Powering their way through the game with dominant ground play, the Memphis Tigers clinched a 38-17 victory over Troy, catapulting their season record to a sterling 2-0. The energy at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium was palpable as running back Mario Anderson Jr. charged through Troy's defense, racking up a DI career-high of 125 yards on 17 carries. According to Memphis Tigers, the Tigers haven't lost to a Sun Belt Conference opponent since 2013, a stat that surely adds to their already imposing aura on the field.
Yet the Tigers' performance was not solely a one-player showcase. Brandon Thomas, displaying an equally imposing strategy, only needed two carries to dramatically score two touchdowns. With 211 rushing yards, the team’s running game was in top form yesterday, as was noted by Action News 5. Establishing such a relentless ground game will be crucial to continue to decisively win future matchups.
Seth Henigan, remaining unflappable in the pocket, completed 20 of 30 passes for 161 yards and a career-milestone touchdown, cementing his place as Memphis' all-time leading passer, second in program history. His consistency has become a hallmark, as he has successfully thrown at least one touchdown in every one of his 39 career games. This kind of longevity in performance is rare and, according to WREG, is a testament to his reliability as a quarterback.
Defensively, Memphis shone just as bright. Junior linebacker Elijah Herring, as per Memphis Tigers, evidently decided to quickly make his mark with eight stops, a sack, and both a forced fumble and recovery. The Memphis defense collectively added eight tackles-for-loss, their second game in sequence to achieve such a mark. This kind of staunch defense will be key as the Tigers gear up to face off against Florida State in Tallahassee next Saturday.
