November 12, 20226
TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Memphis (8-2, 5-1 American) football team delivered when it mattered most, securing a 52-41 victory over South Florida (6-4, 2-4 American) in a Thursday night shootout at Raymond James Stadium.
Quarterback Marcus Stokes accounted for five touchdowns for the third consecutive game, while running back Jaylin Carter became the 12th FBS player this season to surpass 1,000 rushing yards. Carter finished with 109 yards on 21 carries and scored twice, including the game-clinching touchdown with 44 seconds remaining.
Memphis' high-powered offense eclipsed 500 total yards for the sixth time this season, powering past a talented South Florida squad that threatened to steal the lead late in the fourth quarter. The Tigers' defense answered the challenge, recording a season-high seven sacks and coming up with key stops, including denying the Bulls on a fourth-and-goal attempt from the Memphis four-yard line with less than four minutes to play.
Stokes posted his fourth consecutive 300-yard passing game, completing 15-of-31 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns. While it marked his fifth game with at least three touchdown passes this season, his impact on the ground proved equally significant. The junior from St. Augustine, Florida, rushed for 73 yards and two scores, showcasing his toughness throughout the contest.
Carter became the 10th player in Memphis history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, increasing his total to 1,038 yards. He is the first Tiger to reach the milestone since Mario Anderson rushed for 1,362 yards in 2024.
With 8:04 remaining in the fourth quarter, Nico Gramatica's 38-yard field goal gave South Florida its first lead of the night after erasing a 21-point first-quarter deficit. Memphis responded immediately. Just two plays later, Stokes connected with junior wide receiver Jemyri Davis on a 76-yard touchdown strike that put the Tigers back in front, 45-41, with 7:34 left to play. Davis finished the game with five catches for 161 yards recording his first career 100-yard outing.
The third quarter featured a flurry of momentum swings. Memphis opened the second half with a three-and-out, and South Florida capitalized when Jason Collins Jr. hauled in a middle screen pass and raced for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 28-24.
Freshman running back Jordan Thompson then sparked a Memphis drive that ended with a touchdown pass from Stokes to Stonka Burnside, extending the Tigers' lead to 35-24. The touchdown reception was Burnside's fourth of the season.
South Florida answered on its very next snap as Collins broke free for a 75-yard touchdown run, trimming the lead back to four points. Memphis responded by driving to the Bulls' nine-yard line but was forced to settle for a Phillippe Laforge 27-yard field goal.
The Bulls then marched 75 yards on a 10-play drive that consumed more than five minutes, tying the game at 38-38 with 1:42 remaining in the third quarter.
Memphis stormed out to a 21-0 first-quarter advantage behind an acrobatic touchdown run by Stokes. His eight-yard scoring run was his second rushing touchdown of the opening quarter after a career-long 47-yard touchdown run opened the scoring. The 47-yard run was the longest touchdown rush by a Memphis quarterback in the last 30 seasons.
Stokes also found Hunter Tipton from seven yards out for their sixth touchdown connection of the season, giving Memphis a 14-0 lead. The Tigers' 21-point opening quarter marked the third time they have scored at least 21 points in a quarter this season and the first time Memphis has scored 21 points in the first quarter since 2023 versus South Florida.
South Florida responded with 10 unanswered points in the second quarter and cut the deficit to 11 after converting a fourth-and-goal opportunity with 4:13 left before halftime. Carter answered with a five-yard touchdown run, his team-leading 11th rushing score of the season, pushing Memphis' lead back to 18.
The Bulls quickly moved down the field before Luke Kromenhoek connected with Mudia Ruben for a 19-yard touchdown with less than a minute remaining in the half, sending Memphis into the locker room with a 28-17 lead.
Memphis recorded four sacks in the first half, its most in a half since the 2019 Goodyear Cotton Bowl against Penn State. The Tigers finished with seven sacks, their highest total in a game since recording seven against Tulane in 2017.
The Tigers have now won eight games in each of the past four seasons and extended their win streak over South Florida to six straight games dating back to 2019.
UP NEXT
Memphis (8-2, 5-1) heads to Annapolis next Saturday, November 21 for its 12th consecutive meeting with the Naval Academy (2-4, 3-6) at 11:00 AM
