The Memphis Tigers finished off their 2024 regular season with a trip to New Orleans where they gave the No. 17 Tulane Green Wave their first conference loss in a 34-24 nationally televised Thanksgiving night victory.
Memphis received the ball first donning their all-white uniforms and promptly marched down the field. Seth Henigan found Greg Desrosiers Jr. in the end zone to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.
Tulane responded with a scoring drive of their own, but the Memphis defense, in their bend-don't-break fashion, held the Green Wave to a field goal.
The Wave sacked Henigan on the first play of the Tigers’ ensuing drive and forced a quick Memphis three-and-out.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah capped off a 63-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Mario Williams to give the Green Wave a 10-7 lead.
The Tigers responded with another touchdown connection between Henigan and Desrosiers Jr.
Memphis tacked on a field goal with less than two minutes to go in the half and had the chance for more points, but a Green Wave sack kept the Tigers from scoring to end the half with Memphis ahead 17-10.
Tulane opened the second half with a string of chunk plays, but a deep ball from Mensah was fumbled by Yulkeith Brown and returned by Memphis defensive back AJ Watts to midfield.
Memphis capitalized on the turnover, when Greg Desrosiers Jr. bounced off a would-be tackler and found the endzone for the third time on the night, extending the lead to 24-10.
After the Tiger defense forced another Tulane three-and-out, Memphis’ Seth Henigan surpassed former ECU quarterback Holton Ahlers for the American Athletic Conference’s all-time passing yardage record.
On the same drive, Memphis took nearly nine minutes off the clock. However, after a false start at the goal line, the Tigers settled for a chip shot field goal to make it a three score game.
After falling short of a touchdown due to a penalty, Memphis' defense gifted Tulane a quick touchdown of their own. The Tigers were called for 45 yards worth of penalties on the drive, including two personal foul penalties on the same play, allowing the Green Wave to move down the field without time going off the clock.
Predictably, Memphis attempted to run the ball with limited success on their ensuing possession. Seth Henigan fumbled a ball on a third down and the Tigers recovered and punted the ball back to a Tulane team playing for their College Football Playoff lives.
Tulane marched down the field once again, before one of the wildest sequences of the season for Memphis.
For the second time in the game, Kourtland Marsh punched a ball loose from a Tulane receiver deep in Memphis territory. The call on the field was a fumble recovered by Memphis evidently, but both teams and the television crew were confused as the refs reviewed the play. Ultimately, the Tigers got the ball after another timely forced turnover.
However, once again, the Memphis offense went nowhere and Tulane was able to get the ball back with just under eight minutes to play.
If this feels repetitive, it was. Tulane threw the deep ball yet again, and again the Tigers forced a turnover, this time on a Davion Ross interception.
On third down, Henigan connected with Desrosiers Jr. again, who juked out a defender to secure a crucial first down for Memphis.
Mario Anderson Jr. got in on the fun, bursting free for a 47-yard dagger touchdown to give the Tigers a 34-17 lead.
Tulane responded with a touchdown with 68 seconds left in the game, but the Memphis lead was still 10 points. The Green Wave went for an onside kick, but Koby Drake recovered it to seal the Tigers win.
Memphis will wait to see which bowl game they will play in, while Tulane and Army will battle for the AAC championship.
