Why this Memphis football win over Boise State could be more than a comeback | Giannotto

Gut reactions from Memphis football's 35-32 win over Boise State at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on Saturday.

Maybe one Memphis play changed everything

Once Geoffrey Cantin-Arku blocked the field goal, once he picked up the football and took off, they all tried to keep up with him. The Boise State players, the Memphis players and the Memphis players and coaches who were on the sideline, they all tried to chase him the entire 80 yards.

Defensive coordinator Matt Barnes had to be corralled before he sprinted straight out of the coaches box and into the party inside the end zone. Coach Ryan Silverfield, once he crossed midfield, simply held his arms up in triumph.

Boise State could have gone for it on fourth-and-1. Instead, the former darling of the Group of Five gave Memphis an opening to define itself as a potential Group of Five threat once more.

This stunning turn of events felt more than the signature moment of a compelling comeback, and more than just the script finally being flipped after so many blown leads in recent years. This was more than just relief, with all of the stakes tied to this portion of the schedule in Silverfield's fourth season. Frankly, there was more tension to come — and more heroics from quarterback Seth Henigan and tailback Blake Watson, a friendly replay review and a recovered onside kick needed to preserve this breakthrough.

But when it did end, it felt like actual momentum. The kind that can change everything — for Saturday and beyond.

This version of the Tigers gave us reason for genuine hope and excitement. They erased a 17-0 deficit. They overcame self-inflicted mistakes. They got a clutch performance from Henigan. They just kept going, through the angst and anger their bad start ignited, right until they set up a huge matchup with Tulane in less than two weeks.

What could have been another deflating setback in the Silverfield era, in front of an underwhelming crowd of 30,364, has suddenly set the stage for Memphis to emerge as the front-runner in the American Athletic Conference race.

Memphis got exactly what it needed when it needed it most.

Henigan delivers late

Henigan hadn't been bad through four games. He just didn't seem to be taking the leap many hoped for in his third season as a starter.

But the fourth quarter will go down as a masterpiece in the context of his career.

Henigan had the best two-throw sequence of his season once Cantin-Arku gave Memphis the lead for the first time late in the third quarter. Facing third-and-8 deep in Memphis territory, he found Koby Drake with a perfectly placed over-the-shoulder throw along the sideline for a first down.

On his next pass, Henigan hit wide receiver Demeer Blankumsee over the top of the Boise State defense for a 59-yard touchdown pass. When Boise State responded with its own jaunt to the end zone, Henigan led another methodical touchdown drive.

He finished the fourth quarter 5 of 7 for 107 yards and a touchdown, and every completion seemed important. He finished 18-of-28 for 269 yards.

Statistically, it wasn't his best game. But on the biggest throws in this game, he delivered.

It was almost a blowout

This initially looked like it would be a disaster.

The Memphis offense looked awful, failing in short yardage situations, and Henigan couldn’t connect on anything downfield. The secondary looked exposed, allowing Boise State's offense — which came in ranked 85th in the country in passing offense — to throw its way downfield. The Tigers' special teams put them in a field position hole three occasions before halftime.

Memphis trailed 17-0, and the scrutiny on Silverfield’s performance as coach that became so prevalent during last season’s struggles had already resurfaced. Even the most loyal fans were losing hope that the Tigers could recover.

But this team, like its predecessors under Silverfield, is resilient despite a growing list of imperfections. It steadied itself late in the second quarter, ignited by two gigantic touchdown drives that saw wide receiver Roc Taylor come alive and featured Henigan’s legs more than the first four games this season.

Memphis managed to enter halftime down just 17-14 and wound up outgaining Boise State in the first half.

It was a precursor of what was to come, and maybe the best sign yet that this Memphis team will be different than the past two.

You can reach Commercial Appeal columnist Mark Giannotto via email at mgiannotto@gannett.com and follow him on X: @mgiannotto

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Why Memphis Tigers football win over Boise State could be more than comeback