Football Falls at Memphis, 41-29

Saturday, October 24

Memphis, TN

12:00PM

Temple University

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Memphis

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2nd

3rd

4th

Temple

Memphis

Photo by: Bryan Metz

Football Falls at Memphis, 41-29

10.24.20 | Football

Box Score Game Book Rod Carey Postgame Press Conference Re'Mahn Davis Postgame Press Conference Amir Tyler Postgame Press Conference Anthony Russo Postgame Press Conference Jadan Blue Postgame Press Conference

MEMPHIS – Temple QB Anthony Russo passed for 387 and four touchdowns, three to WR Jadan Blue, but it was not enough as the Owls fell at Memphis, 41-29, Saturday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

Russo set Temple school records for completions (41) and attempts (63) in leading the Owls to 500 total yards of offense. His 387 yards is a career high and ranks eighth on the Owls' all-time list. However he was intercepted three times in the contest. Blue set a new career-high with his three touchdowns and tied his career-high with 13 catches.

Randle Jones also set new highs with 12 catches for 118 yards. Re'Mahn Davis also had a big day, rushing 20 times for 113 yards.

Temple led 15-10 at the half, but consecutive turnovers on its first two possessions of the second half led to 17 straight points by Memphis as the Tigers took a 27-15 lead they would never relinquish.

How it happened

First Quarter
The Owls received the ball to start the contest and marched down the field to set up a 26-yard field goal attempt for Will Mobley. The Temple kicker, however, missed wide right left. Memphis took advantage of the missed opportunity, driving 80 yards on 11 plays with QB Brady White connecting with WR Tahj Washington on three-yard touchdown pass with just over five minutes to play in the quarter. A three-and-out on Temple's next drive would give the ball back to the Tigers, but on the first play Linwood Crump forced fumble that Audley Isaacs returned 38-yards to the Memphis 10-yard line. The Tigers defense held and the Owls had to settle on a 25-yard field goal by Mobley to make it 7-3.

Second Quarter
On the ensuing drive, the Tigers would drive down into Temple's redzone before a mishandled snap recovered by Amir Tyler gave the Owls the ball back. A 30-yard ankle-breaking run by Re'Mahn Davis on the first play of the drive pushed Temple to midfield. A 29-yard pitch-and-catch from Anthony Russo to Tayvon Ruley brought the Owls into the redzone, but the drive stalled following a Memphis sack. After forcing a Tigers three-and-out, Temple regained possession at its own 35-yard line and drove down the field on eight plays for a five-yard touchdown pass from Russo to Jadan Blue to give the Owls their first lead. A blocked extra point left the score at 9-7.

Another three-and-out for the Tigers gave Russo and company the ball once again. A fourth-down conversion in the Owls' own territory kept the drive alive, but a Memphis interception ended it. The Tiger pick set up a 42-yard field goal a few plays later to give the home team a one-point lead. The Owls responded well and took the lead right back with a 75-yard touchdown drive, capped off by a pass from Russo to Branden Mack, just before halftime. Davis handled the load on this drive, gaining 32 yards to make the score 15-10. Memphis drove down the field at the end of the half, but a missed 45-yard field goal as time ran out.

Third Quarter
The Tigers got the ball to start the second half and marched down the field on a 13-play drive ending with a 47-yard field goal to cut the Owls lead to two, 15-13. On the first play of the following Temple drive, an attempted deep shot to Blue was picked off. A few plays later, Memphis would retake the lead on a 65-yard touchdown pass from White to Calvin Austin. The next Temple drive would result in another turnover, this time Davis was charged with a fumble around midfield. This set up Memphis' third touchdown a few plays later to put the Owls in a 27-15 hole with 6:30 to play in the quarter. On Temple's next drive, a defensive pass interference against Memphis on fourth down would keep the drive alive and set up another Russo to Blue touchdown pass, this one coming from 32 yards to make it 27-22. Memphis' second missed field goal of the day on the following drive gave the Owls possession, but not for long, as a dropped pass interception a few plays later gave the ball right back to the Tigers.

Fourth Quarter
Two fourth-down conversions on the next Memphis drive would help the Tigers drive down the field to extend their lead to 34-22 in the opening moments of the quarter. Randle Jones provided the spark that the Owls needed on their next drive, catching back-to-back passes for 29 and 31 yards to set up Blue's third receiving touchdown, this one from eight yards out, to pull the Owls back within one possession, 34-29.

Both teams were forced to punt on their ensuing possessions before Elijah Clark picked off White at the Memphis 46 with just under six minutes to play. The Owls were not able to take advantage as the Tigers defense forced a three-and-out. White then marched his team down the field on an eight-play, 88-yard drive capped by a 15-yard rushing TD by Kylan Watkins to make it 41-29 with 2:15 remaining.

Temple drove the ball down the field, but its 14-play drive ended at the Memphis 11 with a fourth-down incompletion.

Statistically Speaking

Blue: 13 catches for 115 yards and three touchdowns. The last time a Temple receiver had three TD catches was Robby Anderson also at Memphis (11/30/13).
Jones: 12 catches for 118 yards
Davis: 20 carries for 113 yards, five catches for 32 yards
Russo: 41-63 for 387 passing yards and four touchdown passes

Notes

Blue: Career-high three touchdown receptions, seventh all-time in receptions (125)
Jones: Tied career-high for receptions (12) and yards (118) in a game
Mack: Tied for ninth all-time in receptions (121)
Russo: Third all-time in completions (536), passing yards (6,287), and touchdowns (44)
Clark: First career interception

Up Next
The Owls stay on the road as they travel to New Orleans to take on Tulane on October 31. Kickoff is set for 12:00pm and will air on ESPN+ and 97.5 The Fanatic.