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College Football Playoff hopes come to an end as Memphis fall 44-36 to UTSA

Memphis self destructed in the second half against UTSA to lose their second game of the season and seemingly end their College Football Playoff and AAC Title hopes.

SAN ANTONIO — All of the hopes and dreams players, coaches and the city of Memphis had for this Memphis Tigers (7-2, 3-2) football season seemingly went out the window on Saturday when the Tigers fell 44-36 to the UTSA Roadrunners (4-5, 2-3).

The loss, is the American Athletic Conference preseason favorite's, second of the season which means the College Football Playoffs are completely out of the question and the AAC Title game is now a massive longshot. 

Memphis scored on their opening drive off a 16-yard Mario Anderson Jr. run but very quickly it became apparent this would be no walk in the park for the Tigers. UTSA immediately hit back with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Owen McCown to Houston Thomas. 

The Tigers found themselves up 24-14 with 8:42 left in the first half, after back-to-back touchdowns in the second quarter from Seth Henigan to Demeer Blankumsee. 

But that was the last bright spot for the Tigers who  self destructed from there on out and allowed the Roadrunners to put up 30 unanswered points to take a 44-24 lead with 2:43 left in the game. 

The Memphis defense had no answers for McCown who threw for 280 yards and four touchdowns. Meanwhile the offense couldn't get anything going in the second half - they punted on their first three drives, had two-straight turnovers and then two turnovers on downs. 

Memphis finally clicked their offense into gear and scored two quick touchdowns in the final three minutes but by that point it didn't matter. 

Saturday was Memphis' third-straight game where they trailed in the fourth quarter and it marked the first one the Tigers haven't been able to escape with a win. 

During the loss Memphis totaled 516 yards of offense, outgaining UTSA by 108 yards. Henigan threw for a season high 454 yards on 35-of-52 passing with four touchdowns and one interception. It marked the second-most yards of his career (463). 

Wide receiver Blankumsee matched his career high with 142 yards on six catches, two of which were touchdowns. Meanwhile Roc Taylor hauled in a game-high eight balls for 111 yards and Koby Drake caught five passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. It marked the second time this season a pair of Tigers have each gone over 100-yards through the air.

Running back Mario Anderson Jr. finished the day with 53 yards and a touchdown on the ground, while adding seven catches for 35 yards and another score through the air.

The Tigers are back at home on Friday, Nov. 8 against Rice with an 8 p.m. kickoff at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

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