No. 17 Memphis outscores Tulsa 66-42 to stay unbeaten
TULSA — Breaking down No. 17 Memphis' 66-42 victory against Tulsa.
THE BIG PICTURE: Memphis coach Justin Fuente was concerned with how his team would play after beating Mississippi last week to notch one of the most important victories in the history of the program. After a slow start — just when you started to worry — the Tigers’ offense got cranked up. They rolled to an easy win to remain unbeaten. It’s their 14th consecutive win.
Paxton Lynch missed his first three passes, then completed 10 in a row, including touchdowns of 58 and 45 yards, en route to a career-high 447 yards.
A blinking warning light, though, on this joy ride: the Tigers’ defense, which seemed to have shored up significant issues in stuffing Ole Miss, reverted to its early-season form, struggling to stop Tulsa’s passing game.
WHAT WE’LL BE TALKING ABOUT: With the victory, Memphis’ bid to secure the Group of Five’s automatic berth in a New Year’s Six bowl is still on track. But as the Tigers continue to win, the conversation might take a different turn: What about making the College Football Playoff? It’s extremely unlikely.
But an unbeaten season would mean the Tigers had beaten currently ranked American Athletic Conference rivals Houston and Temple. The better Ole Miss finishes, the better for Memphis, but even if the Rebels falter in the second half of the season, their win over Alabama will be a plus for Memphis, too. If the Tigers go unbeaten — and especially if Ole Miss wins the SEC West — crank up the debate.
TOP PLAY: It ultimately didn’t matter to the outcome, but at the end of the first half, Tulsa executed a Hail Mary for a touchdown — though not how anyone drew it up. From the Memphis 46, quarterback Dane Evans scrambled away from pressure — and stumbled out of a shoestring tackle attempt — before throwing deep toward double-covered receiver Keyarris Garrett.
When safety Dion Witty and cornerback Arthur Maulet batted the ball into the air, Garrett grabbed it and fell into the end zone. Tulsa had earlier ended the first half against Oklahoma with a similar Hail Mary for a touchdown.
BREAKOUT PLAYER: It is hard to call what Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch did Friday a breakout performance, because he’s been doing it all season. But Lynch continued to show why he’s shooting up draft boards.
It wasn’t just the statistics — 32-for-44, a career-high 447 yards, four touchdowns — but the throws. Lynch, a 6-7, 245-pound junior, can make them all.
For good measure, he ran for a touchdown. While he won’t be confused with a dual-threat quarterback, he moves better than you’d expect.
BREAKOUT PLAYER, II: Tulsa senior wide receiver Keyarris Garrett feasted on Memphis’ secondary. Garrett caught the Hail Mary before halftime, but it was far from his only highlight.
The 6-4, 221-pound senior finished with 14 catches for 269 yards and three touchdowns — though he fumbled away his final catch. Earlier in the season, Garrett torched Oklahoma for 14 catches, 189 yards and a touchdown in a 52-38 loss.
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