GAME PREVIEW: TULSA OPENS AT WYOMING

Saturday, September 3

Laramie, WY

2:30 p.m. (CT)

Tulsa

Wyoming

GAME PREVIEW: TULSA OPENS AT WYOMING

9/2/2022 7:10:00 PM | Football

TULSA OPENS SEASON SATURDAY AGAINST THE WYOMING COWBOYS IN LARAMIE

GAME 1: TULSA (0-0, 0-0 American) vs. WYOMING (0-1, 0-0 Mountain West)
Date/Time:	Saturday, Sept. 3, 1:30 p.m. (MT) / 2:30 p.m. (CT)
Site:	Laramie, Wyoming
Stadium:	War Memorial Stadium (29,181)
Coaches:	TULSA – Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State '95), 8th year WYOMING – Craig Bohl (Nebraska '82), 9th year
TV:	FS1
Talent:	Eric Collins (pxp), Devin Gardner (analyst),
Tickets:	Contact Wyoming Ticket Office or 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:	Series tied 3-3
Game Notes:	Tulsa \| Wyoming \| American Athletic Conference

LARAMIE, Wyo. –– The Tulsa football team opens the 2022 season in the wild west as the Golden Hurricane face the Wyoming Cowboys at War Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Temperatures expect to be in the mid-80s for the 1:30 p.m. mountain time kickoff (2:30 p.m., CT).

The Cowboys opened the season a week ago, falling 38-26 on the road against the Big Ten's Fighting Illini.

This Saturday's game features two young football teams and two teams that are coming off 2021 season-ending bowl wins. Wyoming defeated Kent State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and Tulsa claimed a win over Old Dominion the Myrtle Beach Bowl.

The two teams enter the contest with the series tied at 3-3. Wyoming won the first three contests, while Tulsa has claimed victory in the last three games. The Hurricane will be looking for their first win in Laramie, trailing the series there 2-0.

Here's a look at the Tulsa-Wyoming matchup…

HOME OPENERS
Under Craig Bohl, a former TU defensive assistant coach from 1985-86, the Cowboys have a 6-2 record in home openers. Wyoming has won three consecutive home openers coming against Missouri, Hawai'i and Montana State.

THE QUARTERBACKS
Tulsa's Davis Brin enters his second season as the starting Hurricane quarterback after completing 59 percent of his passes for 3,269 yards and 18 touchdowns a year ago. He threw for a career-high 428 yards last year at No. 9 Ohio State.

A transfer from Utah State, Wyoming's Andrew Peasley completed just 3-of-20 passes at Illinois a week ago but carried the ball for 76 yards and a 9.5 average per tote.

THE OFFENSIVE LINE CONTRAST
Tulsa will have an entirely new starting offensive line to begin the season with only one start and 31 Tulsa appearances among the projected starting lineup. The front should line-up with Dillon Wade and Chester Baah on the left side, Will Farniok at the center position and Jaden Muskrat and Kai-Leon Herbert covering the right side.

On the other side, the Cowboys offensive line returns three starters and stands at an average of 6'5" and 318 pounds. The group had an impressive start to the season by not allowing a single quarterback sack of hurry against the Illini. UW allowed only one TFL for -1 yard. The O-Line led the way for a rushing attack that gained 182 yards.

RUNNING IT
Wyoming gained 182 yards on the ground in the opener at Illinois behind the Cowboys' huge offensive line. The main ballcarrier was 5'11 junior Titus Swen, who raced for 98 yards and a 5.8 average per carry. Expect the Tulsa rushing attack to be by committee as Steven Anderson Jordan Ford, Deneric Prince, Tahj Gary and Bill Jackson could all see playing time.

EXPERIENCE AND NOT SO MUCH IN THE RECEIVING CORPS
Both teams have key returnees back to the receiving corps, although Tulsa's receivers have quite a bit more experience heading into this game. Wyoming's Joshua Cobbs caught 25 passes for 245 yards last year and returns as the Cowboys' leader.

For Tulsa, the Hurricane returns two receivers that have combined for 4,016 yards between seniors Keylon Stokes and JuanCarlos Santana. Stokes missed all but four games a year ago due to injury, while Santana picked up the slack and caught 51 passes for 689 yards in 13 contests to finish second for all Hurricane receivers last year. An addition to the mix this year is Kentucky transfer Isaiah Epps, who had 365 career yards in his four seasons with the Wildcats.

THE LEADERS OF WYOMING'S DEFENSE
Team captains Easton Gibbs and Cole Godbout lead the Cowboys defense. The duo each has 141 career tackles. Godbout has been a beast from his nose tackle position, tallying 10 TFL, three sacks and seven pass breakups. Gibbs, the leader the linebacker position, had nine stops a week ago, while Godbout totaled seven tackles and one TFL against the Illini.

DEFENSIVE LEADERS RETURNING FOR THE HURRICANE
Tulsa's defense returns nine players who started games a year ago –– linebacker Justin Wright led the way with 82 tackles last season, lineman Anthony Goodlow was the team-leader for quarterback sacks with six for -33 yards and cornerback Tyon Davis had a team-high 10 pass breakups.

TULSA'S DEFENSE GETS TWO BACK AFTER MISSING 2021
Tulsa safety Kendarin Ray and linebacker Jon-Michael Terry missed most of the 2021 season with injury. Ray starts at strong safety for the Hurricane. He had 33 tackles and one sack in six games last year before suffering a season-ending leg injury. WILL linebacker Jon-Michael Terry, an Oklahoma transfer, played in four games a year ago before being sidelined with a shoulder injury. Terry started the season opener and totaled eight tackles and two TFL in his 2021 appearances.

KICKING IN GOOD SHAPE FOR BOTH TEAMS
Both teams return experienced kickers in the likes of Wyoming's John Hoyland and Tulsa's Zack Long. Hoyland has converted 25-of-29 career field goals including a long of 46 yards last week at Illinois and has been perfect on 56 point-after attempts. Long led the nation last year in field goal percentage by knocking through 22-of-23 for .965 percent.

Tulsa's Lachlan Wilson has averaged 44.5 yards per punt in 22 career games, while Wyoming's Clayton Stewart is in his first season and averaged 38.2 yards on eight punts a week ago.

A question mark for both teams coming into the season was snapping as both teams have first-year deep snappers.

THE BROADCAST
The game will be aired on FS1 with Eric Collins and Devin Gardner calling the action. Fans can also listen to the Hurricane Radio Network with Bruce Howard, Rick Couri and Jeremie Poplin on Big Country Radio 99.5 FM.

NEXT WEEK
Fans can get tickets for the next Saturday's home opener against the Northern Illinois Huskies online at TulsaHurricane.com or call 918.631.4688. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

The first 5,000 fans will receive a FREE T-shirt and throughout the game $1 hot dogs, popcorn and sodas will be available. Country Music star David Nail will perform at the Chapman Commons Concert Series during pregame festivities. Chapman Commons opens at 1 p.m.