Kansas Jayhawks vs Memphis Tigers Match Player Stats On Sep 17, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Sep 17, 2016

Memphis converted four first-half turnovers into a touchdown and two field goals, the offense compiled 398 yards and the Tigers cruised to a 43-7 win over Kansas on Saturday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tenn.

Quarterback Riley Ferguson completed 15 of 24 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns. One of those scoring strikes went 84 yards to Anthony Miller to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.

Memphis, which was coming off a bye week after beating Southwest Missouri State in the first week of the season, is now 2-0 under new coach Mike Norvell.

The Tigers racked up 205 yards on the ground. Patrick Taylor Jr. led the way with 88 yards on 13 carries.

After the Ferguson-to-Miller strike, the Jayhawks fumbled on their next two possessions and Jake Elliot converted both turnovers into field goals.

Ferguson, who has taken the reins from Paxton Lynch, a first-round draft pick by the Denver Broncos in April, was masterful in controlling the game.

The same could not be said for Kansas quarterback Montell Cozart, who had completed 71.4 percent of his pass attempts entering the game.

Saturday was an afternoon he'd like to forget.

His errant pass with less than two minutes to go in the first half landed in the hands of linebacker Jonathan Wilson, who rumbled 61 yards to give the Tigers a 33-7 lead at intermission.

Cozart finished 13 of 22 and two interceptions. At one point he was replaced by backup Ryan Willis.

All told, the Jayhawks turned the ball over six times and converted just five of 16 third-down attempts.

Kansas (1-2) lost for the second straight week after opening the season with a 55-6 win over Rhode Island. Last week, the Jayhawks fell to Ohio University, 37-21.

Kansas has the nation's longest true road losing streak in the nation at 36, did very little to threaten the Tigers.

Khalil Herbert was the lone bright spot. His 66-yard scamper in the second quarter pulled the Jayhawks within 12 at 19-7.

After the two teams exchanged punts, Ferguson found Phil Mayhue for a 6-yard touchdown and Memphis was up 26-7 after Elliot's extra point.

The Jayhawks have some extra time to prepare for their next game against Texas Tech on Sept. 29 in Lubbock, Texas. Memphis stays at home and entertains Bowling Green of MAC on Sept. 24.