University of Memphis
6-1 , 2-1
North Texas
5-2 , 2-1
Anderson Jr. Leads Memphis to Wild 52-44 Win over North Texas
Oct 19, 2024 | Football
With the victory, Memphis is bowl eligible for the 11th-consecutive season, the longest stretch of any non-Power 5 team in the country. It took the Tigers only seven games to reach bowl eligibility, matching the fastest marks set in 2017 and 2019 to do so in the last decade.
Anderson Jr. was a problem for North Texas (5-2, 2-1 AAC) all night long, rushing for a season-high 183 yards on 22 carries while tying the program's single-game mark with four touchdowns on the ground. It was his best rushing total at the Division I level. Patrick Taylor Jr. was the last Tiger to rush for four scores, which came exactly seven years to the day in a 42-38 win over Houston on Oct. 19, 2017.
Senior quarterback Seth Henigan passed Brady White and became the winningest signal caller in program history, completing 24-of-38 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown. Henigan also moved into second place all-time in The American for career total offense in the win.
The Tigers got back on top late in the third quarter when Henigan aired one out to redshirt senior Demeer Blankumsee for a 62-yard touchdown reception – the longest for Henigan this season – giving Memphis a 35-31 lead.
Blankumsee hauled in a season-high six balls for 96 yards and a score for the game, while Roc Taylor added 73 yards on six catches and Koby Drake 82 yards on five catches. Taylor moved into the top 10 all-time at Memphis in receptions. His 129 career receptions moved him past former Tiger Sean Dykes.
The Memphis offense snapped the ball 70 times and racked up 526 total yards for an average of 7.5 yards per play. The ground game featured 207 yards and finished with six touchdowns, just one shy of the program record.
Linebacker Chandler Martin continued his All-American campaign with 10 total tackles – six solo – a forced fumble and an interception on the game's final play. He led a Tiger defense that recorded double-digit tackles-for-loss (10.0) for the second time this season.
In his first field goal attempt of the season, redshirt-senior kicker Tristian Vandenberg connected on a crucial 43-yard field goal to give Memphis an eight-point lead with just 1:42 remaining in the game.
The Tigers have now scored 20 or more points in 34-consecutive games – the longest active streak in the nation – dating back to a 33-28 win over Tulane on Nov. 27, 2021. Memphis (60) is one of five teams with 60 or more home wins since 2014, along with Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Michigan.
Dating back to the win over UAB last year, Memphis has forced at least one turnover in 11 of its last 14 games. Over that stretch, the Tigers have created 26 takeaways (14 INT, 12 FR).
UP NEXT
The Tigers will be back at home next Saturday to host Charlotte (3-4, 2-1 AAC) inside Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 11 a.m. and will be nationally televised on ESPNU.
Team Stats
UNT 0, MEM 7
MEM - Henigan,Seth 4 yd run (Costa,Caden kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:55
UNT 7, MEM 7
UNT - Sheffield,DT 75 yd run (Nguma,Kali kick), 1 plays, 75 yards, TOP 00:11
UNT 7, MEM 14
MEM - Anderson Jr.,Mario 5 yd run (Costa,Caden kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:49
UNT 14, MEM 14
UNT - Sheffield,DT 75 yd pass from Morris,Chandler (Nguma,Kali kick) 1 plays, 75 yards, TOP 00:10
UNT 21, MEM 14
UNT - Porter,Shane 10 yd run (Nguma,Kali kick), 6 plays, 71 yards, TOP 02:36
UNT 21, MEM 21
MEM - Thomas,Brandon 1 yd run (Costa,Caden kick), 10 plays, 79 yards, TOP 04:34
UNT 21, MEM 28
MEM - Anderson Jr.,Mario 42 yd run (Vandenberg,Tristian kick), 1 plays, 42 yards, TOP 00:08
UNT 24, MEM 28
UNT - Nguma,Kali 34 yd field goal 9 plays, 62 yards, TOP 01:02
UNT 31, MEM 28
UNT - Sheffield,DT 9 yd pass from Morris,Chandler (Nguma,Kali kick) 11 plays, 65 yards, TOP 04:29
UNT 31, MEM 35
MEM - Blankumsee,DeMeer 62 yd pass from Henigan,Seth (Vandenberg,Tristian kick) 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:59
UNT 38, MEM 35
UNT - Morris,Chandler 49 yd run (Nguma,Kali kick), 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:34
UNT 38, MEM 42
MEM - Anderson Jr.,Mario 4 yd run (Vandenberg,Tristian kick), 8 plays, 65 yards, TOP 04:36
UNT 38, MEM 49
MEM - Anderson Jr.,Mario 5 yd run (Vandenberg,Tristian kick), 5 plays, 70 yards, TOP 02:47
UNT 44, MEM 49
UNT - Conwright,Blair 9 yd pass from Morris,Chandler () 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:29
UNT 44, MEM 52
MEM - Vandenberg,Tristian 43 yd field goal 6 plays, 19 yards, TOP 01:43
