In one of the most dramatic finishes of Week 9, the Memphis Tigers staged a furious fourth-quarter comeback to stun No. 18 South Florida 34-31 on Saturday, spoiling the Bulls’ four-game winning streak and keeping their own American Athletic Conference title hopes alive.
Quarterback Brendon Lewis led the charge, throwing for 307 yards and two touchdowns, including a 10-yard strike to Cortez Braham Jr. with 1:07 remaining that sealed the Tigers’ victory. On the decisive play, Lewis dropped back and delivered a perfect fade route to the right corner of the end zone, where Braham outjumped a defender for the go-ahead score.
The Tigers then converted a crucial two-point attempt, capping a 17-point fourth quarter that turned a 31-17 deficit into a stunning 34-31 win.
South Florida (6-2, 3-1 AAC) had one final chance to tie the game, but kicker Nico Gramatica’s 52-yard field goal attempt as time expired sailed wide right, preserving Memphis’ upset victory.
Memphis (7-1, 3-1 AAC) appeared dead in the water entering the final frame, having been outplayed for much of the afternoon. But a 13-yard touchdown run by Greg Desrosiers Jr. early in the fourth cut the deficit to 31-24. After forcing a stop, Gianni Spetic nailed a 28-yard field goal to pull the Tigers within five, setting up Lewis’ late-game heroics.
“This team doesn’t quit,” Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield said after the game. “They’ve battled all season, and today they showed incredible heart. Brendon and Cortez were phenomenal when it mattered most.”
South Florida quarterback Byrum Brown once again showcased why he’s one of the AAC’s brightest stars, accounting for 390 total yards and three touchdowns. Brown rushed for 121 yards and two scores while adding 269 yards through the air, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Koger in the third quarter that extended the Bulls’ lead.
Running back Sam Franklin also broke loose for a 73-yard touchdown run in the second half, electrifying the home crowd and seemingly putting the game out of reach.
But Memphis’ defense tightened when it mattered most. Everett Roussaw Jr. made a key first-half interception that set up a 19-yard touchdown run by Frank Pleasant, giving Memphis its first touchdown of the game.
The Tigers’ offense sputtered early, managing only that one score until Lewis connected with Braham on a 5-yard touchdown just before halftime, cutting the deficit and giving Memphis a glimmer of life.
From there, the Tigers methodically clawed their way back, led by Lewis’ poise and a defense that made timely stops down the stretch.
With the win, Memphis improves to 7-1 overall and remains a contender in the American Athletic Conference race heading into next week’s matchup at Rice. South Florida, meanwhile, drops to 6-2 and will enter its bye week looking to regroup after letting a double-digit lead slip away.
“This one hurts,” South Florida head coach Alex Golesh said. “We had control of the game, but credit to Memphis — they made the plays in crunch time, and we didn’t.”
For Memphis, the victory marks their third comeback win of the season and one that could define their push toward the AAC Championship Game.
No. 25 Memphis: at Rice, South Florida: Bye week
