Tulsa
Rice
Tulsa Rolls Over Rice, 39-22
10/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 30, 2004
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
kmtt
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Junior college transfer Ashlan Davis scored twice to lead Tulsa to a 39-22 victory over Rice Saturday night.
Davis' 83-yard kickoff return and 52-yard touchdown reception from James Kilian helped Tulsa (2-6, 1-3 Western Athletic Conference) to its first win in the WAC this season.
Davis' fourth-quarter kickoff return was the junior's third consecutive game returning a kickoff for a touchdown, tying an NCAA record set by Stan Brown of Purdue in 1970.
Kilian ran for two touchdowns and passed for 211 yards. Rice (3-5, 2-3 WAC), with the nation's leading rushing attack at 328.1 yards per game, was held to 220 rushing yards.
Tulsa nearly eclipsed that with 210 yards, led by Uril Parrish with 114 and Brandon Diles with 92.
After scoring just 13 points in the first quarter all year, the Hurricane exceeded that total on the strength of Kilian's 52-yard strike to Davis to start the scoring and a 3-yard burst by Parrish that capped a 75-yard drive on the ground.
Rice kept it close on three field goals by Luke Juist, the final set up when Diles fumbled at the TU 19 with one second left in the half.
After Kilian's 3-yard run made it 21-9, TU attempted an onside kick which Rice recovered at the TU 47.
The Owls scored in two plays, starting with a 21-yard run by Mike Falco and capped by a 26-yard scamper down the left sideline by Ed Bailey, who led Rice with 117 yards on 20 carries.
Kilian's second TD plunge capped a 77-yard drive including a 56-yard pass to tight end Garrett Mills. Rice closed the gap again, 29-22 with 11:31 to play, but that's when Davis responded with his NCAA record-tying kick return. Later in the quarter, Brad DeVault added a career-best 49-yard field goal to give Tulsa a 39-22 lead.
Rice quarterback Joel Armstrong ran for 73 yards and completed 9 of 18 passes for 139 yards.
