Tulsa Falls in Shoot-Out at Toledo 54-51

Saturday, September 16

Toledo, Ohio

6:00 pm

Tulsa

Toledo

Tulsa Falls in Shoot-Out at Toledo 54-51

9/16/2017 10:31:00 PM | Football

Box Score

By: Don Tomkalski

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TOLEDO, Ohio –– It was another shootout for Tulsa, but this time the Golden Hurricane fell short 54-51 on a last second field goal against the Toledo Rockets Saturday night in front of 24,239 fans at Glass Bowl Stadium

It was a 33-yard field goal with no time remaining that gave the home town Rockets the victory.

The Rockets overcame a 21-point deficit to move to 3-0 on the season, while Tulsa fell to 1-2 heading into next week's final non-conference game against New Mexico at Tulsa's H.A. Chapman Stadium. The Rockets outscored Tulsa in the second half 40-23 after the Hurricane had a 28-14 advantage in the first 30 minutes.

The two teams combined for 1,227 yards, as Tulsa gained 548 yards and Toledo turned in 679 total yards. Toledo had six second-half scores and punted just once, while Tulsa scored on four of its six possessions, punting twice. Tulsa's D'Angelo Brewer (152), Shamari Brooks (141) and Chad President (130) each rushed for 100+ yards, while President completed 60-percent of his passes for 125 yards.

Tulsa jumped out to a 21-7 after the end of one period as the Hurricane offense put up 184 yards and two scoring drives and Craig Suits picked off a Toledo pass for a 37-yard touchdown.

The Hurricane went ahead 28-7 on a Shamari Brooks 8-yard run with 5:01 remaining in the second quarter.

Toledo showed its offensive explosiveness and quick strike ability with four consecutive scores, one ending the first half and its first three possessions in the second half to take a 34-31 lead with 3:13 left in the third quarter.

After the Toledo PAT failed, Tulsa took the subsequent possession 75 yards in seven plays to retake the lead 37-34, but Toledo blocked Tulsa's extra-point attempt and returned the ball 98 yards for a defensive conversion and only a one-point, 37-36 deficit, with 0:56 remaining in the third period.

Tulsa responded with a 70-yard, 6-play drive as President ran the final 39 yards to put the Hurricane ahead by eight points following the PAT, 44-36. Toledo went 73 yards in just 5 plays to cut the Tulsa lead to one, but converted the two-point conversion for a 44-44 tie with 10:18 remaining on the game clock.

Toledo's Woodside threw his 6^th touchdown pass to put the Rockets ahead 51-44 at the 8:05 mark. The six TDs against Tulsa is the most since Brandon Weeden of Oklahoma State threw six TDs in 2010.

On the subsequent Tulsa possession, the Hurricane went 81 yards in 14 plays to knot the score at 51 with 2:47 remaining in the contest. The Rockets took the rest of the time off the clock in an 8-play, 59-yard drive that resulted in Toledo's game-winning Jameson Vest field goal.

A CLOSER LOOK AT TONIGHT'S GAME HIGHLIGHTS
CONTRAST ON OPENING SCORING DRIVES …
While Tulsa took 18 plays to score their first touchdown to open the game going 77 yards for the game's first points, it took Toledo just one play for a 75-yard touchdown pass play.

BIG FIRST-HALF DEFENSIVE PLAYS BY SENIOR SUITS …
Senior linebacker Craig Suits had his 4^th career interception and his second returns for a touchdown at the 3:17 mark when he picked off a Logan Woodside pass and raced 37 yards to put Tulsa ahead 21-7. Then at the 6:25 mark of the 2^nd quarter, on a 4^th and inches from the 41-yard line, Suits stopped Terry Swanson shy of the first down. Tulsa's offense took possession at its own 42-yard line and five plays later scored on a Shamari Brooks 8-yard run.

BACK-TO-BACK TOLEDO SCORES TO END THE 1^st HALF AND START THE 2^nd HALF CUTS TULSA LEAD TO SEVEN …
Toledo scored with 0:28 remaining in the 1^st half on a 26-yard pass, and after receiving the kickoff took its first possession 75 yards in four plays, scoring on a 49-yard run by taking only 55 seconds off the clock. Toledo cut the Tulsa lead from 28-7 to 28-21 with those two scores.

100-YARD RUSHING FRESHMAN BROOKS …
True freshman Shamari Brooks became the 14^th freshman (true or red-shirt) to gain 100 yards in a single game. His 100+ game was the 22^nd time in school history that a freshman had rushed for over 100 yards in a game, and it's the first time since 2015 when red-shirt freshman Ramadi Warren gained 139 yards against Cincinnati. Brooks' 141 rushing yards is the 9^th best freshman rushing performance in school history

FIRST TIME IN OVER 30 YEARS …
Tulsa hadn't had a game with 3+ 100-yard rushers since 1986 when running backs Derrick Ellison (177), Gill Johnson (177) and Kenneth Lee (106) each accomplished the feat against Wichita State. Tonight, Tulsa running backs D'Angelo Brewer and Shamari Brooks and quarterback Chad President each gained 100+ yards.

LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS …
In the last two weeks, Tulsa and the opposition has gained 2,490 total yards, including 1,263 against Louisiana and 1,227 yards in tonight's game. The teams have also combined for 213 points in the last two weeks. Tulsa has averaged 607.5 yards (1,215) in the last two weweks and 58.5 points.