MEMPHIS, Tenn. (9/27/08) ? Memphis tailback Curtis Steele rushed for 203 yards and a touchdown to lead the Tigers (2-4) to a 29-17 victory over the Arkansas State Red Wolves (3-2) Saturday afternoon at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

Arkansas State overcame a 13-0 deficit in the first quarter to take a 17-16 lead at the half, but the Tigers used two big runs from Steele in the second half to set up a pair of field goals from Vinny Zaccario, giving Memphis a 22-17 lead. Steele added a two-yard touchdown run late in the game to set the final score.

After chalking up 228 yards in the first 30 minutes, the ASU offense never got going in the final two quarters. The Red Wolves gained just 124 yards in the second half and suffered a pair of turnovers.

“We just shot ourselves in the foot several times with penalties and turnovers,” said ASU Head Coach Steve Roberts. “Just not being smart with the football and not blocking very well there through a stretch in the second half. Memphis has a good football team and they did some good things to keep us from being able to execute, but we didn't play the type of football that we're capable of playing.”

Memphis scored on its first two possessions in building the 13-0 lead. The Tigers went 69 yards in nine plays on the game's opening possession to put the first touchdown on the board. Tailback Charlie Jones completed the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run and Zaccario added the extra point for the 7-0 Tiger advantage.

Jones added a 7-yard touchdown run on the Tigers second possession, capping an 8-play, 69-yard drive by the Tigers. Zaccario's extra point was blocked by ASU, leaving the Tigers with a 13-0 advantage.

Arkansas State got on the board early in the second quarter when the Red Wolves put together a 5-play, 56-yard drive that ended when junior quarterback Corey Leonard scrambled in from 23 yards out for the touchdown. Kicker Josh Arauco's extra point cut the Memphis lead to 13-7.

A 94-yard drive later in the half gave Arkansas State its first lead. After rushing twice for no gain to open the possession, junior tailback Reggie Arnold took a screen pass from Leonard down the left sideline 51 yards to the Memphis 43. Freshman tailback Derek Lawson rushed three times for 35 yards for a first down at the Memphis nine and one play later, Arnold was in the end zone. Arauco's extra point put Arkansas State on top 14-13 with 7:53 remaining in the half.

Memphis countered with a 20-yard field goal from Zaccario with just under four minutes remaining before the break, but ASU went into the locker room with a 17-16 lead after the Red Wolves marched 51 yards to set up a 33-yard Arauco field goal with 18 seconds remaining in the half.

A 46-yard run from Steele helped the Tigers regain the lead in the third. Zaccario followed the run with a 35-yard field goal, and Steele added a 37-yard run in the fourth to set up a 40-yarder from Zaccario that gave Memphis a 22-17 lead with 7:58 to play.

Arkansas State went three-and-out on its next possession, and Memphis responded with a nine-play, 70-yard drive that ended in Steele's two-yard touchdown run with 2:12 to play.

Leonard was 11-of-23 on the day with an interception and Lawson led the ASU rushing attack with 79 yards on 11 carries. Sophomore safety M.D. Jennings had 11 tackles and an interception to lead the ASU defense.

Arkansas State will be off until Oct. 4 when the Red Wolves host Louisiana-Monroe in a 6:00 p.m. Sun Belt Conference game at ASU Stadium.