Tulsa
East Carolina
Tulsa Topples Pirates 31-10 in C-USA Match-up
10/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 14, 2006
Greenville, NC -- The Hurricane scored 17 points in the second-half to claim a 31-10 victory over the East Carolina Pirates on Saturday afternoon in front of 34,011 fans at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
The Tulsa offense gained 234 yards on the ground, while the Hurricane defense held the Pirates to just 126 rushing yards, while recovering three fumbles.
Tulsa moved to 5-1 on the season and improved to 2-0 in Conference USA action. The Pirates dropped to 2-4 and 1-2 in league play.
Tulsa began the scoring after capitalizing on an East Carolina fumble in the first quarter from the Pirates 29-yard line, as the Hurricane marched the 29 yards in five plays. Paul Smith took the snap on a third-and-goal for a Tulsa touchdown.
The Pirates tied the 7-7 on a four-yard run by quarterback James Pinkney, capping a seven-play, 44-yard drive at the 12:31 mark of the second quarter.
East Carolina had an opportunity to take a 10-7 lead, but missed wide left on a 41-yard field goal attempt.
The Hurricane took the ball 76 yards in eight plays to take a 14-7 lead with 0:28 left before halftime. On the subsequent kickoff, Tulsa's pooch kick was recovered by the Hurricane at the ECU 40-yard line with 0:19 left on the first-half clock, but the Hurricane failed to mount a drive in two plays.
In an evenly played first half, Tulsa held a slight 126 to 104-yard edge in total offense at intermission.
The second-half opened with fumbles by both teams on their initial possessions, first by Tulsa's Courtney Tennial and then on ECU's first possession by Pinkney.
Tulsa capitalized on a 41-yard career-long field goal by Jarod Tracy at the 8:30 mark of the third quarter to take a 17-7 lead.
The Hurricane took 7:37 off the clock in taking a 24-7 lead with 12:56 remaining in the game. Tulsa drove 91 yards in 17 plays as Tennial scored on a one-yard run. The Pirates answered in just 1:37 with a 56-yard, eight-play drive and converting on a 31-yard field goal by Robert Lee to cut into the Tulsa lead 24-10.
Tulsa closed out its scoring at the 5:49 mark of the fourth quarter on a seven-yard TD pass from Smith to Ryan Bugg, capping a nine-play, 56-yard drive to make the final score 31-10.
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
Tulsa (7:44) -- Paul Smith 1 run (Tracy kick) 7-0
2nd Quarter>
ECU (12:31) - James Pinkney 4 run (Lee kick) 7-7
Tulsa (0:28) - Paul Smith 5 run (Tracy kick) 14-7
3rd Quarter
Tulsa (8:30) - Jarod Tracy 41 FG 17-7
4th Quarter
Tulsa (12:56) - Courtney Tennial 1 run (Tracy kick) 24-7
ECU (11:19) - Robert Lee 31 FG 24-10
Tulsa (5:49) - Ryan Bugg 7 pass from Paul Smith (Tracy kick) 31-10
