Tulsa Falls in Triple Overtime to #24 SMU, 43-37

Saturday, October 5

Dallas, Texas

6:30 PM

Tulsa

2-3 , 0-1

SMU

6-0 , 2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Tulsa

SMU

Tulsa Falls in Triple Overtime to #24 SMU, 43-37

10/5/2019 11:26:00 PM | Football

Box Score

BOX SCORE I POST-GAME NOTES I PHOTO GALLERY I SEASON STATS

DALLAS, Texas –– The nation's 24^th-ranked SMU Mustangs came back from a 21-point deficit in the 4^th quarter to claim a 43-37 home win over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (2-3, 0-1 AAC) in three overtime periods Saturday night at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

SMU (6-0, 2-0 AAC) scored three 4^th quarter TDs to force the overtime. The OT loss was the first in four games in the Montgomery era, and the first overall since a 2014 home loss to Texas State 37-34.

Tulsa had the first opportunity in the extra period and scored on a 7-yard Smith to Josh Johnson pass in the end zone for a 37-30 lead. SMU tied it on 3-yard run by Xavier Jones. In the second overtime, Tulsa's Manny Bunch forced an SMU fumble recovered by Diamon Cannon, but Tulsa's 43-yard field goal attempt by Jacob Rainey went wide left.

Tulsa tried a 42-yard field goal by kicker Zack Long in the third overtime period, going wide left.

The Mustangs clinched the victory on a 25-yard pass from Shane Buechele to James Proche.

Tulsa's Zach Smith completed 23-of-41 passes for 346 yards and a season-best 4 TDs, while Keylon Stokes had 5 catches for 101 ayrds and 2 TDs. Shamari Brooks was just 5 yards shy of his third 100-yard rushing game o the season as he gained 95 yards on 16 carries for a 5.9 average per carry.

Tulsa led 30-9 when it scored what would be its final touchdown of the game with just under 3 minutes gone in the third period. But the Mustangs scored three consecutive 4^th quarter touchdowns to knot the score at 30-30 when Jones ran 4 yards for the tying score.

The Hurricane outgained SMU 500 to 440 yards in the game, but the Mustangs gained 153 yards to Tulsa's 40 yards in the 4^th period for the come-from-behind victory. SMU also converted 6-of-6 4^th downs in the final quarter and overtime.

Tulsa took a 23-9 lead into halftime as the Hurricane put up 220 passing yards and 104 rushing yards, while the Tulsa defense held the Mustangs to 31 rush yards and 102 yards through the air.

The Hurricane opened the second-half and marched 68 yards in 9 plays as Smith found Keenen Johnson inside the 5-yard line as Johnson went the final yards for the touchdown, putting the Hurricane ahead 30-9.

The Mustangs added back-to-back touchdowns in the 4^th quarter to pull within 7 points, 30-23, with 8:24 left on the game clock. The first came on a one-yard Ke'Mon Freeman run and the second on a 30-yard pass from Shane Buechele to James Proche.

The first score of the game came on a 64-yard interception return by SMU's Ar'mani Johnson at the 8:13 mark of the first quarter. Zaven Collins blocked the PAT, marking the second straight week that the Hurricane has blocked a kick. It was also Collins second blocked kick against the SMU, as he blocked a field goal in last year's game.

Tulsa followed SMU's score with a scoring drive of its own, having to settle for a 32-yard Jacob Rainey field goal to make it 6-3 with 4:16 left in the first period.

On the first possession of the 2^nd quarter, Tulsa's Smith found Keylon Stokes wide open down the SMU sidelines for a 58-yard touchdown connection to put Tulsa ahead 10-6 after the PAT, capping a 4-play, 69-yard drive. On the subsequent kickoff, Tulsa's Kendarin Ray picked up the kick at the SMU one-yard line and crossed the goal line for another 6 points, as the PAT was blocked, to make the score 16-6 at the 13:45 mark of the 2^nd quarter.

SMU kicked a 32-yard field goal to cut the Tulsa lead to 7 points at 16-9 with 7:34 left in the first half. But, Tulsa took the subsequent kickoff 71 yards in 5 plays with a big 3^rd-and-1 run of 57 yards for Shamari Brooks that put the Hurricane at the SMU 5-yard line. Two plays later, Smith threw 5 yards to Stokes for the touchdown and a 23-9 lead.

Tulsa took that 14-point lead into halftime, while out-gaining the Mustangs in the first 30 minutes 324 to 133 yards.

Tulsa returns to H.A. Chapman Stadium next week for a 6:30 p.m. game against the Navy Midshipmen. The game is Military Appreciation game, where retired and active military members will be recognized.

Tickets for the Tulsa-Navy game can be purchased online at TulsaHurricane.com, by calling 918.631.GoTU (4688) or stopping by the Reynolds Center Athletic Ticket Office, M-F, 8:30 am-5 pm.