Memphis Football: 3 takeaways from big road win over SMU
By Zach Bigalke
2. Only one team had a ground game to speak about
Memphis took a while to get their ground game heated up, as they ran just three times on the first few drives of the game. Once the Tigers started to utilize their backfield more, though, it was a big reason why Mike Norvell’s team prevailed on the road over an SMU team that played solid defense against the pass.
Patrick Taylor Jr. led the way on Friday night, rushing for 112 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. His backfield partner, Darrell Henderson, racked up 16 attempts for 75 yards against the Mustangs. Veteran third-string back Tony Pollard added 26 yards on three carries, as he singlehandedly outgained the entire Mustangs backfield.
That is because SMU had no way to . Averaging less than a yard per carry, the Pony Express proved a faint facsimile of its heyday. Memphis repeatedly held back the Mustangs rushing attack, rendering it toothless over the long haul.
One team was able to produce effectively on the ground. The other faltered and was unable to do anything that might provide some semblance of balance to Ben Hicks and his passing numbers.