Tulsa Falls Short at Navy 37-29

Saturday, November 17

Annapolis, Md.

2:30 PM

Tulsa

2-9 , 1-6

Navy

3-8 , 2-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Tulsa

Navy

Tulsa Falls Short at Navy 37-29

11/17/2018 6:32:00 PM | Football

Box Score

GAME STATS PDF | POST-GAME NOTES | PHOTO GALLERY

ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– Tulsa's comeback bid fell short as the Navy Midshipmen held on for a 37-29 victory Saturday afternoon in front of 31,517 fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

The Navy option was too much to overcome as the Midshipmen gained 389 yards on the ground, was 11-of-15 on third downs and kept possession for over 32 minutes. The Midshipmen scored on 6 of its 10 possessions in the game. Tulsa made a valiant effort in its come-from behind bid by scoring on its final 2 possessions, but Navy's ball control offense ran out the final 4:46 of the game clock.

Tulsa (2-9, 1-6 AAC) gained 370 total yards, including 206 through the air, the most passing yards for the Hurricane in the last 6 games, and 164 rushing yards. Seth Boomer completed 19-of-28 passes for all 206 yards, while Shamari Brooks rushed for 81yards on 22 carries and Keylon Stokes caught 6 passes for 56 yards and had 3 carries for 26 yards and a touchdown. Navy's Zach Abey had 128 rushing yards, but 112 of those yards came in the first half.

Tulsa outgained the Midshipmen 215 to 173 yards in the second half, while also outscoring Navy 13-10 in the final 30 minutes, but it was a fumble at the Navy 3-yard line and an interception at Navy 23-yard line that crippled the Hurricane in the third quarter.

Navy (3-8, 2-5 AAC) overcame an early 7-point deficit and scored on four straight possessions to take a 27-16 lead at intermission.

Tulsa took the second half kickoff to the Navy 4-yard line in 18 plays, 72 yards and taking 6:02 off the clock, but a Corey Taylor fumble ended any hopes for the Hurricane to cut into its 11-point deficit.

Navy took over at its own 3-yard line with 8:58 on the 3^rd quarter clock and went 93 yards to the Tulsa 4-yard line, and had to settle for a 21-yard field goal and a 30-16 lead at the 4:40 mark. Tulsa was on the move again, but an interception return by Micah Farrah was taken back to the Tulsa 23-yard line.

On Navy's second play, Tulsa's Shemarr Robinson had his second fumble recovery of the season to end Navy's hopes of extending the lead. The Tulsa offense took possession at their own 24-yard line and went 76 yards in 10 plays with Taylor scoring from 3 yards out, but the PAT was blocked, thus making the score Navy 30, Tulsa 22 with 11:54 remaining in the game.

The Hurricane took only 2:50 off the clock and cut its deficit to 8 points, 37-29, when Taylor score his third TD of the game to cap a 7-play, 45-yad drive at the 4:46 mark of the game. The score was set-up by a 37-yard Boomer to Jarion Anderson pass to the Navy 4-yard line.

The Midshipmen took the subsequent possession 74 yards in nine plays as Tre Walker ran in from 33 yards for a 37-22 lead with 7:36 left on the4 game clock.

After holding Navy to zero yards on 3 plays on the game's opening possession, the Tulsa offense went 51 yards in 14 plays, taking 5:53 off the clock, as Taylor rushed in from one-yard out for a 7-0 Tulsa lead with 7:03 remaining in the first quarter.

The Midshipmen took the subsequent possession 69 yards in 10 plays to knot the score at 7-7 when Nelson Smith raced 10 yards for the touchdown followed by the PAT.

On Navy's next possession, Smith capped a 60-yard, 5-play drive with his second TD of the game, this time running 26 yards to put the Midshipmen ahead 13-7. The PAT attempt was blocked by Reggie Robinson, picked up by Cooper Edmiston and pitched to Robinson who raced 98 yards down the Tulsa sideline for a 2-point defensive conversion, making the score Navy 13, Tulsa 9 with 12:45 left in the first half.

Navy scored on its third straight possession when Abey rushed in from 2 yards out to put the Midshipmen ahead 20-9 after the PAT. The drive covered just 31 yards in six plays.

After a targeting call on the subsequent kickoff gave Tulsa possession at their own 39-yard line, the Hurricane went 61 yards in 5 plays as Keylon Stokes took the end around 19 yards to cut the Navy lead to four points at 20-16.

Navy scored on its fourth straight possession to take a 27-16 lead with 1:28 left on the first-half clock, going 70 yards in 12 plays, as Abey went over from 2 yards out for his second score of the game.

At halftime, Navy held a 231 to 155-yard advantage in total offense, while putting up 216 rushing yards. Navy's Abey rushed for 112 yards on 18 carries. For the Hurricane, Seth Boomer completed 9-of-12 passes for 80 yards, while Tulsa's leading rusher was Corey Taylor II with 29 yards on 7 carries.

Tulsa returns home next Saturday to close out the season against the SMU Mustangs. The game time will be announced later tonight. The Mustangs will be playing to become bowl eligible.

WHAT WAS NOTEWORTHY:
SCORING ON FIRST POSSESSION … Tulsa scored a touchdown in the first quarter for the first time in the last 5 games … it was also the first possession that Tulsa scored on for only the 4^th time this season.

REGGIE DOES IT FOR A THIRD TIME … Junior Reggie Robinson blocked a PAT attempt in the first half against Navy, marking the third time in his career that he has blocked a kick … he also blocked a PAT last year against Navy and in 2016 blocked a field goal against Tulane.