Memphis Tops Seminoles 20-12

TALLAHASSEE - Florida State fell 20-12 to Memphis on Saturday afternoon inside Doak Campbell Stadium.

FSU scored nine points in the fourth quarter and had one final shot at the end zone with one second remaining, but the Hail Mary pass was batted down as time expired.

Florida State limited the Tigers to 65 rushing yards, FSU's 3rd-best rushing defense performance under head coach Mike Norvell.

D.J. Uiagalelei finished 16-of-30 passing for 201 yards. Malik Benson was FSU's top receiver with a career-high five catches for a career-best 99 yards. Tight end Kyle Morlock caught three passes for 54 yards and Hykeem Williams, who was seeing his first action of the season, had three receptions for 16 yards.

Redshirt freshman defensive back K.J. Kirkland made his first collegiate start and recorded a game- and career-high nine tackles. Defensive tackle Joshua Farmer registered a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss with 1.0 sack as part of his five-tackle performance.

The only scoring in the first quarter came early when Memphis forced a fumble on the second play of the game setting the Tigers up at FSU's 25. Backed up in their own territory, FSU's defense allowed one first down before stopping the Tigers when Farmer broke through for an 8-yard sack forcing Memphis to settle for a 35-yard Caden Costa field goal with 11:49 remaining in the first.

The Tigers made it 10-0 with 10:16 left in the second quarter when Henigan found running back Greg Desrosiers with a pass in the left flat for a 6-yard touchdown. The score capped a 65-yard drive on eight plays that was set up when the Tiger's pass rush hit Uiagalelei's arm forcing an interception deep downfield.

With 2:26 left in the half, the Noles got on the board when Ryan Fitzpatrick drilled a 54-yard field goal to cut the Tigers lead to 10-3. It was Fitzgerald's third 50-yard field goal this season and improved him to 6-for-6 on field-goal attempts in 2024. Coupled with his 59-yard field goal, the second-longest in program history, in the season opener, Fitzgerald is the first FSU player to make multiple field goals from at least 54 yards in the same season.

After a 19-yard field goal for Memphis at the end of the quarter, the Tigers entered the halftime locker room with a 13-3 lead. FSU's defense held the Tigers to negative-1 rushing yards in the first half.

Memphis took the opening possession of the second half and drove 75 yards on 11 plays to go ahead 20-3 on a 2-yard touchdown toss from Henigan to Landphere with 8:27 left in the third.

On Florida State's first play of the second half, Uiagalelei found Benson deep downfield for a 67-yard gain. Roydell Williams ran it in from four yards out just two plays later to make the score 20-9. Linebacker Justin Cryer nullified a Memphis scoring opportunity on the next possession intercepting a pass in the right flat on FSU's 22 for his first career takeaway.

FSU immediately drove 71 yards on 16 plays to the Tiger's 4 before settling for a 25-yard Fitzgerald field goal that made the score 20-12 with 8:07 left in the game. The Seminoles' last chance came with 46 seconds left on a drive that started at their own 14. FSU reached the Memphis 39 but the final pass was batted down just over the goal line.

Florida State wraps up its season-long three-game homestand by hosting Cal next Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2.

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Team Stats

DJ Uiagalelei

Players Mentioned

Malik Benson

Justin Cryer

Joshua Farmer

K.J. Kirkland

Kyle Morlock

Hykeem Williams

Roydell Williams

Florida State University Athletics