When it’s Thursday night and an American Conference game is on, chaos is the only constant.
The American played its seventh consecutive Thursday night matchup of the season, with South Florida hosting Memphis at Raymond James Stadium. Five of the previous six contests were decided by one score, three went to overtime, and three featured exactly 89 combined points.
The Bulls and Tigers took the high-scoring trend to another level, trading explosive plays in a shootout that featured 93 combined points.
But unlike the other six Thursday night American showdowns, this one featured a unique wrinkle: the road team finally prevailed.
Memphis escaped Tampa with a 52-41 victory, keeping itself firmly in contention for its first American Conference Championship Game appearance since 2019.
A blowout appeared to be on the horizon in the first quarter. Memphis constructed a 21-0 advantage in fewer than 12 minutes, with quarterback Marcus Stokes accounting for three touchdowns. He opened the scoring effort on a 47-yard scamper and then threw a touchdown to tight end Hunter Tipton, before cementing a 21-0 advantage by flipping into the end zone on another rushing score.
Given South Florida’s season-long offensive struggles, 21 points might have been enough to put the game away. The Bulls hadn’t scored more than 30 points against an FBS opponent all season and entered Thursday ranked 125th nationally in total offense. But an entirely different version of the USF offense emerged late in the second quarter, ensuring Memphis wouldn’t cruise to a seamless victory.
Quarterback Luke Kromenhoek, making his second start of the season, spearheaded the comeback with his dual-threat capabilities. South Florida erupted for 17 points in the second quarter, scoring twice in the final five minutes before halftime to keep the Bulls within strike distance.
Then came the ultimate offensive spectacle — a third quarter which featured 31 combined points and 370 yards of offense. In a matchup between the nation’s No. 5 and No. 125 offenses, it was the underdog unit that stole the show. South Florida scored on three consecutive possessions to open the second half, including a one-play drive capped by Jason Collins Jr.’s 75-yard touchdown scamper.
Collins’ breakaway run was one of three plays of at least 40 yards from the Bulls’ offense Thursday night — a remarkable contrast for a unit that had managed just three such plays through its first nine games. The third quarter offensive surge only continued when USF knotted the game at 38-38 on a 23-yard Kromenhoek keeper.
South Florida didn’t just erase a 21-point deficit. It took control of the game in the fourth quarter. An opportune fourth down stop led to a field goal drive where Nico Gramatica put the Bulls ahead 41-38 with 8:04 remaining, capping the team’s seventh straight scoring drive (excluding the one-play QB kneeldown before halftime).
That advantage lasted an entire 30 seconds.
Memphis wasted no time in restoring order, as Stokes launched a deep strike to an open Jemyri Davis, who hauled in the reception and raced 76 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.
While South Florida initially blocked the extra point, an offsides penalty gave Memphis a retry. The Tigers converted to establish a 45-41 lead with 7:34 left in the ballgame. The four-point margin forced the Bulls to aim for the end zone in the waning minutes of the contest, and Kromenhoek guided South Florida all the way to the Memphis 4-yard line before facing a pivotal 4th-and-goal. He spotted Bryson Rodgers breaking open on an out route in the end zone, but the pass slipped through the receiver’s hands, resulting in a turnover on downs.
USF’s typically stout defense responded by forcing a three-and-out, giving the offense one final opportunity to complete the largest comeback in program history. The Bulls expected to regain possession in Tiger territory, but Memphis punter Harrison Tuck delivered a 51-yard boot from the back from the end zone, pinning USF back in its own territory.
The Bulls only went backward from there, as Memphis’ defensive front took over. J’Mond Tapp initiated the drive by dropping Collins in the backfield for a 5-yard loss. On second down, Tapp and Elijah Kinsler teamed up for a sack. Then on 3rd-and-23, Tapp added another sack for good measure. The Tigers recorded three of their seven sacks in the final two minutes of action, with Tapp and Kinsler combining for 4.5 on the night. Even when Memphis wasn’t getting sacks in crunch time, the defensive line consistently applied pressure and delivered hits on the quarterback.
After forcing a second straight turnover on downs, the Tigers delivered the knockout blow. Jaylin Carter broke loose for a 26-yard touchdown with 50 seconds remaining, sealing Memphis’ 52-41 victory. It marked the Tigers’ second 50-point road performance of the season, making them the only FBS team to accomplish that feat.
In a game that featured 93 combined points, there was no shortage of eyebrow-raising offensive performances. Stokes threw for 313 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for another 73 yards and two touchdowns. The quarterback extended his streak to three consecutive games with at least 300 passing yards, three touchdown passes, one rushing touchdown, and zero interceptions. Kromenhoek was equally productive, throwing for 271 yards and three touchdowns while adding a game-high 146 rushing yards and another score.
Both teams saw their primary tailback eclipse the century mark. Carter finished with 109 yards and two touchdowns for Memphis, while Collins countered with 108 yards and a score for South Florida. At wide receiver, Davis led the Tigers with 161 receiving yards and a touchdown on five receptions, while Mudia Reuben headlined the Bulls with 98 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Even through the offensive fireworks, a defensive player managed to produce a memorable stat line. Memphis inside linebacker Mike Montgomery secured 19 tackles, marking the most among an FBS player in a game this season.
South Florida (6-4, 2-4 American) suffered its sixth consecutive loss in the series against Memphis and finished the season 0-3 in games played outside of Saturday. Although the Bulls had an opportunity to pull off the comeback in the final two minutes, the 11-point defeat marked their first multi-score loss of the Brian Hartline era. Eliminated from American Championship Game contention, South Florida now turns its attention to matchups against Florida Atlantic and Tulane, hoping to carry forward the offensive momentum from Thursday night.
Memphis (8-2, 5-1 American) strengthened its position in the conference championship race in the first year of Charles Huff’s head coaching tenure. The Tigers are 8-2 through 10 games for the fourth consecutive season, but it’s their 5-1 conference record keeping them on track for a first American title game appearance in seven years. To get there, Memphis must clear two challenges — a road trip to Navy and a home finale against Temple.
