Memphis football improved to 3-0 with a 28-7 win over Troy at Veterans Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Memphis’ defense was dominant and only allowed 112 total yards in the game. The Tigers controlled the entire game, allowing zero offensive touchdowns.
“It’s a bunch of guys that love to play for each other,” Memphis linebacker Drue Watts said postgame. “We love violence, and that’s going to show every week.”
Memphis’ offense played well once again. The Tigers had 430 total yards. Memphis quarterback Branden Lewis continued his strong play, throwing for 213 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for another 43 yards. Running back Sutton Smith added 113 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns of his own, including a 50-yard touchdown where he was not touched by a Troy defender.
Memphis’s defense continued their momentum from the second half last week against Georgia State. Troy could not get into Memphis territory until their last drive of the game. This drive was their only good drive of the game, but it ended with a Memphis interception by defensive lineman Jalen Bell.
The game started off with a quick Tigers touchdown. Troy quickly struck back with a long touchdown, but it got called back due to an illegal formation penalty. Troy’s starting quarterback, Goose Crowder, got hurt on their first drive of the game and Troy’s offense never settled in.
The teams punted back and forth but then Brenden Lewis got sacked and fumbled the ball, and the Troy defense returned it for a touchdown. After this, Memphis came down and responded with a crazy one-handed catch from Brady Kluse for the first touchdown catch of his career.
"Hopefully it makes SportsCenter Top 10. It certainly should,” Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield said. “For his first career touchdown catch, that's a heck of a play to make."
Memphis never looked back. They led 21-7 at halftime and scored one more time in the second half to win 28-7.
The Tigers play SEC foes, Arkansas, next week in what sets up to be a massive game for Memphis.
“They’re all hard,” Silverfield said of the matchup. “It’s really hard to win college football games.”
Memphis will kick off against Arkansas at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium at 11 a.m. CT next Saturday. The game will be televised on one of ABC/ESPN/ESPN2.
Contact Luke Lawson at llawson6@memphis.edu
