GAME PREVIEW: TULSA VISITS OHIO STATE

Saturday, September 18

Columbus, Ohio

2:30 pm

Tulsa

#9-Ranked Ohio State

Photo by: Brett Rojo

GAME PREVIEW: TULSA VISITS OHIO STATE

9/17/2021 1:06:00 PM | Football

TULSA FACES NO. 9 OHIO STATE IN FRONT OF CROWD OVER 100,000+

GAME 3: TULSA (0-2, 0-0 American) vs. No. 9 OHIO STATE (1-1, 0-0 Big 10)
Date/Time:	Saturday, Sept. 18, 3:30 p.m. (ET) / 2:30 p.m. (CT)
Site:	Columbus, Ohio
Stadium:	Ohio Stadium (102,780)
Coaches:	TULSA – Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State '95), 7th year OHIO STATE – Ryan Day (New Hampshire '02), 3rd year
TV:	FS1
Talent:	Tim Brando (pxp), Spencer Tillman (analyst)
Tickets:	Contact OSU Ticket Office
Radio:	Big Country 99.5 FM or Online
Talent:	Bruce Howard (pxp), Rick Couri (analyst), Jeremie Poplin (sideline)
Live Stats:	Live Stats
Series:	Ohio State leads 1-0
Game Notes:	Tulsa \| Ohio State \| American Athletic Conference

COLUMBUS, Ohio –– Tulsa travels to one of the historic venues in college football as the Golden Hurricane squares off Saturday afternoon against the nation's No. 9-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes at legendary Ohio Stadium.

Both teams are coming off disappointing losses, Tulsa dropping a 5-point road contest at Oklahoma State, and the Buckeyes having its school record 23-game home winning streak snapped by Oregon.

The game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. local time/2:30 p.m. (CT) at the 102,780-seat stadium.

Coach Montgomery — Tulsa's Philip Montgomery has a discussion with referee.

The word "explosive" is what describes the Ohio State offense. The Buckeyes come into the game ranked fourth nationally in passing at 389 yards per game and eighth in total offense with an average of 553.5 yards.

The Buckeyes are loaded with playmakers especially in the likes of projected first round draftees, receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, as well as Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The trio has combined for 597 yards and six TDs on 38 receptions.

Redshirt freshman quarterback C.J Stroud has a 173.2 passing efficiency, while completing 63.2 percent of his passes for 778 yards and seven touchdowns. He established the second-highest single-game passing totals in school history last week against Oregon for yards (484), attempts (54) and completions (35)

The running attack for the Buckeyes has been led by Miyan Williams with 202 yards for an 8.8 average per carry. As usual, Ohio State's offensive line is big, strong and physical behind leaders Nicholas Petit-Frere and Thayer Munford on the left side of the front.

Tulsa's defense has been the strength so far this season for the Hurricane, but it hasn't been tested quite like it will be on Saturday. Nationally, Tulsa ranks ninth for defensive TDs, 11^th for tackles for loss and 50^th for total defense, holding teams to 114 yards rushing and 242 passing yards.

The Hurricane will need to put pressure on OSU's Stroud and continue to make plays in the backfield. Tulsa has totaled 18 TFL, nine in each of its first two games.

Tulsa ranked among the FBS' top defensive units a year ago as well as the second-ranked defense in the American Athletic Conference. Tulsa's defense returned eight starters to a group that allowed just 333.6 yards per game to rank 19^th nationally in 2020.

The defensive front features a solid two-deep led by tackle Jaxon Player, nose guard Tyarise Stevenson and end Cullen Wick in the starting rotation of Tulsa's 3-3-5 scheme. Anthony Goodlow, Everitt Rogers Deven Lamp and transfer Elijah Taylor will all see considerable playing time up front as well.

Tulsa's linebacking corps, although losing the nation's 2020 Defensive Player of the Year in Zaven Collins, has a bevy of talent on the field. Last week's starters included 5^th year senior Robert Revels III, 2021 all-conference performer Justin Wright and Yohance Burnett, returning from an ACL injury that sidelined him a year ago.

Graduate transfer Jon-Michael Terry, Grant Sawyer and Dorian Hopkins have also seen valuable playing time in each of the first two games. The six linebackers combined to total 24 tackles in last week's game at Oklahoma State.

The secondary is led by safeties Kendarin Ray, Cristian Williams and TieNeal Martin. The 6'4" Ray, who will miss the first half this week after being called for targeting last week, has a season-high 19 tackles. Martin, who missed the season opener, returned to the lineup a week ago and tallied seven tackles, 1.5 TFL for -5 yards and one pass breakup against Oklahoma State.

Bryson Powers started at nickel safety last week and in two games has totaled 12 stops and one pass breakup.

The corner slots are manned by senior Tyon Davis and graduate transfer Travon Fuller and are spelled by three quality guys in the likes of Tyree Carlisle, Reggie Ellis and Kenney Solomon. Davis has 10 tackles and one pass breakup this year, while Travon Fuller has five stops and two breakups in his first two games in a Tulsa uniform.

The Hurricane offense will have to be in high gear to keep up to speed with the Buckeyes offense.

Don't listen to what the critics have said this week about the Ohio State defense following last week's loss to a talented Oregon offense. The Buckeyes defense is GOOD. It's a unit that's physical and fast just like Buckeye teams of the past.

Leading the way is senior linebacker Teradja Mitchell and safety Ronnie Hickman. The duo led the Buckeyes in tackles in back-to-back games as each has totaled 21 tackles thru two games. Fellow linebackers Tommy Eichenberg and Dallas Gant have each totaled nine tackles.

The Buckeyes defensive front can go three deep and is led by ends Zach Harrison and Tyreke Smith and tackles Antwuan Jackson and Taron Vincent.

OSU took a hit in the secondary with an injury to Owasso, Oklahoma native, safety Josh Proctor, who will miss the remainder of the season. The Buckeyes backfield has had 14 pass breakups, as corner Lathan Ransom leads the way with four.

For Tulsa, Davis Brin, who is in his first season as the starting quarterback, will need to be sharp for the Hurricane offense. Brin has completed 62-percent of his passes this season for 425 yards.

The junior showed off his ability last year when he came off the bench and led the Hurricane back from a 14-point deficit to a 30-24 double overtime victory over Tulane. Brin's "Hail Mary" pass to JC Santana as time expired tied the score at 21 following the PAT. He ended the game by completing 18-of-28 passes for 266 yards and two TDs, while rushing for an 18-yard touchdown.

Tulsa Golden Hurricane running back Shamari Brooks (3) UC Davis vs TU - BRETT ROJO/For the University of Tulsa — Shamari Brooks on a long gain in the season opener.

Tulsa running backs Deneric Prince and Shamari Brooks opened the 2021 season in a big way as the duo combined for 231 of Tulsa's 247 rushing yards, but only combined for 60 yards last week. The tandem will have to get back to that opening day form Saturday to help open up the Tulsa offense against the Buckeyes.

Prince had his second career 100-yard game with 151 yards and a 59-yard touchdown scamper in the game, while Brooks, who missed the 2020 season with an ACL injury, rushed for 80 yards on 10 carries in the season opener. Brooks ranks fifth in school history for rushing with 2,806 career yards and 12^th for rushing TDs with 23.

The backs will be running behind a veteran offensive front that has nine players who have started games and five players who earned all-conference accolades a year ago, including first-teamer Tyler Smith, second-team Chris Paul and honorable mention selections Dylan Couch, Gerard Wheeler and Dante Bivens.

Sophomores X'Zauvea Gadlin and Bryce Bray give the Hurricane solid depth on the offensive line. Bray has moved into the starting lineup at right guard, while Gadlin has seen time at guard and center. Tulsa tight ends Ethan Hall and James Palmer have been important cogs in Tulsa's run game.

Brin's receiving targets include four players who each caught passes that totaled more than 350 yards a year ago. Keylon Stokes had 644 yards on 46 receptions, Josh Johnson had 38 catches for 499 yards, JC Santana 34 catches for 544 yards and Sam Crawford Jr. hauled in 28 passes for 374 yards.

This year, Stokes leads the way with 114 yards, Crawford with 88 yards, Santana with 82 yards and Johnson with 41 yards.

Tulsa has experience in both the kicking and punting games. Senior Zack Long has connected on 2-of-2 field goals this year, including a season-long of 41 yards. Sophomore Lachlan Wilson has averaged 44.7 yards on 13 punts and has placed five inside the 20-yard line.

Long snapper Rey Higuera is in his fifth season starting for the Hurricane, while Cannon Montgomery handles the holding duties for the fourth year.

The game will be aired on FS1 with Tim Brando and former University of Oklahoma star and Tulsa native Spencer Tillman calling the action.