Tulsa-SMU Football Game Tonight

Game 5: Tulsa (3-1, 0-0 The American) vs. SMU (2-3, 1-0 The American)
Date/Time:	Friday, Oct. 7/ 7:05 p.m. (CT)
Site:	Tulsa, Oklahoma
Stadium:	H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000)
Coaches:	Tulsa – Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State '95), 2^nd year SMU – Chad Morris (Texas A&M '92), 2^nd year
TV:	ESPN2/WatchESPN
Talent:	Mike Corey (pxp), Rene Ingoglia (analyst)
Radio:	Big Country 99.5 FM
Talent:	Bruce Howard (pxp), Rick Couri (analyst), Jeremie Poplin (sidelines)
Live Stats:	Live Stats
Series:	SMU leads 13-9
First Meeting:	Oct. 5, 1935, SMU won 14-0 @ Tulsa, Okla.
Last Meeting:	Oct. 31, 2015, Tulsa won 40-31 @ Dallas, Texas
Game Notes:	Tulsa \| SMU \| American Conference

It's 'Friday Night Lights' as the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (3-1) opens American Athletic Conference play at 7:05 p.m. tonight against the SMU Mustangs (2-3, 0-1 The American) in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPN2.

After an open week, Tulsa returns to the field for the first time since a 48-41 double overtime road win over Fresno State, while the Mustangs are coming off a 45-20 road loss to the Temple Owls last Saturday. This is the 23rd meeting between Tulsa and SMU as the Mustangs lead the overall series 13-9, but Tulsa has won the last two games. Tulsa claimed a 40-31 win last year and has posted a 5-1 record in its last five home games against the Mustangs.

SMU comes to town sporting a defense that is one of the most opportunistic units in the nation with an NCAA-leading 12 interceptions, and a total of 14 takeaways to lead the American Athletic Conference.

"SMU can hurt you. They've played really well in the takeaway game," said Tulsa Head Coach Philip Montgomery.

The Mustangs have allowed 433 yards per game this year, while facing two of the nation's top offenses in the likes of Baylor and TCU. When facing #19 Baylor and #21 TCU, SMU's defense held both teams to just six points each in the first half.

"We've got to create our own momentum at the start of the game. I know SMU will be motivated. We know we'll have a fight on our hands," Montgomery added.

SMU defensive backs Darrion Millines and Jordan Wyatt lead the way for the Mustangs, having combined for 57 tackles, six interceptions and four pass breakups. Millines has totaled team-highs of 30 tackles and three pass breakups, while Wyatt along with fellow cornerback Horace Richardson are two of only four players in the country with four interceptions on the season to lead the nation.

End Justin Lawler has been a menace against opposing offenses, totaling 27 tackles, 5.5 TFLs for -29 yards and 4.5 sacks for -28 yards, to lead the defensive front for the Mustangs, while linebackers Anthony Rhone and Kyran Mitchell are very active on the field and have totaled 24 and 21 tackles, respectively.

"We've got to do a great job of being smart against their defense – still pressing the button and doing the things we've got to do offensively, but being intelligent about when we're taking our shots and how we're taking them," said Montgomery.

Tulsa is coming off a game that saw the Hurricane amass 617 yards of total offense, while pitching the biggest come-from-behind victory in school history and second-largest in NCAA Division I history with a 31-point comeback at Fresno State. The running game produced 336 yards, while Tulsa passed for 281 yards.

D'Angelo Brewer leads The American with 534 yards on the ground for a 5.5 average, while senior James Flanders has 258 yards and a 5.3 average per carry. Brewer had a career-best 252 yards on 46 attempts at Fresno State, while Flanders also surpassed 100 yards.

Every game Dane Evans is moving closer to becoming the school's all-time leading passer, and this year has thrown for 888 yards and eight touchdowns. He now has 9,200 career passing yards, still over 1,700 short of becoming the school's passing leader.

In Tulsa's last outing, Evans completed 24-of-34 passes for 281 yards and a season-best four touchdowns against Fresno State.

Evans and the Tulsa receivers will be challenged by the SMU defenders. "Dane has to do a good job of putting the ball in the right spot, whether it's on the right shoulder or the left shoulder. Just keeping it away from the defenders. When the ball is in the air, it's got to be ours," said Montgomery.

"We've got to do a great job from a route-running standpoint and making sure our body is in the right spot – not giving the SMU defenders the opportunity to make that break when they see it."

Keevan Lucas, Josh Atkinson and Justin Hobbs will have to do just that for the Tulsa offense to have success. Lucas and Atkinson are both coming off 100-yard games at Fresno State, with 111 and 107 yards, respectively. Lucas had had three 100-yard games this year and over the last two games had all five of his touchdown receptions.

Guard Blake Belcher and tackle Evan Plagg, teammates at Guthrie (Okla.) High School, lead the offensive front for the Hurricane.

Despite injuries to key positions on the offensive side of the ball, the SMU Mustangs have still managed to average 416 yards of total offense, including 179.8 rushing and 236.2 yards through the air. Red-shirt freshman Ben Hicks took over at quarterback when starter Matt Davis went down with an ACL injury in week one.

Hicks has thrown for an average of 205 yards per game, while his main targets have been Courtland Sutton, James Proche and Zavier Castille. Sutton is the big-play receiver at 6'4", 215-pounds, catching 22 passes for 492 yards, a 22.4 average per game and four TDs, while Proche has 316 yards and Castille 156 yards receiving.

The running game has missed sophomore Xavier Jones in three games this year, as the sophomore averages 9.3 yards per carry. He returned last week from a hamstring injury, but suffered a shoulder injury against Temple and his status for this week is unknown.

Another sophomore, Braeden West, has carried the load at running back for the Mustangs by gaining 397 yards for a 5.3 average per carry, while Ke'Mon Freeman splits time as a back-up running back and quarterback, rushing for 260 yards.

The Tulsa defense will have its hands full trying to contain the 6'4" Sutton down the field and the running of West. The Hurricane has held the opposition to 381.2 yards of total offense, a significant difference from a year ago when opposing offenses averaged 210 more yards (591.0 ypg) through the first four contests.

Senior linebacker Trent Martin leads the Hurricane with 29 tackles this year and totaled a team-best 11 tackles, 1.5 TFLs for -6 yards and tipped a pass that ended up as an interception return for a touchdown in the season opener against San Jose State. He is joined in the linebacker corps by senior Matt Linscott and junior Craig Suits, who have combined for 49 stops and 5.5 TFLs for -14 yards.

The Tulsa defensive line has used nine players so far this season. Tackles Jerry Uwaezuoke and Hayden Carman and ends Jeremy Smith and Jesse Brubaker will be the starters up front for the Hurricane. The foursome has combined to total 51 tackles and 10.5 TFLs for -33 yards through the first four games.

Senior safety Jeremy Brady headlines the secondary for the Hurricane. Brady has tallied 26 tackles, one interception and one pass-breakup, while fellow safeties McKinley Whitfield and Jordan Mitchell have 21 stops between them. Patrolling the corners are juniors Kerwin Thomas and Keanu Hill. Thomas has 14 tackles and three pass breakups, while Hill has totaled eight stops and four breakups.

Follow the Golden Hurricane throughout the season at www.TulsaHurricane.com.

Tulsa-SMU Football Game Tonight

Players Mentioned

Josh Atkinson

Blake Belcher

Jeremy Brady

D'Angelo Brewer

Jesse Brubaker

Hayden Carman

Dane Evans

James Flanders

Keanu Hill

Justin Hobbs

Matt Linscott

Keevan Lucas

Trent Martin

Jordan Mitchell

Evan Plagg

Jeremy Smith

Craig Suits

Kerwin Thomas

Jerry Uwaezuoke

McKinley Whitfield

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