The Memphis Tigers entered Saturday’s game against SMU with a 4-5 record, badly needing a win to keep their bowl hopes alive.
The Tigers, already minus three of their top four quarterbacks, lost starting running back Curtis Steele early in the second half to a hamstring injury.
Memphis RB Curtis Steele Rushed for 123 Yards Against SMU
But as they’ve done since an 0-3 start, Memphis showed a lot heart and pulled out a 31-26 win over the SMU Mustangs in Dallas.
Memphis gained 306 yards rushing against the Mustangs, led by Curtis Steele with 123 yards on 19 carries. Brandon Ross added 111 yards on 22 carries as the Tigers rolled up 436 yards of total offense.
The 306 yards rushing is the most since Memphis had 351 against Akron in the 2005 Motor City Bowl.
‘‘That’s what good teams do,” Tiger coach Tommy West said. “When somebody goes down, somebody else has to step up. That just means we’ve recruited the right kind of guy.
But, goodness, we’re playing in the second half without (Nos. 1 and 2) quarterbacks (Arkelon Hall and Will Hudgens) and two of our top three backs and we find a way to win. So my hat is off to our guys.”
Memphis jumped out to an early 14-0 lead, scoring on their first two possessions. The Tigers used a 10-play, 78-yard drive capped off with Steele scoring on a 2-yard run to put the Tigers up 7-0 with 8:32 left in the first quarter.
After an SMU punt netted only 26 yards, the Tigers took over at the Mustangs 36. Memphis needed eight plays to score, with Ross taking a handoff and scampering 10 yards to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead with 2:22 left in the first quarter.
SMU got on the board on their next possession, needing only two plays to score. Bo Levi Mitchell completed a nine-yard pass to Aldrick Robinson then found Emmanuel Sanders for a 53-yard touchdown to cut the Tiger lead to 14-7 with 1:37 left in the first quarter.
The Mustangs trimmed the Tigers’ lead to 14-13 at the half as Thomas Morstead connected on second-quarter field goals of 40 and 38 yards. The 38-yarder came on the final play of the half.
Steele had 100 yards before halftime and became the fourth Tiger in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. He surpassed the mark on his first carry of the second half.
Playing in “Big D” was a big deal for Tiger receiver Steven Black. Black’s cousin, Dallas Cowboys star Terrell Owens, was in attendance on the Memphis sidelines for the game.
Black showed his older cousin he could make a few catches too, hauling in a 4-yard touchdown pass from Brett Toney in the third quarter to give the Tigers a 21-13 lead with 6:51 remaining.
Tigers RB Brandon Ross Added 111 Yards Rushing in the Tigers Win Over SMU
Logan Turner, who replaced an injured Bo Levi Mitchell, directed the Mustangs on a 6-play, 64-yard drive capped off with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Cole Beasley to cut Memphis’ lead to 21-20
Although the Tigers’ ground game was exceptional, the two biggest plays of the game came from wide receiver Carlos Singleton. He had an 18-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter to give the Tigers a 28-20 lead.
It was Singleton’s fifth touchdown catch of the season; and the 19th of his career. The 19 touchdown receptions tied the school record, set by Tavares Gideon in two seasons (2002 & 2004).
After SMU turned the ball over on downs at the Memphis 16 with 7:46 left, the Tigers put together a 10-play drive that. The game-clinching play came when Singleton made a reception on a third-down and 3 from the SMU 44.
‘‘I knew I had to make that play to put the game out of reach,’’ Singleton said.
The 28-yard catch gave Memphis a first down at the SMU 16 with just over four minutes remaining and led to Matt Reagan’s 24-yard field goal for a 31-20 lead with 1:31 to go.
‘‘I thought SMU played their tails off,’’ said West, mindful the Mustangs (1-9, 0-6) had to play much of the game without Bo Levi Mitchell, their starting quarterback, who left with a first-half shoulder injury. ‘‘We were fortunate to come out ahead in the end, but we made the plays when we had to make plays and Carlos was the difference in the game.’’
The Tigers survived a late SMU touchdown, an 8-yard pass from Logan Turner to Cole Beasley with 38 seconds left to cut the Tigers lead to 31-26.
SMU attempted a two-point conversion, but Memphis was called for pass interference and gave the Mustangs one more chance. On the next attempt, Turner bobbled the snap from center and Memphis blew up the play.
SMU made one last effort to win the game, attempting an on-sides kick, but the Tigers’ Maurice Jones recovered the ball at the Mustangs 38, preserving the win.
‘‘It’s frustrating to go down like that, but the kids battled back,’’ said SMU coach June Jones. ‘‘Everybody’s frustrated, but … like I told the team, somebody’s got to step up and make a play.’’
The Memphis defense played perhaps its best game of the year as they held SMU to 38 yards rushing. It was the lowest rushing total for a Memphis opponent since the Tigers held UTEP to five yards in 2006.
The Tigers (5-5, 3-3) are off next week and are hopeful they can continue their level of solid play for the final two home games of the season against Central Florida and Tulane.
