Tulsa Opens Wilson Era with 42-7 Win

Thursday, August 31

H.A. Chapman Stadium

7:00 PM (CT)

Tulsa

1-0 , 0-0

Arkansas - Pine Bluff

0-1 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Ark.-Pine Bluff

Tulsa

Photo by: BRETT ROJO, For the University o

Tulsa Opens Wilson Era with 42-7 Win

8/31/2023 11:58:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

Quarterback Cardell Williams completed his first 13 passes, finishes 13-of-14 for 233 yards and 3 TDs

GAME STATS I QUOTES I POST-GAME NOTES I PHOTO GALLERY I SEASON STATS

TULSA, Okla. –– Tulsa opened the Kevin Wilson era Thursday night with a 42-7 win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in front of 17,529 fans at H.A. Chapman Stadium.

Playing in his first career game, Tulsa redshirt freshman quarterback Cardell Williams completed 13-of-14 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns after coming in for an injured Braylon Braxton in the first quarter.

Williams completed all nine passes in the first-half for 169 yards and his three TDs. He went on to complete his first 13 passes before misfiring on his first pass early in the fourth quarter.

"It was a good win. A lot of errors. Some things to clean up on. A lot of things that we're trying to be not a part of our game that we have to learn to take out," said Wilson. "But it was a good start, and proud of the work. Excited to get the win. Excited to be 1-0."

Jordan Ford had his first career 100+ rushing game with 110 yards, while Marquis Shoulder's 132 receiving yards and two TDs were career highs for the third-year sophomore.

After a slow start in the first quarter, the Hurricane offense scored on all four of its second quarter possessions to take a 28-7 lead into halftime. Tulsa suffered a three-turnover first quarter but settled down and turned in a dominate second period for a 21-point lead.

"For sure it was a struggle at the start. I think we've worked really, really hard to take care of the ball, which we didn't early in the game. I thought our defense did a phenomenal job weathering the storm because you lose three turnovers, and there's a chance for it to really start snowballing," said Wilson.

The Hurricane offense amassed 517 yards for an average of 7.4 yards per play, as 17 of Tulsa's 69 offensive snaps went for double-digit yards. The defense turned in a solid outing throughout, holding the Lions to 252 total yards, 102 on the ground and 150 passing, while totaling 12 tackles for 54 lost yards.

Ben Kopenski and Kendarin Ray shared the team-lead with 10 tackles, while Kopenski, the transfer from Oklahoma State had two TFL for -13 yards. Owen Ostroski had three TFL for -16 yards among his six total stops.

1^st Quarter Breakdown
• Tulsa had three turnovers on its first three possessions of the game.
• After Tulsa's first turnover gave UAPB the ball at the Tulsa 18-yard line, the Lions scored four plays later on a one-yard run for a 7-0 lead.
• Tulsa's defense also got a takeaway on a Kanion Williams pickoff.
• Cardell Williams went in at quarterback on Tulsa's 4^th 1^st quarter possession.
• Despite trailing 7-0, Tulsa had a 75-56 edge in total yards, while Jordan Ford and Bill Jackson combined for 64 of those yards on the ground.

2^nd Quarter Breakdown
• The Hurricane scored on all four of its second quarter possessions to take a 28-7 lead into halftime.
• Tulsa scored its first points of the season at the 10:21 mark of the quarter to knot the score at 7-7 as Cardell Williams ran in from 3 yards out to cap a 50-yard, 8-play drive.
• Tulsa took a 14-7 lead when Marquis Shoulders got behind the defenders and Williams hit him for an 80-yard TD strike at the 7:27 mark.
• Williams connected with Malachai Jones for a 15-yard TD and again with Shoulders for a 19-yard touchdown.
• Tulsa outgained UAPB in the second quarter by a count of 231 to 70 yards.

3^rd Quarter Breakdown
• It was a quarter that saw UAPB hold a 9:25 to 5:35 edge in possession time.
• The Hurricane still managed a 107 to 90-yard advantage in the quarter and scored the only touchdown of the period on a one-yard Jordan Ford run.

4^th Quarter Breakdown
• Tulsa added to the scoring when Roman Fuller connected with tight end Bayne Tryon for a seven-yard TD, capping an 81-yard, 9-play drive.
• The Hurricane gained 104 yards, while holding UAPB to 36 yards in the quarter.