Postgame Notes: Houston at Memphis
10/11/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery 
GAME NOTES
• Houston improved 3-3 on the season with a 28-24 win over Memphis. Houston is now 1-1 in conference play and snapped a five game losing streak away from home.
• Houston improves to 400-348-15 all-time.
• Tonight's win marked the 400th in school history for Houston. The Cougars picked up their 300th win in a 28-3 victory over Rice on Sept. 4, 1999.
OFFENSE
• Sophomore quarterback Greg Ward Jr.'s 64-yard rushing touchdown was the longest rush from scrimmage for the Cougars this season. The run was also the longest scoring play for Houston in 2014.
• Houston tied the game in the third quarter with a 3-yard rushing touchdown by junior running back Ryan Jackson. The run capped an 85-yard scoring drive which was the longest of the season for the Cougars.
• Houston led the possession time battle, 30:19-29:41.
DEFENSE
• Houston has forced at least one turnover in 29 straight contests, as Lee Hightower notched the Cougars first interception of the game in the second quarter.
• The Cougar defense has now forced multiple turnovers in 24 of their last 27 games after Jeremiah Farley's fumble recovery in the second quarter.
• In three straight Memphis drives in the second quarter, Houston forced a turnover. The Cougars came away with two interceptions and a fumble return in that span.
• Houston forced at least three turnovers for the fourth game this season. The five turnovers are the second most this season (Grambling State, 6) and the second time the Cougars have forced at least five in a game.
• Four different players for Houston had turnovers. Efrem Oliphant (2) and Lee Hightower came away with interceptions while William Jackson and Jeremiah Farley each had fumble recoveries.• Efrem Oliphant intercepted a pass late in the fourth quarter to force the fifth Memphis turnover of the game to effectively seal the win for the Cougars.
KYLE BULLARD
• Kicker Kyle Bullard leads the American Athletic Conference with 51 points scored this season.
GREG WARD, JR.
• Sophomore quarterback Greg Ward, Jr., put Houston on the scoreboard in the second quarter with his career-long 64-yard touchdown run. Ward finished the game with 17 rushes for 95 yards.
Rowdy Harper
• Senior lineman Rowdy Harper made his 45th consecutive start. He has started every game of his career and leads the nation in career starts by a lineman.
Derrick Mathews
• With his three tackles tonight, senior linebacker Derrick Mathews became the fifth player in school history to register 400 career tackles.
• After registering a tackle for loss in the first quarter Mathews tied Joe Clay for sixth all-time with 43.
Efrem Oliphant
• Senior Efrem Oliphant tallied double-digit tackles (10) for the 15th time in his career and has now recorded double-digit tackles in all six games this season.
• Oliphant also recorded two interceptions in the game including a pick with 1:02 to play in the game, which effectively sealed the game for Houston.
RYAN JACKSON
• Junior running back Ryan Jackson picked up his third rushing touchdown of the season on a 3-yard run to tie the game in the third quarter. For Jackson the touchdown marked the 12th of his career.
MARKEITH AMBLES
• Senior wide receiver Markeith Ambles hauled in his second-career touchdown pass and the eventual game winner on a 25-yard strike early in the fourth quarter to give the Cougars a 28-21 lead.
Kenneth Farrow
• Junior running back Kenneth Farrow scored his third touchdown of the season on a two-yard run in the second quarter. Farrow now has 11 touchdowns in his career with three coming against Memphis (2 in 2013).
ERIC EILAND
• Junior defensive end Eric Eiland registered a career high 7 tackles in the contest. Eiland's previous career-high came last week against UCF on Oct. 2.
3
Kenneth Farrow now has three rushing touchdowns against Memphis in his career.
4
Houston forced at least three turnovers in a game for the fourth time this season.
5
Houston forced the Tigers to commit five turnovers. Houston recorded at least five turnovers for the second time this season.
6
Efrem Oliphant has recorded double-digit tackles in all six games this season.
15
Efrem Oliphant has recorded double-digit tackles in 15 games in his career.
24
Houston has recorded double-digit turnovers in 24 of 27 games.
29
Houston has recorded at least one turnover in 29 consecutive contests.
45
Rowdy Harper made his 45th consecutive start. He leads the nation in career starts by a lineman.
400
Houston picked up their 400th win in school history with the victory over Memphis.
400
Linebacker Derrick Mathews became Houston's fifth player to record 400 tackles in school history.
