There was scoring left and right, but it was Memphis that emerged as the winners of the 2024 Frisco Bowl, beating West Virginia 42-37 in a highlight-filled game.
Memphis started the game hot with 17-straight points to start the night, and it paved the way for the victory as West Virginia was forced to play catch-up. While the Mountaineers were able to pick it up, the Tigers made sure to respond each time and kept West Virginia from pulling off the comeback. West Virginia had a chance to take the lead late, but a Memphis interception sealed it.
Both sides combined for 1,008 total yards.
Quarterback Seth Henigan has stayed at Memphis the past four seasons, breaking plenty of school records and helping the Tigers become a contender in the American Athletic Conference. He ended his college career in great fashion with 294 yards on 18-for-26 passing and 54 yards on the ground in his 50th start.
There were hopes of being the Group of Five representative in the College Football Playoff, and while it didn’t happen, Memphis still finished with 11 wins – its most since 2019 – and has back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history.
On the other side, West Virginia finishes the season 6-7 and will begin its preparations for Rich Rodriguez’s second stint in Morgantown.
Memphis comes up with late interception for the win
Memphis almost gave West Virginia a last-second chance, but video review seals it for the Tigers.
With 17 seconds left and at the Memphis 37-yard line, West Virginia’s Garrett Greene threw a pass that was intercepted by Memphis’ Elijah Herring. However, instead of going immediately down, Herring ran around a bit, and just as he was going down, the ball was punched out of his hands and recovered by the Mountaineers.
The play went to video review, and officials determined Herring slid, giving himself up, before the ball came out, meaning Memphis held on to the ball. The Tigers then took a knee to finish the game.
Memphis 42, West Virginia 37: Mountaineers stay alive
With under five minutes to go, West Virginia isn’t done yet.
Needing a touchdown, West Virginia went 75 yards on 12 plays in six-and-a-half minutes to make it a one-score game again. C.J. Donaldson Jr. had another 1-yard run to punch it in for the touchdown, his second score of the day. The running back has 22 carries for 83 yards and two catches for 11 yards. Now the Mountaineers need to get a stop in order to keep the chance of winning alive.
Memphis 42, West Virginia 30: Big catch sets up touchdown
A long pass helped set up a Memphis touchdown and pushes the lead back to two scores.
On the first play following West Virginia’s touchdown, Seth Henigan found Demeer Blankumsee on the go route and he stumbled just outside of the goal line for an 89-yard strike. On the next play, Brandon Thomas punched it in for the touchdown.
Memphis 35, West Virginia 30: Mountaineers score on fourth down
West Virginia needed to convert a fourth down play, and it resulted in six points.
After starting at their own 10-yard line, the Mountaineers went down the field and got all the way inside the Memphis 5-yard line. On third-and-goal, a completed pass ended right at the 1-yard line and the Mountaineers were faced with a decision. The offense stayed on the field, and it was a success with C.J. Donaldson Jr. just getting over the goal line. It’s now a one-score game in Frisco.
End of third quarter: Memphis 35, West Virginia 23
It remains a double-digit lead for Memphis heading into the final quarter.
West Virginia has had to play catch-up for much of the game, and the defense finally made a stop in the third quarter to force a punt. The Mountaineers will start the fourth quarter with the ball and will try to claw back in this one.
Memphis 35, West Virginia 23: Mountaineers respond with own score
The West Virginia offense is doing all it can to stay in the game with its own touchdown on its first possession of the second half. It was a methodical drive down the field with Garrett Greene finding Hudson Clement in the end zone for the receiver’s second touchdown on the night. The extra point was no good after the Mountaineers kicking unit couldn’t get the snap down.
Memphis 35, West Virginia 17: Tigers score out of halftime
The offense has picked up right where it left off with Memphis getting right back in the end zone to start the third quarter. The Tigers went 75 yards on eight plays to extend the lead, punctuated with a 3-yard run by Mario Anderson.
Halftime: Memphis 28, West Virginia 17
It was all offense in the second quarter for both sides with 35 combined points scored in the frame and Memphis holding an 11-point lead.
The Tigers got out to a fast start with a 17-0 lead, but West Virginia’s offense woke up midway through the second quarter and wasted no time cutting the deficit. West Virginia kicker Michael Hayes made an 46-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
Both teams combined for 503 total yards in the first half and Memphis will get the ball out of halftime.
Memphis 28, West Virginia 14: Tigers add score, two-point conversion just before halftime
Offense can’t be stopped in Frisco. Memphis responded with a quick touchdown before halftime to give it a two-touchdown lead just before the break.
The Tigers moved 75 yards in five plays and 47 seconds to add its second touchdown of the second quarter. Seth Henigan found Demeer Blankumsee in the corner of the endzone for an 18-yard touchdown pass, and the two Tigers connected again on the two-point conversion.
Memphis 20, West Virginia 14: Garrett Greene scrambles for 56-yard touchdown
When no one was open, Garrett Greene decided to take it to the house.
The Mountaineers quarterback scrambled to the right and turned on the jets on the way to the endzone to close the deficit to six points. It’s the 28th career touchdown for Greene, and the longest rushing touchdown for West Virginia this season.
Memphis 20, West Virginia 7: Tigers add another field goal
Kicker Tristian Vandenberg knocked in his second field goal of the night with a 42-yard kick through the uprights.
Memphis 17, West Virginia 7: Incredible catch gets Mountaineers on the board
Hudson Clement extended as far as he could to haul in a spectacular catch in the endzone and get West Virginia back in the game. The sophomore receiver was able to haul the catch and get a leg in bounds before stepping out.
Memphis 17, West Virginia 0: Big run extends lead
All Memphis needed was one play on the drive to strengthen its lead as Greg Desrosiers Jr. took it 46 yards to the house to make it a three-score game.
Memphis 10, West Virginia 0: Tigers take advantage of turnover
Memphis made it a two-score lead to open the second quarter with a 34-yard field goal from Tristian Vandenberg. The score came off a West Virginia fumble.
End of first quarter: Memphis 7, West Virginia 0
So far it’s been all Memphis after 15 minutes as the West Virginia offense has struggled to do much early.
The Mountaineers have generated just 28 yards of offense and just one first down in three drives. They gave Memphis good field position midway through the first frame that led to a Tigers touchdown. On the following drive, West Virginia’s C.J. Donaldson Jr. fumbled the ball that set Memphis up on the Mountaineers’ side of the field.
Memphis 7, West Virginia 0: Tigers score first
Memphis took advantage of good field position to get in the end zone for the first score of the game.
It was a mixture of the run and the pass that helped Memphis go 45 yards down the field, with quarterback Seth Henigan coming up big on a third down play with a 23-yard scramble to get inside the 5. On the next play, Henigan dumped it off to Mario Anderson Jr. and the running back leaped across the goal line for a 4-yard touchdown pass.
When is the Frisco Bowl between Memphis and West Virginia?
The kickoff for the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl game between the No. 23 Memphis Tigers and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, is Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.
How to watch Memphis and West Virginia in the Frisco Bowl
The Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl game between the No. 23 Memphis Tigers and the West Virginia Mountaineers will be televised nationally on ESPN.
Live streaming is available on Fubo, which has a free trial.
Catch Memphis and West Virginia in the Frisco Bowl with Fubo
Memphis vs. West Virginia odds, line
The Memphis Tigers are the favorites to defeat the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Frisco Bowl, according to the BetMGM college football odds on Tuesday afternoon.
- Spread: Memphis (-5)
- Moneyline: Memphis (-210); West Virginia (+170)
- Over/under: 59.5
Memphis vs. West Virginia: Frisco Bowl predictions
USA TODAY: Memphis a heavy favorite
- Scooby Axon: Memphis
- Jordan Mendoza: Memphis
- Paul Myerberg: West Virgina
- Erick Smith: Memphis
- Eddie Timanus: Memphis
- Dan Wolken: Memphis
Reed Wallach, Sports Illustrated: Memphis to win
Wallach writes, ‘The Tigers defense has been vulnerable at times, especially against big plays with an explosive rush and pass rate outside the top 100, but the team can feast on Greene’s shaky decision making. In a game that is being lined as a coin flip, there are plenty of reasons to side with the small favorite to cap its season with a win.’
Adam Burke, VSiN: Memphis (-5)
Burke writes, ‘The Tigers defense has given up a lot of points this season, but West Virginia doesn’t have the tempo or the potency of an AAC offense. QB Garrett Greene had a 13/11 TD/INT ratio and the Tigers were tied for ninth with 24 takeaways. They are also an opportunistic defense with 14 fumble recoveries. WVU only lost four fumbles during the season. But, as a defense, they only had 11 takeaways, so Memphis may very well carry the edge in the turnover margin department.’
The Athletic: Memphis to win
The Athletic’s team unanimously picked Memphis to win, one of only six unanimous predictions, alongside Notre Dame to beat Indiana, James Madison to beat Western Kentucky, Pitt to beat Toledo, Kansas State to beat Rutgers, and Syracuse to beat Washington State.
Clutch Points: Memphis
Nate Duffett writes, ‘Memphis’ explosive offense should be too much for West Virginia in this game. We mentioned that when the Mountaineers lost, they lost big, which could be bad news when facing the Tigers’ offense. Take Memphis to blow this game open with their passing game and hold on for a convincing victory, which they have been doing all season.’
Bowl game schedule
There are 46 games on the college football postseason schedule this season, with the expansion of the College Football Playoff adding to the intrigue of bowl season. The Salute to Veterans Bowl between South Alabama and Western Michigan kicked off the action on Dec. 14, and it all comes to a conclusion 37 days later at the CFP national championship game. USA TODAY Sports has you covered with a complete schedule for every bowl game coming up on the calendar. — Mark Giannotto
USA Today college football bowl schedule
Memphis vs. West Virginia all-time record
Tuesday’s Frisco Bowl marks the first time that the Memphis Tigers and the West Virginia Mountaineers have faced off in their respective programs’ histories.
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