Tulsa
Memphis
Tulsa Tames Tigers For 35-14 Win
10/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 21, 2006
Box Score | Notes
Memphis, Tenn. -- Tulsa returned to the site of its 2005 Liberty Bowl Championship, but this time in front of a pro-Memphis crowd as the Hurricane silenced the crowd with a 35-14 victory over the Memphis Tigers in front of 30,059 fans at Liberty Bowl Stadium.
The Hurricane scored 21 points on its first three possessions of the game to take a 21-7 halftime lead, while Courtney Tennial rushed for 68 yards and three touchdowns and Paul Smith completed 17-of-20 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown.
Tulsa improved to 6-1 on the season and 3-0 in Conference USA play, while Memphis dropped to 1-6 and 0-3. Tulsa will host the UTEP Miners (4-3, 2-1 C-USA) this Friday on a nationally-televised ESPN2 game from Skelly Stadium at 7:06 pm.
Tulsa opened the game by taking the kickoff 80 yards in nine minutes and 16 plays, as Tennial leaped over from the one-yard line for a Tulsa touchdown. Smith completed 5-of-6 passes for 51 yards on the opening drive.
On a third down-and-10 from the Memphis 41-yard line, Smith was forced out of the pocket but found Ryan Bugg standing behind the coverage for a 41-yard touchdown, as Tulsa traveled another 80 yards in 12 plays on its second possession to put seven more points on the board while taking 6:05 off the clock.
With a 14-0 lead at the 12:55 mark of the second quarter, Tulsa's first two drives took 15:05 off the game clock.
Memphis took the subsequent possession 73 yards in 12 plays as Joseph Doss ran the final five yards to cut Tulsa's lead to 14-7 at the 8:33 mark of the second quarter.
On its third possession, the Hurricane scored again to take a 21-7 lead. This time Tulsa went only 54 yards in eight plays as scored on a four-yard run by Dexter Taylor.
Tulsa's defense forced Memphis to three-and-out, while the Hurricane took the ball over at the Memphis 49-yard line following only a nine-yard punt. The Tigers got the ball back after a Smith interception on the first play. The pickoff ended a string of nine straight completions for Smith.
The first half ended with the Hurricane ahead 21-7, as Tulsa held an edge in total offense 214 to 98 yards and more than a 10-minute advantage in possession time, 20:23 to 9:37.
In the first half, the Hurricane also converted 7-of-8 third downs in the first half. Five of Tulsa's third down attempts were 3rd-and-8 or longer, as Tulsa gained 15, 11, 41, 14 and 33 yards on those attempts.
Memphis took the second-half kickoff to the Tulsa 23-yard line, but a Tiger 40-yard field goal attempt went wide left.
On the subsequent possession, Tulsa was forced to punt for the first time at the 4:54 mark of the third quarter, as Smith took the snap from center and quick-kicked to the Memphis 13-yard line. On Memphis/ possession, the Tulsa defense forced the Tigers to punt after sacking Martin Hankins on second and third down, totaling 15 yards on tackles by Kinny Spotwood for a seven-yard loss and an eight-yard loss by Robert Latu.
Tulsa went 35 yards in five plays for its fourth touchdown of the game, as Tennial went over from two yards out with 0:13 left in the third period.
On a 4th-and-five from the 13-yard line, Memphis' Hankins threw to Carlos Singleton for the touchdown, cutting into the Hurricane lead with 11:30 left in the game.
The Hurricane responded as a 54-yard pass play from Smith to Tarrion Adams set-up Tennial's third touchdown run of the game, coming from three yards out.
Tulsa will host the UTEP Miners this upcoming Friday on a nationally-televised ESPN2 game from Skelly Stadium.
Tulsa opened the game by taking the kickoff 80 yards in nine minutes and 16 plays, as Tennial leaped over from the one-yard line for a Tulsa touchdown. Smith completed 5-of-6 passes for 51 yards on the opening drive.
On a third down-and-10 from the Memphis 41-yard line, Smith was forced out of the pocket but found Ryan Bugg standing behind the coverage for a 41-yard touchdown, as Tulsa traveled another 80 yards in 12 plays on its second possession to put seven more points on the board while taking 6:05 off the clock.
With a 14-0 lead at the 12:55 mark of the second quarter, Tulsa's first two drives took 15:05 off the game clock.
Memphis took the subsequent possession 73 yards in 12 plays as Joseph Doss ran the final five yards to cut Tulsa's lead to 14-7 at the 8:33 mark of the second quarter.
On its third possession, the Hurricane scored again to take a 21-7 lead. This time Tulsa went only 54 yards in eight plays as scored on a four-yard run by Dexter Taylor.
Tulsa's defense forced Memphis to three-and-out, while the Hurricane took the ball over at the Memphis 49-yard line following only a nine-yard punt. The Tigers got the ball back after a Smith interception on the first play. The pickoff ended a string of nine straight completions for Smith.
The first half ended with the Hurricane ahead 21-7, as Tulsa held an edge in total offense 214 to 98 yards and more than a 10-minute advantage in possession time, 20:23 to 9:37.
In the first half, the Hurricane also converted 7-of-8 third downs in the first half. Five of Tulsa's third down attempts were 3rd-and-8 or longer, as Tulsa gained 15, 11, 41, 14 and 33 yards on those attempts.
Memphis took the second-half kickoff to the Tulsa 23-yard line, but a Tiger 40-yard field goal attempt went wide left.
On the subsequent possession, Tulsa was forced to punt for the first time at the 4:54 mark of the third quarter, as Smith took the snap from center and quick-kicked to the Memphis 13-yard line. On Memphis/ possession, the Tulsa defense forced the Tigers to punt after sacking Martin Hankins on second and third down, totaling 15 yards on tackles by Kinny Spotwood for a seven-yard loss and an eight-yard loss by Robert Latu.
Tulsa went 35 yards in five plays for its fourth touchdown of the game, as Tennial went over from two yards out with 0:13 left in the third period.
On a 4th-and-five from the 13-yard line, Memphis' Hankins threw to Carlos Singleton for the touchdown, cutting into the Hurricane lead with 11:30 left in the game.
The Hurricane responded as a 54-yard pass play from Smith to Tarrion Adams set-up Tennial's third touchdown run of the game, coming from three yards out.
Tulsa will host the UTEP Miners this upcoming Friday on a nationally-televised ESPN2 game from Skelly Stadium.
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
TU (6:00)- Courtney Tennial 1 run, Tracy kick 7-0
2nd Quarter
TU (12:55)- Ryan Bugg 41 pass from Paul Smith, Tracy kick 14-0
UM (8:33) - Joseph Doss 5 run, Reagan kick 14-7
TU (3:53) - Dexter Taylor 4 run, Tracy kick 21-7
3rd Quarter
TU (0:13) - Courtney Tennial 2 run, Tracy kick 28-7
4th Quarter
UM (11:30) - Carlos Singleton 13 pass from Martin Hankins, Reagan kick 28-14
TU (9:13) - Courtney Tennial 3 run, Tracy kick 35-14
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
