Memphis redshirt junior quarterback Paxton Lynch reminded everyone associated with Tiger football once again how much he’s grown over the past two years Saturday night.
Lynch was nearly flawless as he completed 22 of 25 passes for a career-high 354 yards and two touchdowns as Memphis (2-0) defeated the Kansas Jayhawks (0-2) 55-23 at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.
The Tigers are now 2-0 for the first time since 2004, and coincidentally was the last time they had beaten a Power Five opponent (Ole Miss). They also extend their winning streak, dating back to last season, to nine games, which remains the fourth-longest active streak in the FBS.
After only playing in the first half of last week’s win over Missouri State, Lynch showed superb accuracy on virtually all his throws. His distribution was even more impressive; 11 different Tigers caught a pass in the win. Senior wide receiver Mose Frazier led Memphis with four receptions for 77 yards.
Frazier, who also scored a 60-yard touchdown run out of the backfield, was part of a vaunted Tigers’ rushing attack that saw 11 players register at least one carry Saturday night. As a team, Memphis rushed the ball 52 times for 281 yards and five touchdowns. For the second week in a row, Tiger freshman Jamarius Henderson had a strong showing, once the backups entered the game, and led Memphis with 77 rushing yards on 11 carries and a touchdown.
Though the final score won't indicate it, Memphis overcame a sluggish start. Senior wide receiver Tevin Jones fumbled on Memphis’ first offensive play from scrimmage and the Jayhawks' defense recovered, setting up the Kansas offense at the Memphis 10-yard line. The Tiger defense held Kansas to a field goal, but on Kansas’ next drive they drove down the field and found themselves in the end zone and with a 10-0 first quarter lead.
Memphis responded well to their first test of adversity this season as they scored 17 unanswered points, which was capped off by Doroland Dorceus' nine-yard touchdown run, giving the Tigers a 17-10 lead with 13:45 left in the second quarter. With 32 seconds left in the half, Lynch threw his first touchdown pass of the game – a six-yard throw to Jones – to give Memphis a 24-13 halftime lead.
While the Tiger offense was unstoppable after the slow start, Memphis’ defense, for the second week in a row, was consistent throughout the game. The Jayhawk offense, which had 576 yards of total offense and 38 points in their loss to South Dakota State last weekend, was held to 359 yards of total offense. Memphis' offense (651 yards) nearly doubled the Jayhawks.
Kansas junior quarterback Montell Cozart completed only 13 of 28 passes for 113 yards, and was neutralized on the ground as he rushed for 18 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. Jayhawks junior running back Ke’aun Kinner recorded his second consecutive 100-yard game, as he rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
Memphis will wrap up their two-game road trip when they face off against the Bowling Green Falcons in Ohio next Saturday.
Other notes
-- The Tigers’ 55 points in their win against Kansas is the most in a game against a Power Five school since 1998 when the NCAA Divisions went to the current FBS/FCS format.
-- Memphis committed three turnovers in tonight's victory to Kansas’ zero.
-- Though Memphis and Kansas met in the 2008 men’s basketball National Championship game, this was the first time the schools faced off in football. This was the first game in a home-and-home series between the two teams.
Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch threw a career-high 354 yards in the 55-23 win over Kansas Saturday night.
