Memphis’ defense had a clear motivation when UCLA came down with an interception in the end zone late in the fourth quarter.
That mindset was not knocking off the no. 25 ranked team in the country at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on Saturday, however.
The fuel that sparked the Tigers’ defensive effort was largely due to the will to win for linebacker JJ Russell. Russell, a freshman from Grenada, Mississippi, was trucked during a kickoff return after Memphis grabbed a 20-17 lead in the second quarter off a Riley Ferguson 42-yard pass to Tony Pollard.