Ryan Silverfield and the Memphis Tigers got it done in a must-win game. Here’s the game recap for a hard-fought 35-32 comeback victory against the Boise State Broncos.
First Quarter Key Moments
Bend, Don’t Break – Boise State’s excellent drive to the Memphis one-yard line looked promising. However, a huge pass breakup by Simeon Blair on third down held the Broncos to just three points.
Turnover on Downs – After a good run by Blake Watson and an excellent third-down throw by Seth Henigan, the Broncos stopped the Tigers twice on third and fourth down. They needed one yard around Boise State’s 30-yard line but couldn’t get it.
Taylen Green’s Injury – Boise State’s QB, Taylen Green, went down with an apparent injury with 1:50 left in the first quarter. Second-string signal caller Maddux Madsen briefly took over under center.
Second Quarter Key Moments
Taylen Green Returns – With 13:30 left in the second quarter, Green was back under-center and running for crucial first downs.
Lauter’s Big Play Leads to TD – A 59-yard pass to TE Matt Lauter put Boise State at the 8-yard line. Then, RB Ashton Jeanty punched it in on the next play. It was 10-0 Boise State.
Eric McAllister’s Big Play – An incredible pass by Green to McAllister for 37 yards put the Broncos at the 28-yard line. A couple of plays later, Jeanty punched it in from the 2-yard line to make it 17-0 Boise State.
Roc Taylor Gives Memphis a Pulse – A 53-yard reception by Roc Taylor to the Boise State 22-yard line sparked the Tigers in the second quarter. Two plays later, Henigan dropped a dime to the Tiger wideout once again for a 19-yard touchdown. Memphis cut the Boise State lead to 17-7.
Henigan and Watson Showcase Their Wheels – Three consecutive runs totaling 33 yards by Seth Henigan set up a five-yard Blake Watson TD run. Memphis again cut into the lead, making it 17-14 Boise State.
DeAngelo Williams Honored – DeAngelo Williams and the 2003 team were honored at midfield during halftime. Following 32 consecutive years of missing bowl games, that team went 9-4 and won the New Orleans Bowl. Seeing a historic Tigers team get the recognition they deserved was great.
Third Quarter Key Moments
Cantin-Arku Gives Memphis the Lead – Multiple chunk plays for the Broncos – including a 20-yard run by Taylen Green – placed them inside the 10-yard line. A couple of big tackles by Chandler Martin forced the Broncos into kicking a field goal.
Memphis subsequently blocked the kick, and linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku returned it for a touchdown. This play was Memphis’ first blocked kick since 2012 at UAB. The Tigers took their first lead of the game at 21-17.
Fourth Quarter Key Moments
Coffey’s Third Down Stop – An’Darius Coffey came up big with a third and long pass breakup. The play forced the Broncos to punt the ball back to Memphis with 13:01 left in the last quarter.
Blankumsee Makes it a Two-Possession Game – Demeer Blankumsee burned the Boise State secondary for a 59-yard touchdown. Memphis now led 28-17.
Taylen Green Benched (?) – With 11:10 left in the game, Boise State went to their backup quarterback, Maddux Madsen. Taylen Green was on the sideline and did not look injured, unlike earlier. At the time, it was a curious decision from the Broncos.
Madsen Proves Me Wrong – Instead, Maddux Madsen quickly led the Broncos down the field with a 52-yard strike to Billy Bowens. Shortly after that, Ashton Jeanty caught a 15-yard touchdown. Boise State would convert the two-point conversion on a pass to Stefan Cobbs, cutting the lead down to three at 28-25.
Watson Calls Game – After a nearly seven-minute drive, Blake Watson punched it in from the one-yard line on a controversial play. A near fumble by Watson almost hurt the Tigers. Luckily for him, it was ruled a touchdown. The score made it 35-25 Memphis.
Memphis’ Key Players
Blake Watson – 133 all-purpose yards and two TDs.
Roc Taylor – Five catches, 102 yards, and a TD.
Chandler Martin – Eight total tackles, two TFLs, and a sack.
Seth Henigan – 18/28, 269 YDs, two TDs, and 64 rush yards.
Geoffery Cantin-Arku – Four total tackles, one blocked kick, and a defensive TD.
Final Thoughts
Roc Taylor continues to solidify himself as the WR1 on this team. His 52-yard reception was the start of the offensive resurgence. Seth Henigan had 124 passing yards in the first half, and 102 were to Taylor.
Speaking of Henigan, he showed a lot of grit tonight. Indeed, his passing stats were nice, but what stood out to me was his 64 rushing yards with multiple key first downs. Undeniably, Memphis’ leader made it clear to his team and the fans that he wanted to win that game.
Going into the season’s biggest game against Tulane 2 weeks from now, Cramsey needs to open up the playbook. Undoubtedly, if Memphis finds themselves in a hole like the one tonight, they will not be able to come back against the best team in the conference.
