Registrierung » Jabrill Peppers, sophomore linebacker, MichiganThe

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Amid all the very-public speculation about where he will be coaching his next game, Tom Herman still was able to motivate his Cougars.He just didnt get the result he wanted.In what might be the sought-after coachs final game with No. 20 Houston, Riley Ferguson threw a 10-yard touchdown pass with 19 seconds left in a wild fourth quarter Friday to lift Memphis to a 48-44 win over the Cougars.Herman guided the Cougars (9-3, 5-3 American Athletic Conference, No. 18 AP) back from a 17-point halftime deficit.We had a decision to make at halftime on whether we were going to give up and give in or if we were going to come out in the second half and fight. Our guys fought, Herman said. Obviously it wasnt quite enough, but I think our guys have a lot to be proud of in terms of how they fought in the second half.Asked by ESPN before the game to address reports that he might be close to a deal with another school, Herman said, Honestly, dont believe anything that you read.Greg Ward gave Houston a 44-41 lead with 1:29 remaining with his fourth TD toss, a 3-yard pass to Chance Allen.But Memphis (8-4, 5-3) drove 72 yards in five plays and snapped a six-game losing streak against Houston after Ferguson found Anthony Miller for a 10-yard touchdown reception with 19 seconds left. The teams combined to score 31 fourth-quarter points.What a game. Im just so very proud of this football team, this coaching staff and everybody associated with our program, said Mike Norvell, the first Tigers coach to lead Memphis to bowl eligibility in his first season. Im so glad the game went the way it did with the ups and the downs, because that provided us with another opportunity to show the heart and the character and how our guys would respond.Houston has a terrific football team. But today our guys would not be denied, he said.Ward was spectacular, completing 47 of 67 passes for 487 yards. He also rushed for a team-high 65 yards.Memphis struck early against a Houston defense that stifled then No. 3-ranked Louisville and Heisman candidate Lamar Jackson in a 36-10 home win last week.The Tigers scored touchdowns on all three of their first-quarter drives, with Ferguson going 12 of 13 for 187 yards and two touchdowns in the quarter. His 67-yard pass to Phil Mayhue gave Memphis the early lead before Doroland Dorceus made it 14-3 with a 2-yard touchdown run.Houston held Louisville to 312 total yards and 18 first downs in its win over the Cardinals last week. By the end of the first quarter Saturday, Memphis had amassed 222 yards and three touchdowns.THE TAKEAWAYHOUSTON: Perhaps all the rumors about Herman were a distraction, Houston struggled early on defense and allowed 555 total yards.MEMPHIS: Memphis was already bowl eligible for the third straight year, marking just the second time in program history it will play in three consecutive bowl games.POLL IMPLICATIONSHouston lost to a team it was favored against for the third time this year, and it could fall out of the Top 25 a week after its dominant win against Louisville.KEY NUMBERSHOUSTON: Linell Bonner was the main recipient of Wards huge passing game, finishing with 17 receptions for 235 yards and a touchdown. Yeah, hes got a knack for getting open in zones and closing catches. He was a huge factor in the game, Herman said of Bonner.MEMPHIS: Miller had 15 receptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Before catching the winning touchdown, Miller had a 35-yard touchdown reception that put the Tigers ahead 41-37 with 3:49 left in the fourth quarter.UP NEXTHOUSTON: The Cougars will wait to find out what bowl theyre headed to and whether theyre losing theyre losing Herman. The 10-win goal is still there, Herman said. Im not sure the timing of any loss hurts any worse, but these guys have so much to be proud of. Theyve earned 22 victories in the course of two seasons, 3-0 against Top 25 teams, 2-0 against Top 5 teams. So theres a lot to hang our hat on.MEMPHIS: The Tigers were already out of the running to make the AAC title game, and will wait to find out where theyll play in the postseason. Every bowl game is a reward, Norvell said. Wherever we have the opportunity to go, were gonna be extremely grateful and were gonna prepare to go be victorious. Thats eight wins. We didnt sign up for that. We want to maximize every opportunity, so the next step in front of us is to finish as bowl champions.LAST WORDWe had a slant by Anthony Miller, and it was man (defense). I like Anthony Miller on any corner in the nation. Try and guard him. Good luck. Just threw the ball to him and he did the rest, Ferguson said about hooking up with Miller for the winning touchdown. Air Force 1 Just Do It Deutschland . Pert has formerly spent time as an assistant coach with Cardiff City, Coventry City, and Bahrain mens national team. "Martyn is a highly-respected coach with experience at the top levels in England," said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. Nike Huarache Deutschland . -- If Henry Burris has his way, he will be the starting quarterback to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup next year. http://www.airforce1gunstig.de/sf-air-force-1-deutschland.html . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Nike Air Presto Schwarz Günstig . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. Air Force 1 Damen Sale . For the Wild it was their first win of the season and they now have a record of 1-1-2 while the Jets fall to 2-2. Jets start a six game home stand Friday with another divisional game, home to the Dallas Stars. The pool of candidates for the Heisman Trophy is a deep one. Derrick Henry, the winner from Alabama last year, has moved on to the NFL, but five of the next six players in the voting are back, led by runner-up Christian McCaffrey of Stanford.Also returning are Clemsons Deshaun Watson, Oklahomas Baker Mayfield, LSUs Leonard Fournette and Florida States Dalvin Cook. All of them, along with Ohio States J.T. Barnett and Georgias Nick Chubb (if fully recovered from his knee injury), are in the first wave of contenders for 2016.Here are six players who could insert themselves into the Heisman conversation:---Chad Kelly, senior quarterback, MississippiThe strong-armed Kelly is the top returning QB in the SEC and listed high on NFL draft boards for 2017. The nephew of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly led the Rebels to five victories over Top 25 teams, including Alabama on the road, and they are expected to challenge in the SEC West. A big showing against national title contender Florida State in the opener would push Kelly into the top flight of candidates.---Royce Freeman, junior running back, OregonFreemans 3,201 yards rushing the last two years are the most by any player in a Power Five conference. He broke LaMichael James single-season school rushing record with 1,836 yards in 2015 and was the only FBS player to pick up more than 100 yards from scrimmage in every game. He also led the country with 36 runs of 15 yards or more.---Greg Ward Jr., senior quarterback, HoustonWard led the Cougars to a 13-1 record that was the best in program history, and hell step into a big national spotlight in the opener against Oklahoma. He and Clemsons Watson were the only quarterbacks to rush for 1,000 yards and pass for 2,000 last season. He also was fifth in the nation with a schoool-record 21 rushing touchdowns.dddddddddddd His 16 runs of at least 20 yards led FBS quarterbacks and all players in the American Athletic Conference.---Seth Russell, senior quarterback, BaylorRussell led the Bears to a No. 2 national ranking and six straight wins before a neck injury against Iowa State ended his season. He threw for 29 touchdowns and more than 2,100 yards in seven games and also ran for 402 yards. He opened last season by accounting for six touchdowns against SMU, threw for six TDs against Rice and in his last full game threw for 380 yards and five TDs and ran for 160 yards and a TD against West Virginia.---Jabrill Peppers, sophomore linebacker, MichiganThe last two-way player to win the Heisman was the Wolverines Charles Woodson in 1997. Peppers could be the next. Hes moving from safety to a hybrid linebacker position. He also has shown the ability to excel at a half-dozen other spots, not to mention returning punts and kicks. Anything is accomplishable for Jabrill Peppers in the game of football, coach Jim Harbaugh said, adding that Peppers has greatest-in-the-world type of athleticism.---Josh Rosen, sophomore quarterback, UCLARosen threw for almost 3,700 yards and 23 touchdowns as a freshman and set a school record by going 245 consecutive passes without an interception, though he ended up with 11. The Bruins are transitioning from the spread to a pro-style system that suits him better. He has a new quarterbacks coach in Marques Tuiasosopo and new offensive coordinator in Kennedy Polamalu. As good as Rosen was last year, he figures to only get better.---Online:AP college football site: http://collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '