Memphis tops SMU, Houston loses QB
DALLAS — Patrick Taylor Jr. ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns as Memphis beat SMU 28-18 on Friday night.
Brady White's 16-yard touchdown pass to Joey Magnifico at 9:26 before halftime gave Memphis a 7-3 lead it never surrendered. Taylor's 9-yard run after intermission extended the lead to 14-5. Ben Hicks threw a 31-yard score to James Proche just before the end of the third and SMU was within two but couldn't get closer.
White threw a 9-yard score to Magnifico to start the fourth and Taylor added a 2-yard TD run to push the lead to 16.
Hicks threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns — both to Proche, who finished with 12 catches for 134 yards.
Bowl-eligible Memphis (7-4, 4-3 American Athletic Conference) now holds an 8-3 advantage in its series with the Mustangs (5-6, 4-3) and has won five straight against SMU since 2014.
HOUSTON LOSES QB: Houston quarterback D'Eriq King is expected to miss the rest of the season after tearing the meniscus in his right knee during the Cougars' victory against Tulane, a person familiar with the injury told the Associated Press on Friday night.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team was not planning an official announcement about King's injury.
King's injury was first reported by the Houston Chronicle.
The junior has accounted for 50 touchdowns (36 passing and 14 rushing) to lead the nation for the Cougars (8-3, 5-2), who are still in contention for the American Athletic Conference West Division and a spot in the league-championship game. Houston plays Memphis next week in a game that could decide the division.
King was not hit on the play in which he was injured late in the second quarter. He was replaced by freshman Clayton Tune, who has played in three games this season and completed 20 for 42 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns with one interception.
USF STUMBLES: Isaiah Wright returned a punt 73 yards for a go-ahead touchdown and Chapelle Russell recovered a fumble in the end zone to cap a big second half as Temple rallied for a 27-17 victory over South Florida on Saturday.
The Owls (7-4, 6-1 American Athletic Conference) trailed 17-0 at halftime but forced five second-half turnovers to aid their comeback.
Temple got on the scoreboard with its first possession of the third quarter when Ryquell Armstead capped a 10-play, 69-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run. The Owls recovered a fumble on the Bulls' ensuing possession and marched 43 yards before Will Mobley's 33-yard field goal pulled them within 17-10.
Temple forced a punt and the Owls drove 61 yards in nine plays and used Mobley's 36-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 17-13. Temple forced a three-and-out and Wright returned the punt to put the Owls up 20-17.
Russell capped the scoring for Temple when he recovered a fumble in the end zone after a strip-sack of Blake Barnett by Dana Levine.
Anthony Russo passed for 264 yards for the Owls, connecting with 11 different receivers.
Jordan Cronkrite ran for 87 yards and two first-half TDs for the Bulls (7-4, 3-4).