Tulsa Comeback Falls Short at FAU 20-17

Saturday, October 7

Boca Raton, Fla.

5:00 PM (CT)

Tulsa

3-3 , 1-1

Florida Atlantic

2-3 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Tulsa

Fla. Atlantic

Photo by: Jeff Romance

Tulsa Comeback Falls Short at FAU 20-17

10/7/2023 9:38:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

GAME STATS I POSTGAME NOTES I SEASON STATS | GALLERY

BOCA RATON, Fla. –– Tulsa's valiant comeback effort in a fourth quarter downpour fell short 20-17 against the FAU Owls Saturday night in front of 21,077 fans at FAU Stadium. Tulsa fell to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in American Athletic Conference play, while FAU improved to 2-3 and 1-0 in the league standings.

Trailing 20-10, Tulsa marched 80 yards in seven plays behind the running of Braylon Braxton, gaining 56 yards on the ground and throwing the final 20 yards to freshman tight end Luke McGary to make the score 20-17 with 5:01 left on the game clock.

After the Tulsa defense stuffed FAU to -2 yards on three plays, the Hurricane offense made one last push for the comeback. A big 4th-and-12 completion to Kamdyn Benjamin for an 18-yard gain put Tulsa at their own 20-yard line. The Hurricane moved to the FAU 49-yard line, but two incompletions and a sack on 4^th-and-8 ended the game.

It was a pretty even contest statistically as FAU held a 378 to 376 edge in total yards. Tulsa rushed for 194 yards and had 182 yards passing, while FAU totaled 234 rushing yards and 144 through the air. Defensively, Jaise Oliver's 11 stops led three TU players with double-digit tackles, including 10 each by Kendarin Ray and Julien Simon. Oliver also added two pass breakups, one interception and one TFL.

FAU took a 14-0 lead after one quarter and took a 17-7 lead into intermission.

Turnovers handicapped the Hurricane in the first quarter as two miscues turned into 14 FAU points. The first coming after an interception deep in FAU territory and ending in an Owl 85-yard, 10-play drive. The second came after a fumble on a fake punt attempt that gave the Owls possession at the Tulsa 41-yard line and ending in a 14-0 first quarter lead.

Tulsa took its first possession of the second quarter 90 yards in 12 plays as Cardell Williams ran the final seven yards for Tulsa's first points of the game, making the score 14-7.

The Hurricane defense stepped up after a FAU punt return put the Owls at the Tulsa 29-yard line, holding FAU to only a field goal for the 10-point halftime lead. FAU held a 214 to 173-yard edge in total offense at the break.

1^st Quarter Breakdown
•       Tulsa took the opening kickoff down the field but an overthrown ball was intercepted at the FAU 15-yard line.
•       FAU marched 85 yards in 10 plays and scored on a one-yard TD run by Larry McCammon.
•       A fake punt attempt by Tulsa on its next possession was fumbled on the snap, thus giving FAU possession at the Tulsa 41-yard line.
•       The Owls scored on McCammon's second TD run, this time going for 10 yards and capping a 6-play, 41-yard drive.
•       The first quarter ended with the Owls holding a 14-0 lead.

2^nd Quarter Breakdown
•       Tulsa forced FAU into its first punt of the game on the first second quarter possession.
•       Tulsa took its first scoring drive 90 yards in 12 plays as Cardell Williams ran the final seven yards for the score to make it a 14-7 game.
•       Jaise Oliver intercepted an FAU pass to end the Owls drive at the Tulsa 18-yard line.
•       Tulsa couldn't get a first down and was forced to punt, while the FAU return went 32 yards to the Tulsa 29-yard line.
•       FAU took possession at Tulsa's 29-yard line but the Hurricane defense held the Owls to just a field goal, making the score 17-7.

3^rd Quarter Breakdown
•       Tulsa held the Owls on the first possession of the second half, while Tulsa gave the ball back to FAU on the subsequent drive on an interception.
•       The Hurricane defense held FAU again to 3-and-out, while the Hurricane offense went 45 yards in nine plays and settled for a 36-yard Chase Meyer field goal to make the score 17-10 at the 7:09 mark of the third period.
•      A heavy downpour began in the third quarter and appeared to get even heavier in the fourth period.

4^th Quarter Breakdown
•       The Owls made it a 10-point advantage again, 20-10, on their first 4^th quarter possession with a 27-yard field goal.
•       On its subsequent possession FAU made it to the Tulsa 20-yard line but failed to convert on a 37-yard field goal, thus turning the ball over to Tulsa at the 20.
•     Tulsa responded by going 80 yards in 7 plays as Braylon Braxton threw a strike down the middle to Luke McGary for a 20-yard TD.
•     The Hurricane defense held FAU to 3-and-out, and the offense moved to the FAU 47-yard line after starting at their own six, but a 4^th-and-8 ended in a sack.