Memphis Football Falls to Tulane in Critical AAC Game, Surrenders 2nd Half Lead

Memphis football loses 31-21 to Tulane in front of wrestling legend Jerry Lawler; Memphis offense struggles before late comeback.

In a thrilling match that saw Memphis pro wrestling legend Jerry "The King" Lawler in attendance, Memphis football had a golden opportunity to dethrone the king of the AAC, but unfortunately, they couldn't muster enough plays to overcome Tulane. Despite leading by double digits in the second half, the Tigers eventually ran out of steam, resulting in a 31-21 loss on Friday night. The game took place at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium and drew a crowd of 35,609 passionate fans.

Similar to their previous game against Boise State, Memphis' offense struggled to find its rhythm in the early stages. Falling behind 10-0, the Tigers fought back valiantly to take a 14-10 lead into halftime.

Building on their momentum, Memphis extended their lead to 21-10. However, it was Tulane's turn to seize control of the game. The Green Wave embarked on an impressive 21-0 run, establishing a lead they would hold onto for the remainder of the match. This defeat denied Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield a significant victory that could have left a lasting mark.

Tulane capitalized on an ineffective Memphis offense to jump to a 10-0 lead. Nevertheless, the Tigers showcased their resilience and managed to turn the tide. Heading into halftime with a lead, they further extended it to 21-10 early in the third quarter, firmly establishing their dominance. However, Tulane responded with an impressive 21-0 run of their own. Their offense began to benefit from lopsided time of possession numbers, wearing down the Memphis defense. The Green Wave's possession time exceeded 35 minutes, and running back Makhi Hughes had an outstanding performance, rushing for 130 yards on 26 carries.

Although Seth Henigan had a rough start to the game, he turned things around and became the driving force behind the Memphis offense for the majority of the match. With Tulane's elite rush defense shutting down the running game, it was up to the third-year quarterback to make a difference. And he delivered, completing 23-of-42 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns. However, he also threw two interceptions.

On the other side, Tulane's Pratt, widely regarded as the top quarterback in the AAC, finished with 19-of-31 completions for 259 yards and a touchdown. He came alive in the second half and even rushed for a touchdown, showcasing his versatility.

The Tigers' offense struggled early on, with their first four drives gaining a mere 29 yards and only managing one first down. Henigan had a difficult start, going 1-for-9 in completions, with the only successful pass resulting in a remarkable catch by Koby Drake. This sluggish start mirrored a recurring theme throughout the season, particularly evident in Memphis' previous game against Boise State.

Similar to the Boise State match, it was a catch by Roc Taylor that finally sparked the offense to life. Taylor's 21-yard catch-and-run ignited an impressive 89-yard touchdown drive, culminating in a touchdown by Demeer Blankumsee.

While the offense struggled, the Memphis defense stepped up and kept the Tigers in the game. Tulane's offense only found success on one of their first four drives, and the Memphis defense came up with two crucial stops in their own territory during the first half.

First, the defense showcased their resilience on a 14-play Green Wave drive, bending but not breaking, ultimately forcing a field goal. On the subsequent drive, Tulane advanced to the Memphis 23 but failed on a fourth-down conversion, allowing the Tigers to maintain their lead heading into halftime.

Looking ahead, Memphis will hit the road for upcoming games against UAB and North Texas.

For any inquiries, reach out to sports writer Jonah Dylan at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @thejonahdylan.