Memphis, TN - Erik Ainge threw for 324 yards and four
touchdowns, leading 15th-ranked Tennessee to a 41-7 victory over Memphis at
the Liberty Bowl.
LaMarcus Coker added 125 yards on the ground for the Volunteers (4-1), who
have won two straight in non-conference play since a 21-20 loss to Florida and
will visit Georgia in SEC play next Saturday. Tennessee rolled up 205 yards on
the ground and 566 total yards to just 121 total for Memphis.
'I'm really proud of our football team,' said Tennessee head coach Phillip
Fulmer. 'I think we really worked to get better during the course of the year.
We've come out of these games with some improvement, and that's what we
needed. We still have a way to go in some areas, but we'll find out who we
have healthy tomorrow and obviously start getting ready for the Georgia
Bulldogs.'
Ainge completed 23-of-27 passes for Tennessee, which has won five straight in
the series and is 20-1 all-time against its state rival. Robert Meachem was
among Ainge's favorite targets, catching four passes for 157 yards and a
score, while Jayson Swain hauled in a pair of scoring tosses.
Martin Hankins completed 11-of-17 passes for 79 yards with an interception and
a late touchdown for Memphis (1-3), which has lost two in a row.
'I did a poor job of preparing our football team for this game today,' said
Memphis head coach Tommy West, who fired defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn
before last week's bye. 'I thought Tennessee played a great game and they have
a very good team. Tennessee really handed it to us and they were the more
physical team and better team.'
Tennessee took its first possession 66 yards and settled for a 28-yard field
goal from James Wilhoit on the 13th play the drive to open a 3-0 lead.
The Memphis defense appeared to come up with a big play on Tennessee's next
series when Quinton McCrary stepped in front of an Ainge pass and returned the
interception 38 yards for a touchdown. However, Corey Mills lined up offside
and the penalty negated the play.
The Vols went on to convert a third down en route to their first touchdown of
the game, as Ainge finished the march with a five-yard scoring toss to Swain
to make it 10-0 early in the second quarter.
Memphis had two chances with good field position on its next two possessions,
but punted each time. The second opportunity came after Mills forced a fumble
at the Tennessee 48, but the Volunteer defense forced the Tigers to punt after
just three plays.
The punt was downed at the one-yard line with 2:56 left in the half and Ainge
quickly got the Vols out of the hole with passes of 18 and 43 yards to
Meachem, eventually setting up a 49-yard field goal by Wilhoit that sent
Tennessee into the break with a 13-0 lead.
The Vols then struck with a pair of long touchdown plays in the third quarter.
Swain caught a sideline pass from Ainge and turned it into a 51-yard scoring
play on Tennessee's first series of the second half and Meachem turned another
mid-range pass into an 84-yard touchdown midway through the third to extend
the lead to 27-0.
Jonathan Hefney then picked off a Hankins pass on Memphis' next series, but
the Vols were turned away when Montario Hardesty could not cross the goal line
on three carries from the one-yard line.
Ainge tacked on another score for the Volunteers early in the fourth quarter
with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Bret Smith, and the reserves got into the
act when David Yancey rumbled 10 yards for a touchdown with 6:36 to play.
Memphis finally ended the shutout bid with 3:44 left when Hankins fired a 21-
yard touchdown pass to Duke Calhoun on the first play after a Tennessee
fumble.
Game Notes
Memphis running back Joseph Doss was benched for the first half after being
late to a team meeting. He had just 13 yards on five carries.
Memphis' lone
win in the series came 10 years ago with a 21-17 home triumph.
The Tigers
managed just five first downs.
Tennessee held the ball for more than 37
minutes, compared to just under 23 for Memphis.
© 2006 The Sports Network
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