NEW ORLEANS — Danny Wimprine threw for 254 yards and accounted for two touchdowns as Memphis won its first bowl game in 32 years, a 27-17 victory over North Texas in the New Orleans Bowl on Tuesday night.
Wimprine completed his first 10 passes, two at least 50 yards, and the Tigers (9-4) took a 17-3 lead.
Wimprine's touchdown pass was a 10-yard bullet to Chris Kelley as he crouched in tight coverage along the sideline. Wimprine — a New Orleans native who had never lost in the Louisiana Superdome in two high school championship games and one previous college game — also ran for a 7-yard score on a quarterback draw, the game's first touchdown.
Wimprine was 17-of-23 and was selected MVP of the game, the first of 28 college bowls this season.
North Texas' Patrick Cobbs, the nation's leader in rushing yards per game with 157, gained 110 yards and scored two touchdowns.
Scott Hall threw for 152 yards, completing several long passes in the second half on two touchdown drives as North Texas (9-4) kept the game close well into the fourth quarter.
Memphis, of Conference USA, made its last bowl appearance in 1971 at the Pasadena Bowl, where the Tigers beat San Jose State 28-9.
North Texas has represented the fledgling Sun Belt Conference in all three New Orleans Bowls and won the game last year against Cincinnati.
The Mean Green made it 17-10 when Cobbs burst through a hole outside the left tackle and broke free for a 35-yard score.
But after North Texas' defense had played a nearly flawless third quarter, a mistake by that unit allowed Memphis to regain a two-touchdown lead. North Texas appeared to have forced a punt just outside its own 40 when the Mean Green gang tackled LaKendus Cole on a screen play for a loss.
But Adrian Awasom was flagged for a 15-yard face-mask penalty that gave Memphis a first down on the North Texas 21. Several plays later, Cole squirmed his way into the end zone on a 5-yard run up the middle for a 24-10 lead.
Memphis needed the cushion as Hall completed two long passes in a 5-play, 86-yard drive made it 24-17 when Cobbs bowled his way into the end zone from 2 yards out.
Memphis then used up 4:47 on an 11-play drive that ended with Stephen Gostkowski's 42-yard field goal with 2:26 left.