DeAngelo Williams ran for 166 yards, including an 86-yard touchdown run, to lead Memphis past Tulane 38-10 Saturday night.
The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Tigers (2-2, 1-1 Conference USA), who were routed in trips to Ole Miss and Southern Mississippi the past two weeks.
The loss was the second straight for Tulane (2-2, 1-2), which was playing the last of three consecutive road games.
Memphis led 31-3 after Williams’ second-half scoring run, the longest in 12 years for the team, and the Tigers were never threatened after building a 21-3 halftime lead.
Memphis’ defense held the Green Wave to 106 yards on the ground and 296 in total offense. The Tigers, behind Williams and the passing of Danny Wimprine, had 395 yards.
Antoine Harden had five catches for 85 yards in the half for the Tigers.
Memphis’ opening touchdown came on a 5-yard run by Wimprine, capping an 8-play, 63-yard drive – 56 of the yards coming on Wimprine-to-Harden passes.
A 48-yard interception return by the Tigers’ O.C. Collins set up an 8-yard scoring run by Dante Brown on the second play after the break. Collins’ score put Memphis up 14-0.
Tulane could manage only a 25-yard field goal by Seth Marler early in the second quarter. The Green Wave’s only touchdown came on a 7-yard pass from J.P. Losman to Tristan Smith in the fourth quarter.
Losman was 21-of-31 for 188 yards.
