Memphis Overcomes Slow Start to Hold Off Boise St 35-32

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An absolutely beautiful blue sky was the backdrop for yesterday’s college football game between Boise St. and the host Memphis Tigers. But the players did have to deal with the heat as it was probably in the mid-90s with the heat index on the field.

The Memphis Tigers are coming off a tough 34-27 loss to the Tigers of Missouri. It was the first loss of the year for Memphis. It was a game that saw the Memphis defense face its toughest test of the young season.

A light but heavy on the home team’s side crowd, let out a great big roar and Memphis won the toss and deferred to Boise.

Boise got the football and was able to get a first down but eventually had to punt to Memphis. The punt was so good it landed the Tigers a first and ten from their won one, 99 yards from a touchdown. Three plays later Memphis was punting back to Boise and the punt was muffed. A 28-yard punt gave Boise the ball first and ten at the Memphis 37.

Some nice playing calling set up Boise first and goal at the two. After two runs failed to get paydirt, a wide-open pass play was broken up on the hit and Boise had to settle for the field goal for the 3-0 lead. The pass in the end zone was caught by Michael Callahan but a good hit by the Memphis defender, Simeon Blair knocked the ball free.

Memphis would move the football with a mix of the run and pass but when faced with a fourth and one, they missed out on an opportunity and Boise took over at their own 30. A good chance to get some points wasted by the Tigers.

The first quarter ended without much from either team. But a 59-yard strike from Taylen Grene to TE Matt Lauter out the ball down to the Memphis eight and Ashton Jeanty took it to the house and gave Boise a 10-0 lead with 11:41 left in the first half. The completion was the longest from a Boise tight end since 2001.

To this point the Broncos’ offense was closing in on 200 yards while Memphis had but 69 so far. Boise just had the better offense and made the bigger plays to this point in the game.

The trend continued as Boise got another huge pass play from Green to Eric McAlister for 37 yards. The drive was kept alive by a third-down pass interference call on DeAgo Brumfield and finished off by a one-yard score from Jeanty. It was now 17-0 Boise with 6:17 to go in the half.

Up until this point, the Tigers’ offense was off, not in rhythm. Seth Henigan was not sharp and the route running needed work. Finally, a play in favor of Memphis when Henigan connected with Roc Taylor for 53 yards, and two plays later they connected for the 19-yard touchdown to pull the Tigers to within 10, 17-7.

After Boise went three and out Memphis got the ball with time to put up another score before the end of the half. They faced a huge fourth and inches at the Boise 37 and went right up the middle with Henigan for the first down. A 24-yard run and then a five-yard run by Henigan gave it to Memphis at the Boise five with 30 seconds to go. Watson would walk in from there and just like that it was 17-14 Broncos. And that is how the first half would end. Not bad for Memphis considering how they played most of the first half.

Memphis took the second-half kickoff but got nowhere and had to punt the ball away. Boise would take over at their own 29. The Memphis defense would hold and get the ball back.

Both teams would go back and forth with no team having any advantage. Boise took over at their own 20 and moved 73 yards on 11 players and set up for a chip shot 25-yard field goal. The kick was blocked and recovered by Geoffrey Cantin-Arku and returned to the house 80 yards. Just kike that it was 21-17 Memphis with 1:37 left in the third quarter.

With Memphis up four the offense struck quick. Henigan moved to his left and hit WR Demeer Blankumsee for 59 yards for the touchdown that made it 28-17 Memphis with just over 11 minutes to go in the game.

Boise would answer right back on a five-play 80-yard drive that was capped off by a Jeanty 15-yard touchdown strike to cut the Tigers lead to 28-25 after a successful two-point conversion.

Not to be outdone, Memphis drove right back down the field and sealed the win when Blake Watson went in from the one to make it 35-25. Boise would cap off the scoring on the night to close out the 35-32 loss. Memphis came away with the big win and moved to 4-1 on the season.

GAMES NOTES:

The Memphis defense allowed 519 yards of offense. This will need to be addressed and changed moving forward
Boise RB, Ashton Jeanty had another big day with 92 yards rushing and two scores to go along with 53 yards receiving and two more scores
Memphis QB Seth Henigan finished 18-28 for 269 yards, two touchdowns, and two sacks. He added 13 carries for 67 yards rushing
RB Blake Watson had 117 yards rushing on 19 carries with two touchdowns
Roc Taylor had five catches for 102 yards and a 19-yard touchdown catch
LB Chandler Martin had nine total tackles, five solo with a sack