MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Brady White threw for 196 yards and three touchdowns Thursday night as Memphis used big plays to defeat Navy 35-23.
Kenneth Gainwell rushed for 104 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown on the Tigers opening play from scrimmage as Memphis (4-0, 1-0 American Athletic Conference) knocked Navy from the unbeaten ranks.
"That game is a game -- we talked about it all week long -- that is a program-defining game," Memphis coach Mike Norvell said. "The reason being because of who we went against. That's a good Navy football team."
Malcolm Perry led the Midshipmen (2-1, 1-1) with 82 yards passing and 91 yards rushing. He ran for two touchdowns and threw for another. Keoni Makekau rushed for 101 yards for Navy.
The game was a contrast in styles with Navy grinding out yards and maintaining possession, while Memphis capitalized on big plays. The Tigers scored on long runs, a 99-yard kickoff return by Gabriel Rogers and the trio of touchdown passes from White.
After Navy took a 20-7 lead, Memphis scored three unanswered touchdowns to pull away in the second half. The run started after the Navy touchdown -- Perry's second 1-yard run -- put the Midshipmen up. Rogers took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 99 yards for the touchdown, pulling Memphis within 20-14 at the break.
"That took so much wind out of us," Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said.
During the first half, the Memphis defense, which entered the game allowing opponents an average of 226 yards, was mystified by Navy's triple option. The Midshipmen grabbed chunks of yards in the rushing game, while Perry kept the Tiger defense off balance with occasional passes, including a 17-yarde scoring toss to Chance Warren for an early lead.
It was the Navy defense that initially was living up to its billing, stifling the Memphis offense. Even when Memphis reached the red zone, a fumble stalled the drive. Penalties and a missed field goal only contributed to the Memphis woes as the Tigers collected only 98 yards of offense, in the first half, and that included Gainwell's opening burst.
"They looked tired on defense," Niumatalolo said. "We felt like we had them right in our wheelhouse."
By the early stages of the second half, the Tiger faithful were booing White. Not long after that, Memphis put its offense together and the Tiger defense started to stymie the Midshipmen holding Navy to 81 yards of offense in the second half.
"To come out and not play our best ball in the first half, see our guys respond and continue to keep believing in each other (was impressive)," Norvell said.
As expected, Navy controlled the ball and dominated time of possession at 38:39, and while it was successful in the first half, the Memphis defense adjusted in the second half. Meanwhile, the Navy defense that had been successful the first two games, continued to give up big plays at key times.
The Tigers defense looked baffled in the first half, but adjusted to better control Perry's mastery at handling the ball. Quarterback Brady White managed to bring the Tigers back for the victory.
Navy is at home against Air Force on Oct. 5. Memphis travels to Louisiana Monroe for a non-conference game.