Tulsa Puts Scare in #21-Ranked Cincinnati in 24-13 Loss

Saturday, October 19

Cincinnati, Ohio

2:30 PM (CT)

Tulsa

2-5 , 0-3

Cincinnati

6-1 , 3-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Tulsa

Cincinnati

Photo by: David Dermer

Tulsa Puts Scare in #21-Ranked Cincinnati in 24-13 Loss

10/19/2019 6:51:00 PM | Football

Box Score

GAME STATS I POST-GAME NOTES I SEASON STATS

CINCINNATI, Ohio –– Tulsa took the nation's 21^st-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats down to the final minutes, but fell 24-13 Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd of 33,209 fans at Nippert Stadium.

Five turnovers handicapped Tulsa's chances for a victory as the Bearcats converted two of those takeaways into 10 points. Trailing 17-13, Tulsa took possession with 4:11 left on the game clock needing to go 90 yards for the lead, but a Cincinnati pick-off ended Tulsa's hope for the come-from behind victory.

For the game, Tulsa held a 377 to 317-yard edge, including passing for 243 yards and rushing for another 134 yards. Zach Smith threw for 243 yards, while Keylon Stokes caught 8 passes for a game-high 99 yards. Shamari Brooks totaled 68 yards and Corey Taylor II had 56 yards on the ground for Tulsa.

It was a stout defensive performance for the Hurricane as UC's 317 yards was the second-lowest opponent output this year for the Tulsa defense.

In the second half, the Bearcats took its second possession 68 yards in 8 plays for a 17-7 lead with 8:33 on the 3^rd quarter clock. On Cincinnati's next possession, Tulsa's Trevis Gibson recorded a sack, but more importantly caused a fumble recovered by Shemarr Robinson at the UC 8-yard line.

Tulsa had to settle for a 24-yard Jacob Rainey field goal, cutting the UC lead to 17-10 with 3:26 left in the 3^rd quarter. The Hurricane added 3 more points on a 21-yard Rainey field goal, capping an 88-yard, 12 play drive at the 12:12 mark of the 4^th period.

The Tulsa defense again came up with a big stop with under 5 minutes to play when the Hurricane stopped the Bearcats on 4^th-and-3 at the Tulsa 12-yard line to keep the 4-point differential.

Tulsa's possession began at the UC 10-yard line, but two plays in the Bearcats intercepted a Smith pass and on the Bearcats first play Gerrid Doaks scored his third TD of the game with a 27-yard run and a 24-13 Cincinnati lead.

Cincinnati scored on its first two possessions of the game coming on a 50-yard field goal and a 4-yard run, as the Bearcats started both possessions inside Tulsa territory. The first came on a Tulsa fumble and the second came after a 13-yard Cincinnati kick return.

The Bearcats took its next possession to the Tulsa 16-yard line, but the Hurricane defense forced another field goal try while this time Tulsa's Jaxon Player blocked the Cincinnati attempt.

The score stayed at 10-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Tulsa's third turnover of the game, an interception in the end zone, ended a 14-play, 57-yard drive that gave Cincinnati the ball at their own 20-yard line. The Tulsa defense limited the Bearcats to 5 plays and a punt.

The Hurricane defense shut-out the Bearcats for the remainder of the first half, while holding the home team to 39-second quarter yards.

Meanwhile, it took the Hurricane offense to just seconds before the halftime whistle to put points on the board as TK Wilkerson ran the final 3 yards on 3^rd-and-goal to cap a 55-yard, 8-play drive with 0:17 left on the first half clock.

At halftime, Tulsa held a 225 to 145-yard advantage in total offense and just over a 6-minute edge in possession time, 18:01 to 11:59.

Tulsa returns to H.A. Chapman Stadium next Saturday, October 26, for Homecoming. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:02 pm (CT) and will be aired on CBS Sports Network.