The Memphis Tigers football team pounced on the Missouri State Bears early, scoring three touchdowns in the first seven minutes of the game, and never let up cruising to a 63-7 win over Missouri State in the season opener at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Saturday evening, in front of a crowd of 41,730.
Memphis capitalized on turnovers, forcing four fumbles in the first half alone and recovering two of them. The first Missouri State turnover came on the opening drive of the game when Bears quarterback Breck Ruddick dropped a snap and Memphis’ junior linebacker Jackson Dillon recovered to put the Tigers in scoring position.
Memphis virtually had the game put away in the second quarter, but for the coaching staff a game against an FCS opponent like Missouri State means more than the final score.
“The score to me is secondary — it’s about how you play,” Memphis coach Justin Fuente said. “I am interested in measuring how we played across the board. How do you think the defense played? I’ll have to look at it but I think they did pretty well. We created turnovers. I really want to look at it but they were playing hard. We didn’t have any issues, any operational issues.”
The Tigers were able to run the ball efficiently all evening, finishing with 317 yards on the ground and averaging 5.3 yards per carry on 60 rushes. Running backs Sam Craft and Jarvis Cooper led the way with 81 yards on 12 attempts and 102 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, respectively.
“That was the plan, to get everybody in the game, everybody rolling, everybody touches, and we did what we need to do,” said Dorceus, who scored two touchdowns in his return from injury Saturday.
Through the air, junior quarterback Paxton Lynch completed 8-of-12 passes and threw for 78 yards and a touchdown before being replaced by backup Clay Holgorsen late in the second quarter. Wide receiver Phil Mayhue even got in on the aerial attack, launching a 44-yard bomb to Mose Frazier on a trick play for the Tigers’ second touchdown of the game.
Memphis was without multiple players due to suspensions following the brawl at the end of last season’s Miami Beach Bowl. Senior linebacker Leonard Pegues and redshirt freshman defensive lineman Isadore Outing were suspended for the entire game, while Chauncey Lainer, Michael Stannard, Trevon Tate and Nick Thomas were each suspended for the first half.
The Tigers to the field next Saturday as they hit the road for their first away game of the season. The Blue and Gray will take on the Kansas Jayhawks, who lost their season opener 41-38 to FCS South Dakota State on Saturday.
Memphis will take on the Jayhawks in Lawrence, Kansas Saturday, with kickoff slated for 6 p.m.
Memphis sophomore running back Jarvis Cooper ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns in the 63-7 win over Missouri State Saturday night.
