GAME NOTES: Tulsa Returns to Chapman Stadium to Host #19-Ranked Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA VISITS TULSA FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2014

Game #3
TULSA (1-1, 0-0 AAC) vs. #19 OKLAHOMA (2-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Saturday, Sept. 16, 2:35 pm
Stadium: H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000)
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Big Country 99.5 FM

FOR FULL GAME NOTES PACKAGE, CLICK HERE

TULSA 1-1, 0-0 The American
Head Coach: Kevin Wilson
                                    (North Carolina '84)
                                    1st year at Tulsa
Career Record: 27-48 (7 years)
TU Record: 1-1 (1 year)

#19/16 OKLAHOMA 2-0, 0-0 Big 12
Head Coach: Brent Venables (Kansas State '92)
2nd year at Oklahoma
Career Record: 8-7 (2 years)
OU Record: same

THE STORYLINES . . .
•   Oklahoma comes into the game 2-0 and ranked 19th nationally, while Tulsa sits at 1-1 on the season.
•    The game is sold-out. It's the third sellout since the stadium was renovated in 2008 … the sellouts came – first game after renovation vs. New Mexico, (9-20-08) and Boise State (10-14-09).
•    The two head coaches – Tulsa's Kevin Wilson and Oklahoma's Brent Venables – coached on Bob Stoops' Oklahoma staff together for nine years (2002-2010) … Wilson was on the OU coaching staff
for nine years (2002-10) and Venables for 13 years (1999-2011).
•    Both the Tulsa and Oklahoma football programs began in 1895, Tulsa was known then as Henry Kendall College.
•    Tulsa is in its 127th season of football … Tulsa did not field a team in 1907.
•   Tulsa has the smallest FBS enrollment with 3,777 students, while Oklahoma has a student enrollment is 35,255.

THE SERIES . . .
•   This is the 29th meeting between Tulsa and Oklahoma, as the Sooners lead the series 20-7-1.
•    The first meeting in the series came in 1914 as OU claimed a 26-7 win in Tulsa … Tulsa's first win in the series came in the third meeting – 1916 – by a 16-0 score.
•   OU has won the last nine meetings and was ranked in the top-20 in all but one of those games (2007).
•   The last Tulsa win in the series came in 1996 in Norman by a score of 31-24.
•   Oklahoma has a 7-3 record against the Hurricane in Tulsa.

QUICK HITTERS . . .
•   In 14 of the previous 28 meetings, Oklahoma has come into the game ranked, including three times at No. 1 – 1987, 2002 and 2011 … those first two times the games were played in Tulsa.
•    Tulsa offensive lineman Darrell Simpson spent four years (2018-21) at Oklahoma before transferring to Tulsa.
•   Four of Tulsa's five transfers from Oklahoma State have familiarity with the Sooners having been a part of the OSU roster for Bedlam – Ben Kopenski (2021, 2022) and Kanion Williams (2019, 2021) saw action in 2 games, Demarco Jones (2021) and Bryce Bray (2019) played in one game each. Braylin Presley was on the OSU roster last year.

BACK-TO-BACK RANKED OPPONENTS . . .
•    For the second consecutive week, Tulsa will face a ranked opponent – last week #8 Washington and this week #19 Oklahoma.
•   It's the ninth time in school history that Tulsa has faced ranked opponents in back-to-back games … this is the sixth on back-to-back weekends, while three had open weeks in between.
•   The first came in 1938 when the Hurricane faced No, 11 Oklahoma (Oct. 29) and a week later #1 TCU (Nov. 5).
•           The last time came in 2020 when Tulsa played #11 Oklahoma State (Sept. 19), losing 16-7, and defeated #11 UCF (Oct. 3) by a score of 34-26… the week separation between the games came because of covid.

NEWCOMERS . . .
•   A total of 20 first-year players saw action for Tulsa in the season opener.
•   The number included 11 transfers and 9 true freshmen, as six of those newcomers were in the starting lineup against UAPB.
•   On offense, transfer WR Braylin Presley and true freshman TE Luke McGary each started … Presley had 13 rushing yards on 3 carries, while McGary had 27 receiving yards on 2 receptions.
•   Defensively, transfers DE Ben Kopenski, CB Demarco Jones, LB Julien Simon and LB Coleton Smith were in the starting lineup and combined for 17 tackles and 3 TFL for -14 yards.

QB DEPTH . . .
•    Tulsa has used three quarterbacks in the first two games due to game injuries •                Braylon Braxton started the season as the opener, was replaced by Cardell Williams after suffering an injury in the first half vs. UAB.
•   Williams started the second game at Washington and late in the 2nd quarter was sidelined with an injury, thus giving Roman Fuller the reins.
•   Williams and Fuller have combined to complete 68.7% of their passes (33-48) for 398 yards and 5 TDs in their two appearances this year.

BEN & OWEN CREATE HAVOC . . .
•   The entire defensive unit put in a solid season-opening performance, but the duo of Ben Kopenski and Owen Ostroski caused havoc in the UAPB backfield.
•   The pair combined for 16 tackles and 5.5 TFL for -29 yards, including 3.5 for-25 yards coming on QB sacks, against UAPB.
•   Kopenski shared the team-lead with 10 tackles, and among those were 2.5 TFL for -13 yards, including 2 sacks for -12 yards … the 10 stops is the OSU transfers career-high.
•   Ostroski tallied a career-best 6 tackles, as well as a career-high 3 TFL for -16 yards, including 1.5 sacks for -13 yard.

RUNNING BACK BY COMMITTEE . . .
•    In the season opener, five running backs had at least one carry in the 42-7 opening win over UAPB, while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
•   Leading rusher Jordan Ford had 19 carries for 110 yards, while Tulsa got 137 yards by its other 4 running backs.
•   Anthony Watkins added 69 yards (7.7 avg per carry), Bill Jackson 54 (7.7 avg), Tahj Gary 12 (6.0 avg) and true freshman Cam Crooks 2 yards (2.0 avg).
•   Ford, Jackson and Watkins each played against Washington and combined for 173 yards on 36 carries for a 4.8 average.

BROTHERS FIND HOME IN TULSA . . .
•   The Simon brothers – Jayden and Julien – find themselves on the field together for the first time since high school in 2018.
•   Jayden found his way to Tulsa last year after three seasons and eight games at Colorado.
•   This year, Jayden's younger brother, Julien, enrolled at Tulsa for the spring 2023 semester, after two years at Southern Cal.
•   The brothers have been in the starting lineup for both games this year and have combined to total 12 tackles between them, six stops each.
•   In the opener, Jayden tallied 5 tackles and 0.5 TFL for -1 yard from his defensive line position, while Julien started at linebacker and had 3 stops and 0.5 TFL for -1 yard.
•   The opener was the first time the brothers were on the field together since the 2018 season at Lincoln High School in Tacoma Washington … Jayden's last prep season was 2018, while Julien's was 2020.

K-RAY LEADING THE WAY . . .
•   Fifth-year senior safety Kendarin Ray entered the 2023 season with 222 career tackles, and now after two games has 239 career stops in 41 games and 28 starting assignments.
•   He has a team-high 17 tackles in two games to lead the Hurricane defense.
•   Ray had his 8th career double-digit tackle game in the season opener with 10 stops, 5 solos and 5 assists against UAPB.
•   In his career, Ray has added 13 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and one interception.
•   He had a career-high 13 stops and his first career pickoff for a 23-yard return against No. 19 Tulane in 2022.
•    Ray's three forced fumbles in 2022 tied for second in the AAC with an 0.25 average.

GAME NOTES: Tulsa Returns to Chapman Stadium to Host #19-Ranked Oklahoma

Players Mentioned

Braylon Braxton

Bryce Bray

Cam Crooks

Jordan Ford

Roman Fuller

Tahj Gary

Bill Jackson

Demarco Jones

Ben Kopenski

Luke McGary

Owen Ostroski

Braylin Presley

Kendarin Ray

Julien Simon

Darrell Simpson

Coleton Smith

Anthony Watkins

Cardell Williams

Kanion Williams

Related Videos