MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo wanted quarterback Keenan Reynolds to set the NCAA record for most rushing touchdowns in his home state.
Reynolds wanted the win.
Given a chance to break the record and apply the cherry to a banana split of a game for the Midshipmen, Reynolds instead called a teammate's number for the touchdown that polished off a surprising 45-20 American Athletic Conference rout of 13th-ranked Memphis.
With second and goal at the 1-yard line, Niumatalolo called for Reynolds to run a sneak and try for his 78th career rushing score to break a tie with Montee Ball of Wisconsin.
"They had like nine guys up on the line," Reynolds said. "I wanted to put the game away."
So he checked out of the potential record-breaking play and called a toss sweep to slotback Demond Brown, who walked for the touchdown that finished a dominant second half for Navy (8-1, 5-0).
Tied at 17 with 6:53 left in the third quarter after Memphis wide receiver Anthony Miller scored on a 1-yard run, the Midshipmen hit the Tigers (8-1, 4-1) with two big plays.
Throwing his fifth and final pass of the game, Reynolds found slotback DeBrandon Sanders yards behind any Memphis defender for a 75-yard scoring strike 10 seconds after Miller evened the score.
Less than two minutes after kicker Jake Elliott drilled a 38-yard field goal to pull the Tigers within 24-20, fullback Chris Swain ripped off a 40-yard touchdown run off right guard for a 31-20 lead at the 3:28 mark.
It was the third score of the night for Swain, a 6-foot-1, 245-pound senior who rumbled for 108 yards on 18 carries against a defense bound and determined to keep Reynolds from beating it.
"They are a nightmare," Memphis coach Justin Fuente said of Navy's offense. "I think people underestimate how fast they are on the perimeter. They are very strong and physical up front. Give them all the credit."
While the Midshipmen's offensive outing - 374 rushing yards, 459 total yards - couldn't have surprised anyone, their defensive performance against an opponent averaging 47.9 points per game might qualify under the revelation category.
Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch completed 26 of 42 passes for 305 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown to Miller 81 seconds into the game, but also tossed his second interception of the year and had to settle for a lot of short throws.
"We just wanted to keep the ball in front of us," Niumatalolo said of the defense. "We know that kid can make all the throws, but he can't make them on the sideline."
Which is where Navy kept Lynch for nearly 37 minutes, converting 8-of-13 third downs as it snapped Memphis' 15-game winning streak, dating back to last year. The win also marked the Midshipmen's first win over a ranked team since it stopped Notre Dame 23-21 on Nov. 7, 2009 in South Bend, Ind.
The result also keeps Navy in a first place tie in the AAC West with Houston, a 33-30 winner over Cincinnati. The Midshipmen and Cougars meet Nov. 27 in Houston, with the winner possibly hosting the conference championship game on Dec. 5.
"I've seen what happens when you do this," said Niumatalolo, patting his back to illustrate his point. "We can enjoy this tonight, but we have to get back to work tomorrow."
Reynolds responded predictably when asked if he was disappointed that he didn't set the record while playing about 3 1/2 hours west of his home of Antioch, Tenn.
"If it takes me not scoring a touchdown for us to win the game, I'll take the win," he said. "Every day."
NOTES: This was the first-ever meeting between the teams, forged after Navy joined the AAC for the 2015 season. ... The teams are at the opposite end of the AAC penalty spectrum. While the Midshipmen are the league's least-penalized squad with just 36 yards per game, Memphis is the most-flagged team at 88.6 yards per game. ... Tigers WR Mose Frazier's first quarter catch gave him a 22-game streak with at least one reception.
