memphis tigers football vs rice football match player stats

Frank Peasant scored three rushing touchdowns and Brendon Lewis threw for 225 yards as No. 25 Memphis dismantled Rice 38-14 on October 31, 2025, at Rice Stadium in Houston. This breakdown of the Memphis Tigers football vs Rice football match player stats covers every meaningful number from both sides: passing, rushing, receiving, and the defensive plays that decided the game.

This article pulls every relevant number from the official box score: quarterback efficiency, rushing splits, receiving targets, and the third-down and turnover battles that separated an 8-1 Memphis team from a 4-5 Rice squad still hunting for bowl eligibility. Coaching quotes and situational context are included so the stats make sense in the flow of the actual game, the same approach used in our breakdown of how to read match player stats from other sports.

What sets this guide apart from a bare box score dump is context. Raw numbers tell you Lewis threw for 225 yards, but they do not tell you he connected with 11 different receivers or that he was playing through a lower-leg issue that forced him out in the fourth quarter. That kind of detail is what turns a stat sheet into a useful reference.

Memphis Tigers Football vs Rice Football Match Player Stats: Final Score

Memphis led 14-0 after one quarter and 28-0 by the middle of the second, a cushion built almost entirely on three short Frank Peasant touchdown runs and one 18-yard scoring run from quarterback Brendon Lewis, before Rice’s late fourth-quarter scoring made the final margin look tighter than the actual game ever was.

Memphis improved to 8-1 overall and 4-1 in American Conference play with the win, while Rice fell to 4-5 overall and 1-4 in conference games, figures confirmed in CBS Sports’ official gametracker box score for the contest. Memphis outgained Rice 355 yards to 212 and did not turn the ball over a single time, while Rice committed two turnovers, including a lost fumble on a reviewed play in its own territory. The Tigers hosted Tulane the following week, and Rice welcomed UAB to Rice Stadium on November 8.

Memphis Tigers Quarterback and Passing Stats

Brendon Lewis ran the Memphis offense with near-perfect efficiency, finishing 18 of 23 passing for a completion rate of 85.7 percent and 225 yards without throwing a single interception, while also spreading the ball to 11 different pass catchers across four quarters of work against Rice’s defense.

Lewis added a rushing dimension that Rice never solved: 12 carries for 87 yards and a touchdown, including an 18-yard scoring run on Memphis’s opening possession. Backup Arrington Maiden played briefly late in the game, going 0 for 1 passing and taking a sack. Lewis exited midway through the fourth quarter with what head coach Ryan Silverfield described as a lower-leg issue he had been managing, and the Associated Press reported the staff would monitor him day to day going forward.

Memphis Tigers Rushing and Receiving Leaders

Frank Peasant was the story of this game on the ground, scoring three short touchdowns (2, 1, and 1 yards) on just 10 carries for 24 yards, all of them coming in Memphis’s red-zone package. Readers who track other college football box scores may also want the Illinois State vs NDSU match player stats for a comparably tight red-zone breakdown.

Memphis’s ground production came almost entirely from the goal-line package built around Peasant, while the bigger chunk plays through the air went to Cortez Braham Jr., who caught three passes for 66 yards, and Bryce Dorsey, who turned a single target into a 49-yard gain on the second quarter’s field-goal drive. Kicker Gianni Spetic made his only field goal try and all five extra points for eight total points.

Rice Owls Passing, Rushing, and Receiving Stats

Chase Jenkins started at quarterback for Rice and finished 11 of 16 passing for 100 yards with one touchdown and one interception, adding 15 carries for 34 yards on the ground as the Owls leaned heavily on his dual-threat ability once the game got out of hand early.

Tyvonn Byars scored Rice’s second touchdown on a 1-yard plunge late in the fourth quarter and added a 43-yard reception, giving him the most versatile stat line on the roster for the night. Aaron Turner caught the Owls’ only passing touchdown, a 12-yard grab in the second quarter, on four receptions for 29 yards. Rice’s run game, which had been the identity of the offense all season, was held to 112 yards on 46 carries, a 2.4-yard average that reflects how much Memphis’s front seven controlled the line of scrimmage. Backup quarterback Drew Devillier saw brief action late in the fourth quarter, going 0 for 1 through the air while adding two rushes for two yards on a drive that ended in a turnover on downs, a sign the Owls were already managing a lost cause by that point in the game. Readers who track other American Conference football box scores may also want the Cincinnati vs Kansas match player stats from a similarly late-decided conference game.

Team Stats Comparison: Where the Game Was Decided

Memphis won the efficiency battle in almost every column that matters: more total yards, a better per-carry average, a stronger third-down conversion rate, and zero giveaways against two turnovers from Rice, a combination that usually points to a comfortable final margin in college football regardless of how close the box score reads on offense.

Rice actually ran the ball more often than Memphis, 46 attempts to 33, but needed 14 extra carries to gain 18 fewer yards, a clear sign the Tigers’ defensive front dictated the terms of the ground game. Our take: Memphis’s zero-turnover, four-touchdown-run first half was the real separator here, not the passing numbers, because a team that runs at a 3.9-yard clip and never gives the ball away is going to beat one that runs at 2.4 yards and coughs it up twice, almost every time. Fans who enjoy comparing conference matchups across sports can also see how a similar gap played out in our Michigan vs USC women’s basketball stats breakdown.

Memphis and Rice Defensive Stats That Decided the Game

Memphis’s defense forced four straight three-and-outs to open the game and did not allow Rice to convert a single first down until midway through the second quarter, a stretch that built most of the Tigers’ cushion before their offense had to do much heavy lifting at all.

Chris Bracy led all Memphis defenders with 8 solo tackles and 2 assists, while defensive back Omarion Cooper came up with the game’s only interception, ending a Rice drive in Memphis territory late in the third quarter. On special teams, Memphis punter Lachlan Carrigan averaged 41.0 yards on five punts, and Gianni Spetic went a perfect 6 for 6 on kicks. Rice’s Alex Bacchetta punted six times for a 48.3-yard average, a number that reflects how often the Owls’ offense stalled deep in its own territory. Rice also lost a fumble on a reviewed play near its own 16-yard line early in the first quarter, with Memphis recovering at the Rice 7, a turnover that handed the Tigers a short field and led directly to their second touchdown of the night. The specific recommendation for fans tracking this roster into November is to watch the Bracy-Cooper pairing in the secondary, since that duo combined for a significant share of Memphis’s tackles and the game’s lone interception, and a similar performance against a pass-heavy opponent like Tulane would be a strong sign this defense can carry a conference title push. Fans who also follow NFL box scores can compare tackling and turnover trends in our Chiefs vs Buccaneers player stats.

Key Turning Points and Coach Reactions

Head coach Ryan Silverfield credited the defensive front for staying disciplined against Rice’s option-heavy scheme, and praised Peasant specifically for accepting a short-yardage, goal-line role after a college career built on being a featured back elsewhere.

Rice coach Scott Abell was candid afterward that the opening 18 minutes decided the outcome, noting his team played the final 42 minutes on close to even terms. This doesn’t apply if you are only looking at garbage-time production, since Rice’s second-half and fourth-quarter stat totals were padded considerably once Memphis’s starters, including Lewis, were managing the clock rather than pushing for more points. Rice’s 12-play, 76-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, capped by Tyvonn Byars, came after Memphis had already built an insurmountable cushion, so it inflated the final scoreline without ever threatening the outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who had the most rushing yards in the Memphis vs Rice game?

Brendon Lewis led all rushers with 87 yards on 12 carries, more than any running back on either roster, though Frank Peasant’s three short touchdowns made him the more impactful red-zone weapon for Memphis that night.

How many touchdowns did Frank Peasant score against Rice?

Frank Peasant scored three rushing touchdowns on runs of 2, 1, and 1 yards, all coming out of Memphis’s short-yardage package in the first half as the Tigers built their 28-0 lead.

Did Brendon Lewis get injured during the Rice game?

Yes. Lewis exited midway through the fourth quarter appearing to limp after dealing with a previously known lower-leg issue, and Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield said afterward that the staff would monitor him day to day.

Why did Rice struggle to run the ball against Memphis?

Rice’s run-heavy offense managed only 112 yards on 46 carries against Memphis, a 2.4-yard average, mainly because the Tigers’ defensive front consistently won the line of scrimmage and forced the Owls into obvious passing downs earlier than they wanted to be there.

Is this a common score margin in Memphis vs Rice matchups?

Not necessarily. Memphis has also won recent meetings by tighter margins, including a 27-20 decision in 2024, so a 24-point win reflects this specific game’s turnover and third-down splits more than a historical pattern between the two programs.

What was the biggest play of the game?

Bryce Dorsey’s 49-yard catch, which came on Memphis’s field-goal-scoring drive late in the second quarter, was the single biggest gain of the night and helped push the Tigers’ lead to 31-7 heading into halftime.

Final Thoughts

The box score confirms what the eye test showed on October 31: Memphis’s balance and a dominant defensive start were the difference, while Rice’s second-half push came too late against a deficit built entirely in the first 18 minutes of play. Anyone revisiting these Memphis Tigers football vs Rice football match player stats later in the season should watch turnover margin first, since that number was the clearest separator in this specific matchup.

Clark

I am Clark, a passionate blogger based in California. I write about everything that inspires everyday life — from fashion and lifestyle. Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas, useful tips, or simply a good read, you’ve found the right place.