Tulsa Opens Tre Lamb Era with Season-Opening Victory

Saturday, August 30

Tulsa, Okla.

7 p.m.

Tulsa

1-0 , 0-0

Abilene Christian

0-1 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Abilene Christian

Tulsa

Photo by: BRETT ROJO, For the University o

Tulsa Opens Tre Lamb Era with Season-Opening Victory

8/30/2025 11:29:00 PM | Football

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TULSA, Okla. — The University of Tulsa (1-0) defeated Abilene Christian University (0-1) 35-7, with a dominant second-half performance featuring 25 points scored, at H.A. Chapman Stadium. This victory marked Tre Lamb's first win at Tulsa.

In the first quarter, Tulsa's Kirk Francis connected with Braylin Presley for a 13-yard completion, but the drive stalled. The Wildcats' subsequent drive featured a 26-yard pass from Stone Earle to JJ Henry, but a crucial fourth-down stop at the Golden Hurricane's 3-yard line turned the ball over. Tulsa capitalized on this momentum, progressing downfield, and Francis found Zion Booker for a 12-yard touchdown pass at the 1:34 mark, with Morgan's extra point putting the Golden Hurricane ahead 7–0.

Abilene Christian's opening drive, in the second quarter, ended in a turnover on downs at the Tulsa 1-yard line after three straight rushing attempts by ACU. Later in the second quarter, Tulsa responded with a drive, capped by a 28-yard field goal by Morgan at 8:47, increasing their lead to 10-0. Midway through the quarter, the Golden Hurricane's defense, led by Turner, sacked Earle for a 9-yard loss, forcing the Wildcats to punt.

In the third quarter, Tulsa extended its lead over Abilene Christian with a strong offensive performance. Morgan converted a 40-yard field goal at 11:58, increasing Tulsa's advantage to 13–0. Later in the quarter, Richardson broke through with a 57-yard touchdown run at 3:55, followed by a successful pass attempt for a two-point, pushing the Golden Hurricane's lead to 21–0. Following this rush, Richardson passed the 100-yard mark for the second time in his career. The Wildcats struggled to gain momentum offensively, with Tulsa's defense making key stops, including a sack by J'Dan Burnett.

In the fourth quarter, Tulsa extended its lead with a commanding performance. At 13:57, Francis connected with Brody Foley for a 22-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 28-0. The reception by Foley was his first of his career. The Golden Hurricane's defense then made a key play when Elijah Green intercepted Earle's pass at 12:33, setting up a 40-yard rushing touchdown by Ajay Allen, increasing Tulsa's lead to 35–0. Abilene Christian responded with a touchdown drive, highlighted by Earle's 11-yard rushing touchdown at 6:42 and a successful kick by Kyler Meschi, closing the gap to 35–7.

Francis led the Tulsa offense with 218 passing yards on 20-of-31 attempts, throwing two touchdowns without an interception. Richardson carried the ball 20 times for 142 yards and one touchdown, setting a career-high in rushing yards, and added six receiving yards on one catch. Booker contributed six receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown, while Micah Tease added 69 receiving yards on four catches. On defense, Byron Turner Jr. made an impact with three sacks among his four tackles, while Ray Coney led the team with 14 tackles.

Looking ahead, the Golden Hurricane will head to Las Cruces, N.M., to face New Mexico State at Aggie Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 6. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. CT.

Visit www.TulsaHurricane.com for the latest news and information on the football program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'TulsaFootball' on X, Facebook and Instagram.