Memphis wasted no time making its American Conference opener look like a mismatch.
The Tigers rolled into Charlotte and left with a 59-8 blowout, a complete wire-to-wire domination in Charles Huff’s conference debut. Memphis improved to 3-1, while the 49ers fell to 0-4 in the third all-time meeting between the programs.
The numbers told the story loud and clear. Memphis piled up 674 yards of offense, good for the eighth-most in program history and the fourth-most against a conference opponent. And against Charlotte, that output translated into the largest margin of victory in the series.
Huff was asked Tuesday whether he would look back at previous Memphis-Charlotte games, but he brushed aside any idea that those matchups had much bearing on this team.
“I don’t think a man would show his new wife his ex-wife's picture...this team is this team,” Huff said Tuesday in his press conference.
The game opened with a brief stalemate. Memphis had the first possession, but both teams went three-and-out to start, and neither side managed to do anything with its opening chances before the first five minutes were gone.
Then the Tigers hit the gas.
Redshirt-junior quarterback Marcus Stokes launched the first of his five touchdown passes on the first play of Memphis’ second drive, connecting with sophomore wide receiver Jermane Hayes on a 93-yard strike that put the Tigers ahead 7-0.
Charlotte never found its footing from there. The 49ers went three-and-out on their next possession and managed only 17 yards on the following drive before punting again. Memphis turned both of those stops into touchdowns, stretching the lead to 21-0 as the second quarter opened.
The defense kept the pressure on, too. Memphis forced turnovers on Charlotte’s next two possessions, setting up a pair of field goal chances. The Tigers cashed in on one of the two and went into halftime with a 24-0 cushion.
Charlotte finally cracked the scoreboard to start the second half, and it did so in a hurry. The 49ers opened the third quarter with a 75-yard touchdown run on the first play, then added a successful two-point conversion to trim the deficit to 24-8.
That was as close as it got.
Memphis answered in just six plays, leaning on the run before Stokes delivered again, this time finding redshirt-sophomore wide receiver Stonka Burnside on a 19-yard completion. Burnside made the grab over the defender in mid-air for the highlight of the night, and the Tigers pushed the lead to 31-8.
From there, Memphis kept stacking drives, stayed balanced, and closed the door on a lopsided road win that gave Huff his first conference victory at the helm.
Afterward, Stokes said the defense’s performance made life easier on offense.
“It makes it a little easier for sure, sucks in practice though I’m not gonna lie, going against the best defense in the country in my opinion...I think that’s what, you know improves our, you know I guess our play every single week, we’re going against the best offense in the country, we’re going against the best defense in the country.”
In Other News...
Marcus Stokes Just Put Memphis In A Bigger Quarterback Spotlight
Marcus Stokes keeps giving Memphis a reason to pay closer attention to its quarterback room. The University of Memphis signal-caller has been named to the Davey OBrien Davey Double Great 8 and the Davey OBrien Award Midseason Watch List, recognition that lands alongside a strong start to his season and another nod from the American Athletic Conference as Offensive Player of the Week.
The national attention is backed by production, too, with Stokes ranking ninth in the FBS in completion percentage and sixth in passing touchdowns. For Memphis, the awards are more than just individual hardware. They reinforce how central Stokes has become to the offense, and they put a brighter spotlight on every performance that follows as the season moves deeper into conference play. [Read more 🡒]
Seth Henigan Keeps Giving Memphis Fans Another Reason To Pay Attention
Seth Henigan keeps adding to a season that has made him hard to ignore, and his latest outing against Charlotte earned him another spot on the Manning Award Stars of the Week list. The Memphis quarterback was one of eight players honored after completing 20 of 25 passes for 318 yards and five touchdowns, while also chipping in 61 rushing yards as the Tigers continued to lean on his efficiency and explosiveness.
The performance only added to a growing stack of weekly recognition for Henigan, who has already collected other honors and sits near the top of several national statistical categories. For Memphis, that kind of consistency has turned into a weekly reason to keep watching, especially when a drive can flip in a hurry and a long completion can change the feel of the game in one snap. [Read more 🡒]