Few athletes are as heralded in the city of Memphis as former University of Memphis quarterbacks Riley Ferguson and Paxton Lynch. The two gunslingers reigned over Memphis football for a combined five years and left an impact on campus that few have before them.
Both quarterbacks achieved plenty during their playing time at Memphis, but their college careers have come to an end, and it is time to look back. The two have set nearly every Memphis passing record and their numbers speak for themselves.
4 - The number of combined wins between Ferguson and Lynch versus top-25 opponents. Lynch defeated Ole Miss and Houston in 2015 and Ferguson knocked off UCLA and Navy in 2017.
63 - The average career completion percentage for both Ferguson and Lynch. Ferguson’s career-high completion percentage was 63.2 percent in 2016. Lynch recorded the highest completion percentage between the pair during the 2015 season, completing 66.8 percent of his passes.
70 - The total number of touchdown passes for Ferguson’s career. He exploded into the college football scene in 2016 and set the record for single-season touchdowns by a Memphis quarterback with 32 passing touchdowns. Lynch previously set the record in 2015 with 28 touchdowns. Ferguson overcame his own record the following season with 38 passing touchdowns. After only playing two seasons, Ferguson became second all-time in passing touchdowns for Memphis quarterbacks.
7 - The number for the Memphis record for passing touchdowns in a single game, which is held by Lynch and Ferguson. Lynch threw for seven touchdowns against Southern Methodist University in 2015 and Ferguson posted the same statistic versus Connecticut in 2017. Ferguson also threw for six touchdowns against Bowling Green in 2016 and at home versus UCLA in 2017.
4,257 - The passing yards Ferguson accumulated during this past season, which puts him third in the NCAA for total passing yards in 2017. Ferguson holds the record for single-season passing yards by a Memphis quarterback. Lynch has the second best total, with 3,776 passing yards in 2015.
8,863 - The total career passing yards at Memphis by Lynch, which is the second most in Memphis history behind Danny Wimprine who played one more year than Lynch. Ferguson played one year less than Lynch and is third in career passing yards with 7,955 yards.
471 - The single-game record for passing yards by a Memphis quarterback. Ferguson set this record twice, first against Houston in the comeback win earlier this season and then five games later against Central Florida in the American Athletic Conference Championship game.
15 - The highest a Memphis football team has ever been ranked. The Tigers achieved top-15 status in 2015 with Lynch at the helm. Memphis concluded the 2015 season as AAC co-champions and ranked 25th in the nation. The highest ranking that a Memphis football team had achieved before Lynch’s arrival was 24th in 2004.
Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, who leads the Tigers’ offense, has thrown for 3,293 yards, 21 touchdowns and just three interceptions this season.
Former quarterback Paxton Lynch’s departure will lead to an open competition at quarterback this spring at the University of Memphis. Spring practice begins Tuesday.
Riley Ferguson steps up and fires left to a receiver. He threw for nearly 400 yards and six touchdowns in the win.
