Postgame Notes: Memphis vs. Boise State

KICKING IT OFF
• Coin Toss: Memphis won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Boise State elected to receive.
• Memphis Captains: Jaylon Allen, Simeon Blair, Seth Henigan and Jacob Likes
• Attendance: 30,364

TEAM NOTES
• Memphis improved to 44-7 (.863) at home since head coach Ryan Silverfield joined the coaching staff in 2016. As a head coach, Silverfield is 19-4 (.826) at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
• Memphis also improved to 26-1 in the team's last 27 home games against non-conference opponents.
• The Tigers limited Boise State to 3-of-10 on third downs. On the season, Memphis is limiting opponents to 15-of-63 (.238).
• Memphis improved to 2-0 on the season when trailing after the first quarter.
• The Tigers honored the 20^th anniversary of the 2003 New Orleans Bowl championship team, including former Tiger DeAngelo Williams, who was recognized for his future induction to the College Football Hall of Fame. The all-time leading rusher in program history, Williams will be the first Tiger player to be inducted and joins former Memphis head coaches Billy J. Murphy, inducted in 2022, and Allyn McKeen, inducted in 1991.

PLAYER NOTES
• Boise State jumped out to a 17-0 lead before quarterback Seth Henigan linked up with wide receiver Roc Taylor for a 19-yard touchdown strike with 5:00 to play in the first half.
• Running back Blake Watson punched in a rush from five yards out for his fifth rushing touchdown of the season to cut the Bronco lead to 17-14 just before the half (:27).
• Boise State lined up for a 24-yard field goal with 1:43 to play in the third quarter and Memphis linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku blocked the kick and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown – the first blocked field goal returned for a touchdown by a Tiger since Greg Jackson did it (80 yards) against Houston in 2006.
• Henigan found wide-open wide receiver Demeer Blankumsee downfield for a 59-yard touchdown with 11:16 remaining in the game to give extend Memphis' lead to 28-17 after kicker Tanner Gillis' PAT. It capped an 88-yard drive – the second-longest scoring drive by yards for Memphis this year. The 59-yard score also marked the longest reception of Blankumsee's career.
• Leading 28-25, Memphis drove 75 yards in 13 plays in 6:38 of game time – the longest drive by time for the Tigers this season and tied for the longest drive by plays. The drive was capped with a one-yard touchdown plunge by Watson – his second of the game – to give the Tigers a 35-25 lead after the PAT by Gillis.
• Taylor ended the game with five receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown to go over the century mark for the second-straight game. Watson carried the ball 19 times for 113 yards and two scores for his second 100-yard rushing game of the season (11^th of his career).
• The duo (Taylor & Watson) became the first two Tigers to record 100-yards receiving and 100-yards rushing in the same game since Calvin Austin III and Sean Dykes each topped 100 yards through the air, and Brandon Thomas went over 100 yards on the ground against Arkansas State in 2021.
• Henigan finished the game 18-for-28 passing for 269 yards and two touchdowns and added 64 rushing yards on 13 totes.
• Blankumsee hauled in four passes for 83 yards and a score.
• Wide receiver Koby Drake matched a career-high with four receptions and totaled 48 yards.
• Linebacker Chandler Martin paced the Tigers with nine tackles, leading the squad for a third-straight week. Martin had five solo stops, a sack and a pair of tackles-for-loss.
• Defensive back and captain Simeon Blair made six stops and broke up a pair of passes.

University of Memphis Athletics

Players Mentioned

Jaylon Allen

Simeon Blair

Demeer Blankumsee

Geoffrey Cantin-Arku

Koby Drake

Tanner Gillis

Seth Henigan

Jacob Likes

Chandler Martin

Roc Taylor

Brandon Thomas

Blake Watson

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