Photo by: David Dermer
GAME NOTES: Tulsa Hosts North Texas
11/14/2023 9:08:00 AM | Football
TULSA HOSTS NORTH TEXAS IN FINAL HOME GAME
GAME #11
TULSA (3-7, 1-5 AAC) vs. NORTH TEXAS (3-7, 1-5 AAC)
Saturday, Nov. 18 • 3 pm (CT)
Stadium: H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Big Country 99.5 FM
FOR FULL GAMES NOTES PACKAGE, CLICK HERE
TULSA 3-7, 1-5 The American
Head Coach: Kevin Wilson
(North Carolina '84)
1st year at Tulsa
Career Record: 29-54 (7 years)
TU Record: 3-7 (1 year)
NORTH TEXAS 3-7, 1-5 The American
Head Coach: Eric Morris
(Texas Tech '08)
1st year at North Texas
Career Record: 27-25 (4 years)
UNT Record: 3-7 (1st year)
THE STORYLINES . . .
• Both teams will be looking for their second American Athletic Conference victory of the season.
• Tulsa took #20-ranked Tulane down to the wire last week, falling 24-22.
• This is the final home game for Golden Hurricane seniors at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
• Tulsa is in its 127th season of football … Tulsa's first football season was 1895 (TU did not field a team in 1907). … North Texas'
first official season of football was 1913.
• Tulsa has the smallest FBS enrollment with 3,777 students, while North Texas has a student enrollment of 44,532.
THE SERIES . . .
• This is the 26th meeting between Tulsa and North Texas … Tulsa leads the series 18-7.
• The Hurricane had won 10 consecutive games in the series until the last meeting when North Texas grabbed a 42-10 win in Tulsa in the 2013 season.
• Tulsa is 10-2 at home in the series and 6-5 in Denton.
QUICK HITTERS . . .
• Tulsa played its third top-20 ranked team last week, taking No. 20 Tulane to the last minute, but falling 24-22 … the Hurricane already faced No. 8 Washington and No. 19 Oklahoma.
• Tulsa faced three FBS non-conference opponents who currently sport a combined 22-8 record, including two of the nation's top-20 teams Washington and Oklahoma.
• Against No. 20 Tulane, the Hurricane defense held the Green Wave to 188 yards in the final three quarters after allowing 169 yards in the first quarter,
• Tulsa's outgained No. 20 Tulane 477 to 357, passing fora season-high 355 yards and rushing for 122 yards against the nation's 4th-ranked run defense.
• Tulsa has been efficient in the red zone this season, converting 33-of-37 attempts (89.2%), with 22 of those going for touchdowns.
WHAT A FRESHMAN PERFORMANCE . . .
• True freshman QB Kirk Francis saw his most extensive playing time at No. 20 Tulane and completed 65% of his passes (22-of-34) for 345 yards and one TD … it ws just his second game appearance this season.
• Francis was named to the AAC weekly honor roll for his performance.
• His 345 yards is the second highest ever for a Tulsa freshman QB, just 41 yards behind T.J. Rubley's 386 yards at Oklahoma State in 1987.
TULSA DEFENDERS AMONG AAC LEADERS . . .
• Safety Kendarin Ray leads the American Athletic Conference in total tackles for yet another week … the super senior has tallied 100 tackles for a 10.0 average per game.
• Sophomore end Owen Ostroski ranks third in the league with 10 TFL for -49 yards.
• Graduate Ben Kopenski is fifth in The American for quarterback sacks with 5.5 for -26 yards, while Ostroski is sixth with for for -37 yards.
• Senior safety Jaise Oliver ranks sixth in the AAC for interceptions (3) and eighth for pass defended (9).
TULSA TAKES NO. 20 TULANE TO THE WIRE . . .
• Tulsa's valiant comeback effort fell short 24-22 against the nation's 20th-ranked Tulane last week.
• After trailing 14-0 after the first quarter, Tulsa made it a 14-10 game at halftime.
• After that first period, the Tulsa defense held Tulane to three points the remainder of the game, but it was a special teams play of a 100-yard kickoff return to start the second half that hurt the Hurricane momentum.
Tulsa scored 12 points in the second half and held the Green Wave to 10.
• A field goal gave Tulane a 24-16 lead at the 9:21 mark, Tulsa then failed on its next possession but a drive later QB Kirk Francis led the Hurricane on a 4-play, 67-yard drive that cut the deficit to two points. Tulsa's try at tying the game on a two-point conversion failed, keeping the score at 24-22.
• Francis, making only his second game appearance this year, finished with 345 yards and one touchdown by completing 22-of-34 attempts.
• The Tulsa run game put up the second-highest total allowed by Tulane's 4th-ranked run defense with 122 yards behind Anthony Watkins' 76 yards.
TWO 100-YARD RECEIVERS IN SEASON-HIGH PASSING GAME . . .
• In the Tulane game, Tulsa threw for a season-best 355 yards, bettering the previous season high that came in the opener when Tulsa threw for 257 passing yards vs. UAPB.
• Against No. 20 Tulane, Kamdyn Benjamin and Carl Chester combined for 289 of those yards, each with career-best performances.
• Benjamin had eight catches for 157 yards and a career-high two TDs … his previous high game was 61 yards vs. Oklahoma this year.
• Chester had 132 yards on five receptions, including a career-long 57-yarder … his previous high game was just 40 ayrds a week earlier against Charlotte on just one catch.
• It marked the second and third 100-yard receiving performances this year and the first since the season opener.
GAME #11
TULSA (3-7, 1-5 AAC) vs. NORTH TEXAS (3-7, 1-5 AAC)
Saturday, Nov. 18 • 3 pm (CT)
Stadium: H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Big Country 99.5 FM
FOR FULL GAMES NOTES PACKAGE, CLICK HERE
TULSA 3-7, 1-5 The American
Head Coach: Kevin Wilson
(North Carolina '84)
1st year at Tulsa
Career Record: 29-54 (7 years)
TU Record: 3-7 (1 year)
NORTH TEXAS 3-7, 1-5 The American
Head Coach: Eric Morris
(Texas Tech '08)
1st year at North Texas
Career Record: 27-25 (4 years)
UNT Record: 3-7 (1st year)
THE STORYLINES . . .
• Both teams will be looking for their second American Athletic Conference victory of the season.
• Tulsa took #20-ranked Tulane down to the wire last week, falling 24-22.
• This is the final home game for Golden Hurricane seniors at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
• Tulsa is in its 127th season of football … Tulsa's first football season was 1895 (TU did not field a team in 1907). … North Texas'
first official season of football was 1913.
• Tulsa has the smallest FBS enrollment with 3,777 students, while North Texas has a student enrollment of 44,532.
THE SERIES . . .
• This is the 26th meeting between Tulsa and North Texas … Tulsa leads the series 18-7.
• The Hurricane had won 10 consecutive games in the series until the last meeting when North Texas grabbed a 42-10 win in Tulsa in the 2013 season.
• Tulsa is 10-2 at home in the series and 6-5 in Denton.
QUICK HITTERS . . .
• Tulsa played its third top-20 ranked team last week, taking No. 20 Tulane to the last minute, but falling 24-22 … the Hurricane already faced No. 8 Washington and No. 19 Oklahoma.
• Tulsa faced three FBS non-conference opponents who currently sport a combined 22-8 record, including two of the nation's top-20 teams Washington and Oklahoma.
• Against No. 20 Tulane, the Hurricane defense held the Green Wave to 188 yards in the final three quarters after allowing 169 yards in the first quarter,
• Tulsa's outgained No. 20 Tulane 477 to 357, passing fora season-high 355 yards and rushing for 122 yards against the nation's 4th-ranked run defense.
• Tulsa has been efficient in the red zone this season, converting 33-of-37 attempts (89.2%), with 22 of those going for touchdowns.
WHAT A FRESHMAN PERFORMANCE . . .
• True freshman QB Kirk Francis saw his most extensive playing time at No. 20 Tulane and completed 65% of his passes (22-of-34) for 345 yards and one TD … it ws just his second game appearance this season.
• Francis was named to the AAC weekly honor roll for his performance.
• His 345 yards is the second highest ever for a Tulsa freshman QB, just 41 yards behind T.J. Rubley's 386 yards at Oklahoma State in 1987.
TULSA DEFENDERS AMONG AAC LEADERS . . .
• Safety Kendarin Ray leads the American Athletic Conference in total tackles for yet another week … the super senior has tallied 100 tackles for a 10.0 average per game.
• Sophomore end Owen Ostroski ranks third in the league with 10 TFL for -49 yards.
• Graduate Ben Kopenski is fifth in The American for quarterback sacks with 5.5 for -26 yards, while Ostroski is sixth with for for -37 yards.
• Senior safety Jaise Oliver ranks sixth in the AAC for interceptions (3) and eighth for pass defended (9).
TULSA TAKES NO. 20 TULANE TO THE WIRE . . .
• Tulsa's valiant comeback effort fell short 24-22 against the nation's 20th-ranked Tulane last week.
• After trailing 14-0 after the first quarter, Tulsa made it a 14-10 game at halftime.
• After that first period, the Tulsa defense held Tulane to three points the remainder of the game, but it was a special teams play of a 100-yard kickoff return to start the second half that hurt the Hurricane momentum.
Tulsa scored 12 points in the second half and held the Green Wave to 10.
• A field goal gave Tulane a 24-16 lead at the 9:21 mark, Tulsa then failed on its next possession but a drive later QB Kirk Francis led the Hurricane on a 4-play, 67-yard drive that cut the deficit to two points. Tulsa's try at tying the game on a two-point conversion failed, keeping the score at 24-22.
• Francis, making only his second game appearance this year, finished with 345 yards and one touchdown by completing 22-of-34 attempts.
• The Tulsa run game put up the second-highest total allowed by Tulane's 4th-ranked run defense with 122 yards behind Anthony Watkins' 76 yards.
TWO 100-YARD RECEIVERS IN SEASON-HIGH PASSING GAME . . .
• In the Tulane game, Tulsa threw for a season-best 355 yards, bettering the previous season high that came in the opener when Tulsa threw for 257 passing yards vs. UAPB.
• Against No. 20 Tulane, Kamdyn Benjamin and Carl Chester combined for 289 of those yards, each with career-best performances.
• Benjamin had eight catches for 157 yards and a career-high two TDs … his previous high game was 61 yards vs. Oklahoma this year.
• Chester had 132 yards on five receptions, including a career-long 57-yarder … his previous high game was just 40 ayrds a week earlier against Charlotte on just one catch.
• It marked the second and third 100-yard receiving performances this year and the first since the season opener.
Players Mentioned
Wide Receiver
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Wide Receiver
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Quarterback
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Defensive Line
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Safety
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Defensive Line
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Safety
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Running Back
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