Navy Midshipmen vs Memphis Tigers Match Player Stats On Oct 14, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Oct 14, 2017

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- After allowing more than 450 yards rushing in the last two games against Navy, Memphis held off the No. 25 Midshipmen 30-27 Saturday at Liberty Bowl Stadium.

Memphis allowed 314 yards on the ground this time.

The Tigers (5-1, 2-1 American Athletic Conference) got two interceptions from safety Austin Hall, the second of which clinched the win for Memphis with 1:42 to play.

The anticipated offensive show was dulled by an opportune Tiger defense, which forced four Navy turnovers.

The Tigers fell victim early to a snafu on the opening kickoff. Return man Darrell Henderson elected to let the kick hit the ground in hopes that it would bounce out of bounds. It backed up and allowed Navy's Mason Plante to recover.

The Tigers averted the worst, however, and held the Midshipmen to a 23-yard field goal by Bennett Moehring.

Although both teams' first touchdowns went true to form, the first half was far from the offensive show that was expected. Navy suffered two lost fumbles and the Memphis offense, averaging 509 yards per game coming in, sputtered.

Memphis' quick-strike offense took only 2:21 to score its first-half touchdown, going 72 yards in seven plays while Navy's touchdown took 8:20 with quarterback Zach Abey's score capping a 70-yard drive.

Ferguson, who threw for a school record-tying seven touchdowns a week earlier against Connecticut, was wild high on several first-half throws, although he completed 10 of 19 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown to his favorite receiver, Anthony Miller.

In settling for a 10-10 tie at halftime, the Navy defense held Ferguson in check and shut down the Memphis ground attack. The Tigers could only manage 71 yards on the ground.

Memphis' fortunes turned on the second play of the second half when Hall picked off an Abey pass at the Navy 38 and returned it to the 13. Ferguson then connected with Henderson for a 12-yard touchdown pass for a 17-10 lead.

Navy broke through in the third quarter thanks to a safety from its defense. Ferguson threw out of bounds from the end zone, called for grounding, which resulted in a safety. On the play, Ferguson banged his knee on the turf and had to be helped off the field.

The Midshipmen wasted no time cashing in. Abey surgically picked apart the Tigers defense and took his offense 70 yards, capping the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to give Navy a 19-17 lead with 7:30 to play in the third quarter.

Memphis got some breathing room with 13:17 to play in the fourth quarter when Ferguson connected with Miller from 8 yards for a touchdown and a 27-19 Tigers lead.

Later, although Memphis couldn't take full advantage of a Curtis Akins recovery of an Abey fumble, Riley Patterson connected on his second 42-yard field goal, this one with 11:08 to play in the game for a 30-19 Tigers lead.

Sean Williams recovered a Henderson fumble inside the Navy 20 that led to a 1-yard touchdown by Abey to get the Mids within 30-27 after a Darryl Bonner two-point conversion with 3:25 left.

NOTES: Memphis senior DE Ernest Suttles was dismissed from the team Saturday morning after Suttles was charged with rape by the Memphis Police Department. Suttles had eight tackles, including four for a loss and two sacks, in five games. ... Memphis plays at Houston on Thursday night. Navy hosts UCF next Saturday. ... Navy QB Zach Abey rushed 37 times for 146 yards and three touchdowns.