Best and worst from Tigers' win
Memphis coach Mike Norvell wanted his team to play a full 60-minute game and show greater focus after last week's loss to Tulane.
So what did he think after the Tigers thrashed UConn 55-14 Saturday at the Liberty Bowl?
"We played like Memphis Tigers and that's what I was most pleased with," Norvell said. "They prepared this week, they were challenged this week and once again, I know we have the right young men cause they know how to respond."
It was a game Memphis could feel proud of, especially with no turnovers for the second consecutive week. Here are some of the best and worst moments from the game.
In a season where Henderson has dazzled with long touchdown runs, his 61-yard carry showed the fancy footwork along with his speed.
Henderson made the first defender miss, cut back to avoid the second then used his burst to speed past two defenders, including one who flailed and fell trying to keep up.
Worst sack: Cade Mashburn
Just so we’re clear, Mashburn’s strip sack in the fourth quarter was an excellent play for the freshman. It was a bad sack for UConn coach Randy Edsall.
According to USA Today, Edsall has incentives in his contract that include a $2,000 bonus if his team leads in sacks during a game. Mashburn’s play made that money go poof on Saturday.
Best start: Memphis offense
Memphis won the coin toss and instead of deferring to the second half, Norvell elected to start with the ball.
It was a smart call since Memphis opened on a scoring drive capped by Brady White finding a wide-open Joey Magnifico for a 44-yard touchdown. Memphis went on to score on its next five drives.
Worst start: Memphis defense
It wasn’t just that the Tigers allowed UConn to score on its opening drive. It was how they looked in those seven minutes and 41 seconds.
UConn was 5-for-5 on third down conversions, including a third-and-14
and a third-and-12. It brought back bad memories of Memphis' performance a week ago.
“We came out like we did against Tulane,” linebacker Bryce Huff said. “We came out playing slow and wide-eyed. When we came to the sidelines, Coach told us focus up and execute what we’ve been practicing all week.”
Best halftime performance: Memphis’ band
Memphis’ band already had a strong showing at Memphis Madness Thursday and it added even more fun Saturday paying homage to Beyonce.
The band performed “Freedom” from her album Lemonade before playing “Jumpin Jumpin”, one of her hits as a member of R&B group Destiny’s Child.
Worst crowd: The Liberty Bowl attendance
It may have been homecoming but the crowd was the lowest of the season, with 27,581 in attendance.
There’s a good chance the crowd will be better against UCF but with three crowds under 30,000 fans this season, it’s been a quieter Liberty Bowl than expected.