Seth Henigan threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns — extending his streak to 40 consecutive games with a touchdown pass — as Memphis defeated Florida State 20-12 on Saturday.
Henigan connected with Greg Desrosiers Jr. and Anthony Landphere for touchdown passes, helping Memphis (3-0) build a 20-3 lead by the third quarter. The Tigers scored on drives of 65 and 75 yards, converting 7 of 17 on third downs and 2 of 3 on fourth downs during the game.
“Winning is hard, and I never want to minimize a win,” Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield said. “But this is monumental. Let’s call it what it is. To go on the road, regardless of the record, they were preseason No. 10 in the country.
“It’s huge for our program. This is a game that’s going to be remembered for a long time.”
Memphis players, coaches, and fans will remember this game for a long time. The Tigers also earned a $1.3 million guarantee and a significant win on the road against a Power 4 team.
Memphis played strong defense and made key offensive plays.
“Our defense is much improved from last year,” Henigan said. “They’re playing extremely well right now. … I’m proud of our guys. I thought they played hard. We had that intensity coming out, that edge about ourselves, that Memphis toughness.”
DJ Uiagalelei completed 16 of 30 passes for 201 yards and an interception, having difficulty moving the Seminoles (0-3) until two scoring drives in the third quarter.
Florida State advanced to the Memphis 39 and then spiked the ball to set up a final play with two seconds remaining. However, Uiagalelei’s Hail Mary pass was knocked down at the goal line by Memphis’ Julian Barnett.
Memphis’ defense put pressure on Uiagalelei all day, recording four sacks. Linebacker Chandler Martin had eight tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss.
