Saturday, October 8
Annapolis, MD
2:30 p.m. (CT)
Tulsa
at
Navy
Photo by: BRETT ROJO, For the University o
GAME PREVIEW: TULSA FACES NAVY’S OPTION THIS WEEK IN ANNAPOLIS
10/7/2022 11:41:00 PM | Football
TULSA AND NAVY BATTLE IN ANNAPOLIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON
| GAME 6: TULSA (2-3, 0-1 American) vs. NAVY (1-3, 1-1 American) | |
|---|---|
| Date/Time: | Saturday, Oct. 8, 2:30 pm (CT) /3:30 pm (ET) |
| Site: | Annapolis, Md. |
| Stadium: | Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000) |
| Coaches: | TULSA – Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State '95), 8th year NAVY – Ken Niumatalolo (Hawaii '89), 15th year |
| TV: | CBS Network |
| Talent: | John Sadak (pxp), Randy Cross (analyst), Sheehan Burch (sideline) |
| Tickets: | Click HERE |
| Radio: | Big Country 99.5 FM or Online |
| Talent: | Bruce Howard (pxp), Rick Couri (analyst), Jeremie Poplin (sideline) |
| Live Stats: | Live Stats |
| Series: | Navy leads 7-2 |
| Game Notes: | Tulsa | Navy | American Athletic Conference |
ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– Tulsa travels east to square-off against the Navy Midshipmen in a contest between two teams with different offensive schemes, but defenses that are highly physical.
Tulsa's passing game has shown its explosiveness, especially in the first three games before an injury limited Hurricane quarterback Davis Brin. The Golden Hurricane averaged over 400 yards through the air in the first three contests, but only 222 in the last two outings against Ole Miss and Cincinnati.
The Hurricane spread offense will need to be more balanced with its run and pass games on Saturday.
The Navy offense hasn't put up quite the rushing numbers that's it's used to producing in its option attack but the Mids have also expanded its passing game which poses another threat to opposing defenses.
Tulsa enters with a 2-3 overall record and 0-1 in American Athletic Conference play after dropping the league opener to Cincinnati last week. Navy is 1-3 overall and 1-1 in the AAC with its lone win coming against a sound East Carolina team.
Temperatures will start out in the 60s for the 3:30 p.m. (ET) kickoff at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
Let's look at the storylines …
CAN HURRICANE GET ANOTHER ONE ON THE ROAD
Tulsa has won just two of the nine meetings between the two schools, as both wins have come in Annapolis. The Hurricane won the series second game in 2006 on a field goal in overtime for a 24-23 win that avenged a shutout loss a year earlier in Tulsa. Two years ago, Tulsa claimed a 19-6 win over the Midshipmen in a cold December game. The series is tied 2-2 in games played in Annapolis.
NO. 27 OFFENSE Vs. NO. 56 DEFENSE
The Hurricane offense averages 462.2 yards per game with 336.6 coming through the air and 126 on the ground. Tulsa ranks 10th in the FBS for passing and 27th in total offense. The Hurricane ground game found life two weeks ago with 262 yards against Ole Miss but didn't make it over the 50-yard plateau a week ago against an impressive Cincinnati defense.
Navy's defense, as it usually has shown, is tough, physical and yards don't come easy. The Midshipmen rank 25th for rush defense, allowing only 101.8 yards per game, have given up 256 passing yards, ranks 18th nationally for QB sacks, ranks 56th for total defense and has allowed just 21 points per game to rank 39th in the nation.
THE TWO LONGEST TENURED COACHES IN THE AMERICAN
Navy's Ken Niumatalolo and Tulsa's Philip Montgomery are the two-most tenured head coaches in the American Athletic Conference. Niumatalolo is in his 15th season and has compiled an overall 106-78 record, while Montgomery leads the Tulsa program for his eighth year.
It's the first and only head coaching positions for each of the two coaches. Niumatalolo took over the reins in 2008 after 10 seasons as a Navy assistant coach.
Since his first season of 2015, Montgomery has led Tulsa to the second-most bowl games in school history with four and became the first Tulsa coach to defeat two top-20 teams in the same season. He is also the first Tulsa coach to have two No. 1 NFL Draft selections, and that came in back-to-back years (2021, 2022).
LOOKING TO SURPASS HIS BROTHER
Keylon Stokes is ranked fifth on Tulsa's career receiving chart with 3,163 yards and needs just 87 more yards to tie his brother, Keevan Lucas (2013-16), for third place on the all-time list. With 46 yards, Stokes will tie Keyarris Garrett (2011-15) for fourth place before setting his eyes on brother Keevan. Stokes is 137 yards shy of current TU football staff member Dan Bitson (197-89, '91) for second place and 180 yards behind all-time leader Howard Twilley's (1963-65) record of 3,343 yards.
THE RUN GAMES
The Tulsa run game improved each of the first four games, climbing to a season-high 262 yards at Ole Miss. But last week, the Hurricane was held to under 50 yards overall, thanks to -82 yards on 15 stops for lost yardage by Cincinnati's defense. The Navy rushing attack most always ranks among the top-5 teams in the country, but this year ranks just 50th after four games with 176 yards.
NEXT WEEK
Tulsa is open next Saturday and will return to the field on Friday, Oct. 21 in Philadelphia, Pa., against the Temple Owls. Tulsa will be back at Chapman Stadium for Homecoming against the SMU Mustangs on Oct. 29.
Players Mentioned
Quarterback
/ Football
Wide Receiver
/ FootballThis is the Portal House: Episode 4
Monday, January 19
This is the Portal House: Episode 3
Monday, January 12
Portal House Interview Series: Episode 3 - Erynn Love
Thursday, January 08
This is the Portal House: Episode 2
Wednesday, January 07