Tulsa Opens Season Tonight at OSU

Thursday, August 31

Stillwater, Okla.

6:30 pm

Tulsa

Oklahoma State

Tulsa Opens Season Tonight at OSU

8/31/2017 9:29:00 AM | Football

By: The University of Tulsa Copyright

TULSA-OSU SQUARE OFF IN BANK OF OKLAHOMA TURNPIKE CLASSIC TONIGHT TO OPEN THE 2017 SEASON

GAME 1: TULSA (0-0) vs. OKLAHOMA STATE (0-0)
Date/Time:	Thursday, August 31/6:30 p.m. (CT)
Site:	Stillwater, Okla.
Stadium:	Boone Pickens Stadium (56,790)
Coaches:	Tulsa – Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State '95), 3rd year Oklahoma State – Mike Gundy (OSU '90), 13th year
TV:	FOX 1
Talent:	Joe Davis (pxp), Brady Quinn (analyst), Bruce Feldman (sidelines)
Radio:	Big Country 99.5 FM or Online
Talent:	Bruce Howard (pxp), Rick Couri (analyst), Jeremie Poplin (sidelines)
Live Stats:	Live Stats
Series:	OSU leads 39-27-5
First Meeting:	Oklahoma State 13, Tulsa 6 (Oct. 16, 1914), Stillwater, Okla.
Last Meeting:	#7 Oklahoma State 59, Tulsa 33 (Sept. 17, 2011), Tulsa, Okla.
Game Notes:	Tulsa \| Oklahoma State \| American Athletic Conference

Tulsa and Oklahoma State kick-off tonight at 6:35 p.m. from Stillwater, Oklahoma in the season opener for both teams. The Bank of Oklahoma Turnpike Classic can be seen on FS 1 and heard locally in Tulsa on Big Country 99.5 FM, or around the country on the new Tulsa Tune-In App.

From the Tulsa sidelines, the question still lingers as to who will open the season at quarterback for the Golden Hurricane. Chad President or Luke Skipper. No matter who takes the first snap under center, it will not be surprising to see both players on the field at some point during tonight's contest.

"I really do feel that we have two guys who can go out there and compete at a high level, and it's about making good decisions and continually moving the chains and doing what we need to do," said Tulsa head coach Philip Montgomery.

The game features two of the nation's most prolific offenses from a year ago – Tulsa ranked 4^th nationally for total offense (527.0), 7^th for scoring (42.5), 8^th for rushing (261.7) and 30^th for passing (265.3). OSU ranked 9^th for passing (323.9), 14^th for total offense, (494.8) and 17^th for scoring (38.6).

Tulsa returns zero starts and 9 passing yards to the quarterback position this year. President has played in seven career games, but has only attempted five passes, while Skipper is a red-shirt freshman. OSU's Mason Rudolph has played in 29 games and had 8,714 career yards through the air. Rudolph was the only quarterback last year to throw for over 4,000 yards with less than five interceptions.

Seven starters and 22 lettermen return to the Tulsa offense from last year's team. But missing is a 3,000+ yard passer, two 1,000-yard receivers and one 1,000-yard rusher.

Tulsa returns an offensive line that paved the way for the Hurricane to gain 300+ yards on the ground for a school-record eight times, and one of the two Tulsa runners with 1,000 yards returns in the likes of senior D'Angelo Brewer. He gained 1,435 yards for a 119.6 yards average last season. Tulsa also returns two receivers, starter Justin Hobbs and part-time starter Keenen Johnson, that combined for 990 yards and five TDs a year ago.

The Hurricane defense showed vast improvement a year ago by holding opponents to 10 points and 110 yards less than the previous season. Senior defensive ends Jesse Brubaker and Jeremy Smith headline the Tulsa defenders and will need to put pressure on OSU's Mason tonight to have success.

Senior Craig Suits leads a linebacker unit that is young, but athletic. Suits is Tulsa's lone defensive player with over 200 career tackles.

The Tulsa secondary, with eight returning lettermen, will be tested by an experienced and explosive Cowboy receiving corps. The secondary is led by corners Kerwin Thomas, Reggie Robinson, Keanu Hill and safety Jordan Mitchell.

OSU's receiving corps is led by James Washington, who has the highest total of career receiving TDs of 26, heading into the season. His receiving-mates, Jalen McCleskey and Chris Lacy totaled over 1,300 yards and 10 TDs a year ago.

The OSU defense returns just five starters on defense, and has a talented and deep group on the defensive side of the ball.

Tulsa has not won in Stillwater in the last 20 meetings. OSU holds an overall 39-27-5 series record.