WATCH: Memphis WR Demeer Blankumsee gets injured while doing the Cristiano Ronaldo celebration
Week 10 of college football was full of action, with upsets galore as teams jostled for places in the various conference championship games and the expanded College Football Playoff. The incident of the weekend came in the UTSA Roadrunners' comprehensive 44-36 win over the Memphis Tigers in the American Athletic Conference.
Memphis wide receiver Demeer Blankumsee had a good start to the game, scoring two touchdowns to lead the Tigers to a 17-14 lead midway through the second quarter before disaster struck.
While trying to emulate soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo's "SIUUU!" celebration, Blankumsee overextended his leg, which buckled when he hit the ground, injuring the wide receiver and necessitating a trip to the dressing room. Although he returned for the second quarter, Blankumsee did not record any catches, and the UTSA Roadrunners scored the next 30 points of the clash to win the game.
The clip of the celebration that has become popular among different sports fans globally went viral on various social media platforms.
Memphis' College Football Playoff hopes down the drain after WR's injury
Wide receiver Demeer Blankumsee had led the Memphis Tigers to a 7-2 record, and the team was one of the favorites for a slot in the AAC conference championship game and even possibly a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Blankumsee has registered 477 yards on 34 receptions, resulting in five touchdowns this season. During the game against the Roadrunners, he was having one of his best outings of the season, tallying six receptions for a career-high 142 yards and two touchdowns before his celebration-related injury.
After his departure and re-entry into the game, the Memphis Tigers lost their way and possibly their season. Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan, who threw the 69-yard touchdown pass to Demeer Blankumsee, was in disbelief at how the team had contrived to lose the game during his postgame news conference.
"I feel like I haven't really processed it yet, to be honest," quarterback Seth Henigan said. "This was a big deal, losing this game."
Memphis Tigers fans will rue the lost opportunity to solidify their run to a possible conference championship game and playoff appearance while facing a team that was 3-5 before the matchup on Saturday. The turning point of the contest could be attributed to the injury to wide receiver Demeer Blankumsee, who was having the best game of his career before the setback.