Saturday, November 7
Memphis, Tenn.
6:00 p.m. CT
University of Memphis
20
vs
45
Navy
Photo by: Joe Murphy
Tigers Fall To Navy 45-20 Saturday
Nov 07, 2015 | Football
Lynch records eighth 300-yard passing game of the season.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Sometimes it's just not your day, and that was the case for the No. 15/16 University of Memphis football team against Navy Saturday.
In a game that was very un-Memphis-like, the Tigers were unable to find a rhythm on either side of the ball and dropped a 45-20 American Athletic Conference decision to the Midshipmen, before a crowd of 55,212 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The 55,212 crowd was the largest for a conference home contest in the program's history.
Despite the loss, Memphis remains in the hunt for the The American West Division title. Houston and Navy lead the West Division with 5-0 league records, with Memphis one game behind at 4-1. The Tigers play at Houston next Saturday (Nov. 14). Kickoff for the game is set for 6 p.m. Central and will be broadcast on ESPN2. Navy plays at Houston Nov. 27.
Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch notched his eighth 300-yard passing game of the season (12th career) with 305 yards through the air, but wasn't able to put together the Lynch-like drives that Tiger Nation had become accustomed to this season. He went 26-of-42 passing with one touchdown. He threw his second interception of the season in the contest.
The Memphis rushing attack managed 133 yards but fumbled the ball four times, two of which were recovered by the Midshipmen. Navy turned two of the three Tigers turnovers (two fumbles, one interception) into 10 points. The Midshipmen played error-free football with no miscues.
Leading the Tigers ground game was Doroland Dorceus with 69 yards on 12 carries. Mose Frazier led the Memphis receiving corps with six catches, while Phil Mayhue had a team-high 68 receiving yards.
Memphis struck on its first possession of the game. The Tigers took only 1:21 to score and hit pay dirt when Lynch found Anthony Miller from 11 yards out for a 7-0 lead.
Navy answered the Memphis score on the ensuing possession. The Midshipmen, however, took their time scoring. Navy put together a methodical 16-play, 75-yard drive that took 9:02 off of the clock and tied the contest at 7-all with a Chris Swain three-yard touchdown run.
The Tigers reclaimed the lead on their next drive, capped by a Jake Elliott 40-yard field goal. Elliott's field goal ended the first-quarter scoring.
Navy took its first lead of the contest late in the second quarter. Starting on their own 29 yard line, the Midshipmen ran seven plays and 3:36 to cover the 71 yards, and Swain rushed for the final two yards to give Navy a 14-10 advantage.
The Midshipmen added to their lead just before halftime. Daniel Gonzalez intercepted a Lynch pass at the Tigers 37 yard line and returned it 10 yards to the 27 with under :30 on the clock. Three plays later, Austin Grebe kicked a 44-yard field goal to give Navy a 17-10 advantage at the break.
After halftime, a role reversal was seen on each team's first score of the third period. The Tigers tied the contest at 17-all on a Miller one-yard touchdown sweep. In Navy-like fashion, Memphis methodically drove 84 yards on 15 plays and took 5:48 off of the clock.
Following the Tigers' score, Navy started its drive on its own 25, but regained the lead in a quick-strike, Memphis-like way. On the Midshipmen's first play from scrimmage, quarterback Keenan Reynolds connected with DeBrandon Sanders for a 75-yard touchdown. The drive was one play and took only 10 seconds, giving Navy a lead it did not lose.
An Elliott second field goal cut the Navy lead to 24-20 with just over five minutes left in the third quarter. But, from that point forward, it was all Midshipmen.
Navy added three more touchdowns – all on runs – and won the game 45-20.
The Midshipmen rushed for 374 yards, the most against a Memphis defense since East Carolina ran for 491 yards in 2007. Swain led the Navy ground attacked with 108 yards on 18 carries and three scores. In addition to his 75-yard touchdown reception, Sanders rushed for 82 yards on eight carries.
Reynolds was 3-of-5 passing for 85 yards and one touchdown.
Tigers linebacker Wynton McManis led the defense with a career-high 10 tackles. Leonard Pegues and Genard Avery each added eight tackles.
In a game that was very un-Memphis-like, the Tigers were unable to find a rhythm on either side of the ball and dropped a 45-20 American Athletic Conference decision to the Midshipmen, before a crowd of 55,212 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The 55,212 crowd was the largest for a conference home contest in the program's history.
Despite the loss, Memphis remains in the hunt for the The American West Division title. Houston and Navy lead the West Division with 5-0 league records, with Memphis one game behind at 4-1. The Tigers play at Houston next Saturday (Nov. 14). Kickoff for the game is set for 6 p.m. Central and will be broadcast on ESPN2. Navy plays at Houston Nov. 27.
Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch notched his eighth 300-yard passing game of the season (12th career) with 305 yards through the air, but wasn't able to put together the Lynch-like drives that Tiger Nation had become accustomed to this season. He went 26-of-42 passing with one touchdown. He threw his second interception of the season in the contest.
The Memphis rushing attack managed 133 yards but fumbled the ball four times, two of which were recovered by the Midshipmen. Navy turned two of the three Tigers turnovers (two fumbles, one interception) into 10 points. The Midshipmen played error-free football with no miscues.
Leading the Tigers ground game was Doroland Dorceus with 69 yards on 12 carries. Mose Frazier led the Memphis receiving corps with six catches, while Phil Mayhue had a team-high 68 receiving yards.
Memphis struck on its first possession of the game. The Tigers took only 1:21 to score and hit pay dirt when Lynch found Anthony Miller from 11 yards out for a 7-0 lead.
Navy answered the Memphis score on the ensuing possession. The Midshipmen, however, took their time scoring. Navy put together a methodical 16-play, 75-yard drive that took 9:02 off of the clock and tied the contest at 7-all with a Chris Swain three-yard touchdown run.
The Tigers reclaimed the lead on their next drive, capped by a Jake Elliott 40-yard field goal. Elliott's field goal ended the first-quarter scoring.
Navy took its first lead of the contest late in the second quarter. Starting on their own 29 yard line, the Midshipmen ran seven plays and 3:36 to cover the 71 yards, and Swain rushed for the final two yards to give Navy a 14-10 advantage.
The Midshipmen added to their lead just before halftime. Daniel Gonzalez intercepted a Lynch pass at the Tigers 37 yard line and returned it 10 yards to the 27 with under :30 on the clock. Three plays later, Austin Grebe kicked a 44-yard field goal to give Navy a 17-10 advantage at the break.
After halftime, a role reversal was seen on each team's first score of the third period. The Tigers tied the contest at 17-all on a Miller one-yard touchdown sweep. In Navy-like fashion, Memphis methodically drove 84 yards on 15 plays and took 5:48 off of the clock.
Following the Tigers' score, Navy started its drive on its own 25, but regained the lead in a quick-strike, Memphis-like way. On the Midshipmen's first play from scrimmage, quarterback Keenan Reynolds connected with DeBrandon Sanders for a 75-yard touchdown. The drive was one play and took only 10 seconds, giving Navy a lead it did not lose.
An Elliott second field goal cut the Navy lead to 24-20 with just over five minutes left in the third quarter. But, from that point forward, it was all Midshipmen.
Navy added three more touchdowns – all on runs – and won the game 45-20.
The Midshipmen rushed for 374 yards, the most against a Memphis defense since East Carolina ran for 491 yards in 2007. Swain led the Navy ground attacked with 108 yards on 18 carries and three scores. In addition to his 75-yard touchdown reception, Sanders rushed for 82 yards on eight carries.
Reynolds was 3-of-5 passing for 85 yards and one touchdown.
Tigers linebacker Wynton McManis led the defense with a career-high 10 tackles. Leonard Pegues and Genard Avery each added eight tackles.