Tulsa Falls to Houston 38-24

Saturday, October 3

H.A. Chapman Stadium

11:00 am

Tulsa

2-2 , 0-1

Houston

4-0 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Houston

Tulsa

Photo by: Brett Rojo

Tulsa Falls to Houston 38-24

10/3/2015 3:59:00 PM | Football

Box Score

By: Don Tomkalski

Final Stats | Postgame Notes | Postgame Quotes | Photo Gallery

Tulsa, Okla. –– Tulsa dropped its American Athletic Conference opener to Houston, 38-24, in front of a crowd of 17,146 Saturday afternoon at H.A. Chapman Stadium.

The Golden Hurricane fell to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in American Conference play, while the Cougars improved to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in league play.

Tulsa gained 456 yards on 88 plays, including 326 passing yards and 130 yards rushing. Junior quarterback Dane Evans was 26-of-44 passing, and junior Josh Atkinson led the Hurricane with 107 yards on six receptions. Senior running back Zack Langer led TU with 62 yards on 19 rushes and three touchdowns. Langer now has eight touchdowns in four games this season.

Houston totaled 638 yards on 94 plays, including 365 rushing and 273 passing. UH quarterback Greg Ward Jr. passed for 273 yards and rushed for 182 yards and three touchdowns, and running back Kenneth Farrow gained 159 yards and scored two touchdowns.

The Cougars scored the first points of the second half on a 21-yard field goal and increased its 11-point halftime lead to 14 with a 24-10 lead at the 7:17 mark of the third period. The Hurricane defense forced the field goal but holding the Cougars on a third-and-goal at the four-yard line.

The Hurricane cut the Houston lead to seven points, 17-24, at the 4:52 mark of the third quarter. Tulsa's Zack Langer capped a 73-yard, 10-play drive with a one-yard run on second-and-goal.

The teams exchanged turnovers on the next two possessions and went into the fourth quarter with Houston holding on to a 24-17 lead. The Cougars began the fourth period with a missed 40-yard field goal, giving Tulsa the ball at their own 23-yard line. The Hurricane went three-and-out before the Cougars marched 62 yards in seven plays and scored on a five-yard Kenneth Farrow run to put Houston ahead 31-17.

Houston added 44-yard touchdown run by Farrow with 2:21 left to make the score, 38-17. The Hurricane responded with a five-play, 75-yard drive, and Langer plunged into the end zone from the 1 to make the score, 38-24. Atkinson set up the score with a 45-yard reception from Evans, down to the one yardline.

Tulsa took the opening drive of the game 43 yards in 12 plays, but had to settle for a 46-yard Redford Jones field goal, his eighth of the season.

The Cougars responded on their first possession with a Greg Ward three-yard touchdown run, capping a 75-yard, nine-play drive. Tulsa responded on the subsequent possession to retake the lead, 10-3, on a 48-yard, four-play drive that was capped by a Langer seven-yard run.

A failed fake punt by Houston put Tulsa at the Cougars 30-yard line, but the Hurricane failed to get any points. Houston marched to the Tulsa one-yard line where Trent Martin stuffed Javin Webb for no gain on a fourth down-and goal, giving the ball back to the Hurricane offense.

Houston's Ward added his second rushing touchdown of the game on a 32-yard scramble that gave the Cougars the lead at 14-10. The Houston drive covered 72 yards in five plays.

With 1:04 remaining before halftime, Tulsa missed its second field goal of the first half, missing this time from 39 yards. The Cougars took over possession at their own 23-yard line added to its lead right before the end of the half with Ward's third touchdown run of the game to take a 21-10 lead into halftime. Ward rushed the final eight yards to cap a 77-yard, six-play drive.

At the intermission, Houston had 348 yards of total offense, while Ward accounted for 282 of those yards, including 161 passing and 121 rushing. The Hurricane put up 234 yards, including 182 through the air and 54 on the ground.

Tulsa will be back at H.A. Chapman Stadium next Saturday, October 10 for its final non-conference game of the year against Louisiana-Monroe. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. on ESPN3.