White, Memphis overcome Houston rally for 30-27 win

Updated Dec. 12, 2020 8:03 p.m. ET

Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Riley Patterson kicked a 47-yard field goal as time expired to give Memphis a 30-27 win over Houston following the Cougars' improbable comeback on Saturday.

Trailing 27-6 at the end of third, Houston's Clayton Tune threw a pair of touchdown passes around his 19-yard scoring run in the final quarter to tie it at 27 with less than a half-minute left to play.

Tune threw a 13-yard score to Marquez Stevenson early in the fourth after a 10-play, 75-yard drive. His touchdown on the ground came five minutes later with 8:01 remaining. The game-tying drive ended when Tune threw an 18-yard scoring pass to Bryson Smith with 28 seconds to go. On the 15-play, 70-yard march, the Cougars had two conversions on fourth down to keep the drive going.

Brady White responded to lead Memphis (7-3, 5-3 American Athletic Conference) on a 5-play, 46-yard drive to set up Patterson. The Tigers were aided by a 15-yard pass interference play on Thabo Mwaniki as he defended Calvin Austin III.

White found Austin two plays later on a 22-yard reception in which the receiver bent backwards across his body and appeared to injure his leg.

With the win, Memphis finished a second consecutive season undefeated at home for the first time in program history.

White, who threw for 246 yards, became the program's all-time leading passer with 10,406 yards. He moved past Danny Wimprine who played from 2001-04. His two touchdowns against Houston (3-4, 3-3) gave him 87 for his career and the win as a starter was his 27th; both Memphis records.

Tune led Houston with 270 yards passing.

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