TAMPA, Fla. — The University of Memphis, from Memphis, Tenn., let most of a 21-point lead slip away in Tampa, then answered fast and late to beat South Florida 52-41 on Thursday night at Raymond James Stadium.
The win lifted the Tigers to 8-2 overall and 5-1 in the American. The Bulls fell to 6-4 and 2-4 in league play.
Quarterback Marcus Stokes had a hand in five touchdowns for the third game in a row. He threw for 313 yards and three scores on 15-of-31 passing, his fourth straight 300-yard night, and added two touchdown runs, including a 47-yard dash that opened the scoring. Memphis led 21-0 after one quarter.
South Florida chipped away behind quarterback Luke Kromenhoek, who threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score. A 75-yard touchdown run by Jason Collins Jr. kept the Bulls close, and they tied it 38-38 late in the third quarter.
A 38-yard Nico Gramatica field goal gave South Florida its first lead with 8:04 to play. Memphis needed just two snaps to answer, as Stokes hit Jemyri Davis for a 76-yard score and a 45-41 edge.
The Tigers defense then stopped the Bulls on fourth-and-goal from the Memphis 4 with under four minutes left, part of a night that included a season-high seven sacks. Running back Jaylin Carter sealed it with a 26-yard touchdown run in the final minute.
Stokes also piled up 73 rushing yards. No Tigers quarterback had scored on a longer run in 30 years than his 47-yard dash. The Memphis offense topped 500 total yards for the sixth time this season.
Carter finished with 109 yards and two scores on 21 carries, pushing him to 1,038 yards this season. He is the 10th Tigers running back ever to top 1,000 yards in a season and the first to do it since 2024.
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