Tulsa Falls at South Florida; Closes Season at Home Next Saturday

Saturday, November 23

Tampa, FL

2:30 p.m.

Tulsa

3-8 , 1-6

South Florida

6-5 , 4-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Tulsa

South Florida

Photo by: Morgan Tencza

Tulsa Falls at South Florida; Closes Season at Home Next Saturday

11/23/2024 7:27:00 PM | Football

Box Score Game Book PDF Postgame Notes Photo Gallery Photo Gallery

TAMPA, Fla. –– The USF Bulls (6-5, 4-3 AAC) jumped out to a strong start and clinched bowl eligibility with a 63-30 win over Tulsa (3-8, 1-6 AAC) Saturday afternoon in front of 27,623 fans at Raymond James Stadium.

It was a game that saw the offenses combine for 93 points and 1,193 total yards. Tulsa had two plays from scrimmage over 70 yards, including a 77-yard Anthony Watkins run and a 72-yard Kirk Francis pass to Joseph Williams, while Hurricane also had two 60+ yard kickoff returns with Braylin Presley taking one 84 yards and Lloyd Avant 63.

USF gained 715 yards of total offense with 308 rushing and 407 passing yards. Tulsa tallied 478 yards with 223 on the ground and 255 passing. Tulsa's Watkins had 101 rushing yards and Joseph Williams led the way with 126 receiving yards.

The home team Bulls took control early by taking a 14-0 lead in the first 4:28 of the game, scoring on possessions of 75 and 55 yards and finished the first quarter with four touchdowns on its first five drives for a 28-0 lead. USF extended its lead to 35-0 early in the second quarter before Tulsa scored its first points.

The Hurricane went 75 yards in nine plays as Cooper Legas hit Williams for an 11-yard strike in the corner of the end zone for the score, making it 35-7.

The Bulls scored on six of its 10 first-half possessions and closed the half with a 42-7 lead.

USF finished the first half with 454 total yards, including 265 passing and 189 yards on the ground. Tulsa's offense managed 218 yards with 147 rushing yards.

In the second half, the Bulls scored the only points in the third period before the teams combined for 37 points in the final quarter with Tulsa scoring three touchdowns and converting two two-point conversions for 23 points.

Tulsa took the second-half kickoff to the USF 11-yard line after a 63-yard kickoff return by Avant, but the Bulls ended Tulsa's hopes for a score with an interception in the end zone. Tulsa's Elijah Green intercepted a USF pass, but Tulsa gave it right back to the Bulls with a pickoff on the first play.

The Bulls scored on the possession in 0:59 on a Ta'Ron Keith 30-yard touchdown run, capping a three-play, 41-yard drive that put USF ahead 49-7 at the 8:47 mark of the third quarter. It looked as though Tulsa was going to answer USF's score when Kirk Francis hit Williams on a 72-yard pass, but as Williams approached the goal line, he had the ball stripped and recovered by a USF defender at the two-yard line.

Tulsa began its fourth quarter scoring with a one-yard touchdown run by freshman Viron Ellison Jr. at the 11:45 mark of the period, but the home team responded with a 75-yard, eight-play drive to make the score 56-14. Touchdown runs by Avant and Watkins sandwiched a USF score to close out the fourth quarter scoring.

Tulsa will close out the season next Saturday, Nov. 30, when the Florida Atlantic Owls visit Chapman Stadium for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff.

1^st Quarter Breakdown
• USF scored in the first 0:41with a 75-yard, 3-yard drive when Kelly Joiner ran the final 48 yards for the score.
•     The Bulls went 55 yards on its next possession to take a 14-0 lead with under five minutes gone in the game.
•     After an interception, the Bulls scored on its fourth possession, going 40 yards in just four plays to make the score 21-0.
•     Looking to get some momentum on 4^th-and-1 from their own 34-yard line, the Hurricane missed on a pass attempt.
•     It took USF just four plays to take a 28-0 lead with 4:13 remaining in the first quarter.
•     A Tulsa fumble at the USF 28-yard line was recovered by the Bulls ending Tulsa's best field position of the first quarter.

2^nd Quarter Breakdown
•       After a 77-yard run by Anthony Watkins took Tulsa to the 2-yard line at the end of the first period, the Hurricane offense was held on 4^th-and-1, failing to get its first points on the board.
•       USF took the subsequent possession 94 yards in seven plays for a 35-0 lead.
•       Tulsa scored its first points at the 8:20 mark of the period to make the score 35-7, as Cooper Legas hit Joseph Williams in the corner of the end zone for an 11-yard TD, capping a 75-yard, 9-play drive.
•     USF made the score 42-7 with 2:11 remaining in the first half on a 16-yard pass play to cap a 10-play, 47-yard scoring drive.

3^rd Quarter Breakdown
•       Tulsa's Lloyd Avant took the second half kickoff 63 yards to the USF 36-yard line but the Bulls ended any Tulsa hopes of a score with an interception in the end zone.
•       After a Tulsa interception, USF scored three plays later on a 30-yard run by Ta'Ron Keith for a 49-7 lead.
•       Tulsa did outgain USF 127 to 121 in the third period, but the Bulls scored the quarters only points.

4^th Quarter Breakdown
•       After just one score in the third quarter, the two teams combined for five touchdowns and 37 points in the fourth period.
•     Tulsa scored three touchdowns, all coming on the ground.
•       Tulsa took the first fourth quarter possession 60 yards in 11 plays and scored on a Viron Ellison Jr. one yard run to make the score 49-14 after the made PAT.
•       USF responded with a 75-yard, eight-play drive to make the score 56-14.
•       Lloyd Avant had his first rushing TD of his career with a 10-yard run and Anthony Watkins one-yard run capped Tulsa's fourth-quarter scoring as the game ended 63-30.