MEMPHIS, Tenn.---Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan completed 23 of 35 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown, while running for two more touchdowns to lead Memphis (3-0, 1-0 in the AAC) to a thrilling 28-24 win over Navy (1-2, 0-1) in front of 25,551 fans at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis.
 
The game was a back-and-forth affair with three ties and two lead changes. 
 
"I'm proud of our guys. I thought they fought their tails off and they deserved success tonight and we just didn't get it at the end," said Navy head football coach Brian Newberry.  "I think we have a chance to have a really good football team and if we can continue to make the progress that we have made so far week to week we are going to be pretty dang good.  I saw a lot of good things tonight from our football team."
 
Memphis jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a 13-play, 90-yard drive on its first possession of the game with Blake Watson scoring from seven-yard outs. 
 
The Mids, however, would answer on the very next play as sophomore Alex Tecza took a pitch and ran by the Memphis secondary for a 75-yard touchdown run.
 
After the Navy defense came up with a stop, the Mids would roll down the field on a six-play, 77-yard drive and take the lead on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Tai Lavatai to Regis Velez. It was Velez's first career catch.
 
A key play in the game came at the end of the first half when the Mids went for it on fourth-and-one from the Memphis 44 with 1:25 remaining.  Fullback Alex Tecza was dropped for no gain and the Tigers took over with 1:19 left in the half.
 
Henigan led Memphis on an eight-play, 56-yard drive in 56 second that was capped off by a seven-yard touchdown pass to Roc Taylor to tie the game at 14.
 
The Mids gambled to start the second half, calling for an onside kick and the play was there but kicker Evan Warren kicked the ball out of bounds giving the Tigers the ball on the Navy 47.  Seven plays later Memphis had regained the lead on a one yard run by Henigan.
 
Once again, the Mids would fight right back as senior quarterback Tai Lavatai led Navy on a 6-play, 85-yard drive that was capped off by an Anton Hall two-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 21 with 9:08 left in the third quarter.
 
The fourth quarter was one of the wildest quarters of football you are ever going to see.  Henigan gave the Tigers a 28-21 lead at the start of the fourth on his second touchdown run of the night, this one from three yards out to make it 28-21 Memphis.
 
After Navy's third-straight three-and-out, the Mids went to sophomore quarterback Blake Horvath. Horvath led the Mids on a drive that ended with a 36-yard field goal by Nathan Kirkwood to make the score 28-24with 7:09 left. 
 
The big play of the drive was a 29-yard run by Horvath, who was hit from behind and fumbled, but the ball was recovered by a hustling Trey Cummings at the Memphis 17. 
 
It looked like Horvath was going to hit Hall with a touchdown pass on the very next play, but a bang-bang play was broked up by the Memphis defender and the Mids ended up settling for the field goal.
 
Memphis looked like they put the game away on the next series when Blake Watson broke through the Navy defense for a 69-yard run but a hustling Rayuan Lane III ran Watson down and knocked him out at the one-yard line. On the very next play, Henigan fumbled the handoff to Watson and the ball was recovered in the end zone by Justin Reed to give the Mids life.
 
Horvath remained in the game and on second-and-seven at the Navy 38-yard line he fumbled after picking up five yards and Memphis recovered at the Navy 43.
 
Memphis ran the ball on first and second down, but on third-and-11 Henigan threw the ball over the middle and it was intercepted by Lane, who returned the pick 25 yards to the Navy 49-yard line.
 
The Mids would get the ball down to the Memphis 13, but on fourth-and-six from the Mids 15 Lavatai would hit Jayden Umbarger with a slant over the middle with what initially was ruled a first down at the Memphis nine, but replay overturned the spot of the foul and ruled that Umbarger was one yard short giving Memphis the win.
 
Navy outgained Memphis 432 yards to 408 yards, with Navy gaining 299 yards on the ground and 133 yards through the air.  Memphis ran for 190 yards and threw for 218 yards.
 
Tecza finished with a career-high 163 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, while junior fullback Daba Fofana ran for 53 yards on nine carries. 
 
Lavatai completed 10 of his 19 pass attempts for 133 yards and a touchdown.  Brandon Chatman had one catch for 58 yards.
 
Linebacker Colin Ramos led the Navy defense with eight tackles, while Will Harbour had seven and Lane, Clay Cromwell and Xavier McDonald six each.
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