Football Falls to Memphis in 2023 Season Finale

Friday, November 24

Philadelphia

12:00 PM

Temple University

3-9 , 1-7

Memphis

9-3 , 6-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Memphis

Temple

Photo by: JACKSSONVILLE_JAGUARS

Photo by: Zamani Feelings

Football Falls to Memphis in 2023 Season Finale

11.24.23 | Football

Box Score Game Book Stan Drayton Press Conference E.J. Warner & Amad Anderson Jr. Press Conference Photo Gallery

PHILADELPHIA — Temple (3-9, 1-7 AAC) fell at home to the Memphis Tigers (9-3, 6-2 AAC), 54-21, in the team's regular season finale at Lincoln Financial Field on Black Friday. The story of the game was Memphis QB Seth Henigan, who threw for four passing touchdowns.

Temple RB Darvon Hubbard stood out for the Owls, accumulating 115 total yards and a career-high 96 on the ground. WR Amad Anderson Jr. had a career day, setting new highs in receiving yards (169) and receiving touchdowns (2).

QB E.J. Warner threw for 330 yards, marking the second straight season he has eclipsed 3,000 passing yards. Warner is the only quarterback in Temple program history to record two career 3,000-yard seasons, doing so in his first two years of collegiate football. His seventh career 300-yard passing game marked the most by any Temple quarterback in program history.

How It Happened

Memphis QB Seth Henigan connected with WR Joe Scates for a 54-yard passing touchdown on the first play of the game to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 14:42 remaining in the first quarter.
On the ensuing drive, the Owls answered back with a 49-yard rushing touchdown by RB Darvon Hubbard with 10:50 remaining in the first quarter. Temple missed the extra point, cutting Memphis' lead to 7-6.
Memphis responded with a 75-yard drive, capped off with a Tigers 11-yard receiving touchdown by WR Sutton Smith with 7:50 left in the first quarter. The touchdown gave Memphis a 14-6 lead.
Following Memphis' second touchdown, Temple's defense held the Tigers to consecutive three-and outs. With 6:41 remaining in the first half, Memphis RB Brandon Thomas converted a 1-yard rushing touchdown to take a 21-6 lead.
With 4:01 remaining in the half, LB Jacob Hollins intercepted a pass to give Temple the ball at its own 48-yard line. The drive ended with a Memphis interception at the 2-yard line off a deflected pass. The Tigers added a 13-yard passing touchdown from Henigan to RB Blake Watson to extend the lead to 28-6 with 22 seconds remaining in the first half.
Temple started off strong in the second half, as QB E.J. Warner connected with WR Amad Anderson Jr. for a 29-yard touchdown. The Owls converted the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 28-14 with 11:10 left in the third quarter.
With 7:14 left in the third quarter, the Tigers got back into the endzone on a 2-yard run from RB Blake Watson to take a 35-14 lead. The touchdown was the only score by either team during the third quarter.
Memphis tallied a 21-yard field goal to extend their lead to 38-14 with 10:47 remaining in the game.
The Tigers extended their advantage to 45-14 with 3:19 remaining in the game. Henigan completed a two-yard pass to TE Brendan Doyle.
Temple scored their third touchdown of the game with 2:38 remaining, when Warner connected with Anderson Jr. for a 75-yard touchdown pass to cut into Memphis' 45-21 lead.

Notes

QB E.J Warner's 23 touchdown passes this year sets a new Temple record for touchdown passes in a season, surpassing P.J. Walker in 2016 and Brian Broomell in 1979. Warner's 27 completions against Memphis also brought him to 256 for the season, which is the second most in a season by a Temple quarterback, behind Warner's 268 last season. In addition, Warner set a new program record for pass attempts in a season, with 445.
WR Amad Anderson Jr. led the Owls with seven catches, a career-high 169 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns. Today marked Anderson Jr.'s fifth career 100-yard receiving game, becoming one of eight Owls to ever record five or more in their careers.
WR Zae Baines has recorded at least one reception in all 11 games he has played in this season.
SAF Elijah Deravil recorded career highs in total tackles (12) and solo tackles (8).
Prior to the game, Temple honored 14 seniors on the team's roster.

Statistically Speaking

Hubbard's 49-yard touchdown run in the first quarter marked a career long and the second-longest rushing play of the season for the Owls. The RB finished with a career-high 95 rushing yards.
DL Davion Hood's sack in the first quarter was his first of the season.
LB Jacob Hollins recorded his first career interception.
DL Demerick Morris recorded a career-high five tackles.

Up Next
Temple's loss to Memphis concludes the 2023 season.