MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Marcus Stokes had a hand in five touchdowns Saturday night as Memphis took control early and beat Army 49-22 at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
The Tigers quarterback was nearly perfect through the air, hitting 29 of his 35 throws for 371 yards and four scores. He added 30 rushing yards and capped the scoring himself on a 1-yard plunge near the end. His line kept Army’s defenders away from him most of the night, and his receivers found open space again and again.
Two targets did most of the damage. Jermane Hayes caught nine balls for 86 yards and Jemyri Davis grabbed four for 75, and each of them finished with a pair of touchdown catches. Jaylin Carter carried the run game with 96 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Fast starts had been a problem for Memphis this fall. The Tigers managed just three points in the first half of their previous game against East Carolina. This time they scored on four of their first five drives, and the only one that did not reach the end zone ended with a Davis fumble after a long catch.
Army never got its ball-control option attack going for long. Godspower Nwawuihe ran 19 times for 100 yards and a short touchdown, and Cale Hellums threw just seven passes, completing four for 40 yards, one for a score and one to a Memphis defender. A 2-yard run by Hellums with 4:46 left in the third quarter cut the gap to 35-22, but the Black Knights got no closer.
Memphis piled up 554 yards and converted 11 of 15 third downs. Rain arrived late and slowed the offense, but by then the lead was safe.
The win lifts Memphis to 7-2 overall and 4-1 in league play and keeps the Tigers in the race for the American title game after their Oct. 16 loss to Tulane. Army fell to 5-3 and 4-2. Memphis has an open week before a Nov. 12 trip to South Florida, with Navy and Temple still to come.
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