending the Tiger lead to 36-13.
• In the win, Henigan broke the Memphis single-season completions record (317) and single-season attempts record (475). In addition, he passed Brady White to become the all-time leading passer in program history, now standing alone with 10,773 passing yards in his career. His 3,880 yards passing this season rank him third for a single season, and his 32 passing touchdowns ties him with Riley Ferguson for third-most in a single season.
• Henigan has passed for at least one touchdown in every game of his collegiate career (36 games).
• Wide receiver Roc Taylor reeled in eight receptions for 102 yards (six 100-yard games this year) to become just the fifth player in Memphis history to amass more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season (1,083). He ended the year with 69 receptions – good for ninth-most ever in a season by a Tiger.
• Running back Blake Watson ended the game with 15 carries for 107 yards, adding three catches for 22 yards. It marked the fifth 100-yard rushing game this year and the ninth time Watson has combined (rushing and receiving) for over 100 scrimmage yards.
• Watson etched his name in the record books with Memphis' all-time great running backs during the 2023 season. He ended the season with 1,152 rushing yards (No. 9 in a single season at Memphis) and 1,637 scrimmage yards (rushing and receiving) – the sixth-most ever in a single season by a Tiger.
• Coin Toss: Iowa State won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Memphis received the opening kickoff.
• Memphis Captains: Jaylon Allen, Simeon Blair, Cincir Evans, Seth Henigan and Jacob Likes
• Attendance: 48,789
TEAM NOTES
• Memphis defeated Iowa State, 36-26, in the 65th AutoZone Liberty Bowl to secure its eighth bowl win in program history and its third in a row.
• Quarterback Seth Henigan was named the AutoZone Liberty Bowl MVP after throwing for 364 yards and four touchdowns, while adding 27 yards and another score on the ground. Henigan's (4) touchdown passes, (5) total touchdowns and (30) total points scored are all tied for second-most in Liberty Bowl history.
• Memphis linebacker Chandler Martin set a Liberty Bowl and Memphis bowl-game record with 5.0 tackles for loss on his way to being named Defensive Player of the Game. He totaled eight tackles (seven solo) with five going for negative yardage. In addition, the five tackles-for-loss are tied for third most in single-game program history.
• The Tigers set four new program bowl-game records in the win and tied another. Memphis held Iowa State to zero rushing yards to break a record set in the 2017 Liberty Bowl against the Cyclones (32) and the Tigers went the entire game without being penalized to break the record of one penalty against Utah State in last year's bowl win. Henigan completed the longest pass in Memphis bowl history to wide receiver Joe Scates (70) and Martin's five tackles-for-loss broke both Arthur Maulet (3.5, 2016) and Tim Goodwell's totals (3.5, 2005). Henigan's four touchdown passes tied Riley Ferguson (2016), Paxton Lynch (2014) and Danny Wimprine (2004) for most by a Tiger in a bowl game.
• The Tigers allowed zero rushing yards from Iowa State, the second-fewest ever allowed in Liberty Bowl history and the fewest since 1982.
• Memphis tallied eight tackles-for-loss in the win, good for the second-most in a game this season.
• Silverfield moved to second in program history in wins (31) for a head coach through their first-four seasons, trailing only Mike Norvell (38).
• Memphis has scored 20 or more points in 27-consecutive games, the longest active streak in the nation.
• With the win, Memphis improves to 8-8 all-time in bowl games.
• Ryan Silverfield became the first head coach in Memphis history with three bowl wins.
• With the win, this season's Tiger team became just the fifth in program history to win 10 or more games (2019, 2017, 2014, 1938).
• 36 points by the Tigers marked the second-highest point total allowed by the Cyclones this season.
PLAYER NOTES
• Henigan wound up and found wide receiver Demeer Blankumsee for a 70-yard touchdown strike on the game's opening possession. It marked the longest completion in Memphis bowl-game history, topping a record from the 1956 Burley Bowl (Bubba Leonard to Eddie Gebara, 64 yards) vs. East Tennessee State.
• Henigan rushed in a touchdown from 11 yards out to give Memphis a 13-0 lead after the Tanner Gillis PAT with 5:53 to play in the first quarter.
• Henigan connected on another deep ball with just :30 remaining in the first quarter, this time finding former Iowa State wide receiver Joe Scates for a 29-yard strike. The Tigers attempted a two-point conversion but were denied, resulting in a 19-0 lead.
• Gillis drilled a career-long 49-yard field goal to put the Tigers up 22-13 going into the half.
• Tight end Anthony Landphere caught a five-yard touchdown from Henigan (his third of the game) on the opening drive of the second half to extend Memphis' lead to 29-13.
• Henigan found running back Sutton Smith in the flat who made three Cyclones miss on his way to a 48-yard catch and score, extending the Tiger lead to 36-13.
• In the win, Henigan broke the Memphis single-season completions record (317) and single-season attempts record (475). In addition, he passed Brady White to become the all-time leading passer in program history, now standing alone with 10,773 passing yards in his career. His 3,880 yards passing this season rank him third for a single season, and his 32 passing touchdowns ties him with Riley Ferguson for third-most in a single season.
• Henigan has passed for at least one touchdown in every game of his collegiate career (36 games).
• Wide receiver Roc Taylor reeled in eight receptions for 102 yards (six 100-yard games this year) to become just the fifth player in Memphis history to amass more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season (1,083). He ended the year with 69 receptions – good for ninth-most ever in a season by a Tiger.
• Running back Blake Watson ended the game with 15 carries for 107 yards, adding three catches for 22 yards. It marked the fifth 100-yard rushing game this year and the ninth time Watson has combined (rushing and receiving) for over 100 scrimmage yards.
• Watson etched his name in the record books with Memphis' all-time great running backs during the 2023 season. He ended the season with 1,152 rushing yards (No. 9 in a single season at Memphis) and 1,637 scrimmage yards (rushing and receiving) – the sixth-most ever in a single season by a Tiger.
Players Mentioned
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