Tulsa Faces Oklahoma State in Gateway First Bank Turnpike Classic

GAME 4: TULSA (1-2, 0-1 American) at Oklahoma State (1-1, 0-0 Big 12)
Date/Time:	Friday, September 19, 6:30 p.m. (CT)
Site:	Stillwater, Okla.
Stadium:	Boone Pickens Stadium (52,168)
Coaches:	TULSA – Tre Lamb (Tennessee Tech '12), 1st year OKLAHOMA STATE – Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State '90), 21st year
TV:	ESPN
Talent:	Anish Shroff (pxp), Andrew Ware (analyst), Paul Carcaterra (sideline)
Radio:	Big Country 99.5 FM or Online
Talent:	Bruce Howard (pxp), Rick Couri (analyst), Jeremie Poplin (sideline)
Live Stats:	Live Stats
Series:	77th Meeting (Oklahoma State leads series, 44-27-5)
Game Notes:	Tulsa \| Oklahoma State \| American Conference

NEXT UP
• Tulsa returns to the road for the Gateway First Bank Turnpike Classic in Stillwater, facing in-state foe Oklahoma State on Friday night.
• This will be the 77th meeting between the two programs, dating back to 1914.
• The teams last met in 2024 at H.A. Chapman Stadium, where OSU won 45-10.
• Oklahoma State leads the all-time series 44-27-5 and has won 10 straight, a streak that began in 1999.
• Tulsa's last win in the series came in 1998 (35-20), while the last Golden Hurricane victory in Stillwater was in 1951 (37-7).
• TU holds a 5-27-3 record in Stillwater.
• The schools are separated by just 72 miles.

LAST TIME
• Tulsa returned to H.A. Chapman Stadium last Saturday for its first American Conference matchup of the year but came up short in a 42-23 loss to Navy.
• The Golden Hurricane struck first, scoring on their opening drive.
• TU posted 14 first-quarter points, its most in an opening period since the 2024 season opener vs. Northwestern State (14 points, 8/29/24).
• The defense forced three Navy turnovers in the first quarter, highlighted by two interceptions from Elijah Green.

NATION'S NO. 2 TACKLER
• Ray Coney has led Tulsa's defense through the first three games with 36 total tackles, the most in the American Conference.
• Nationally, only two players have more tackles: UCLA's Isaiah Chisom (37 in 3 games) and Kansas State's Austin Romaine (37 in 4 games).
• Coney is averaging 12.0 tackles per game, the top mark in the American and second-best in the nation. The top five tacklers in the nation can be found here:

Rank	Name	School	Tackles Per Game
1.	Isaiah Chisom	UCLA	12.3
2.	Ray Coney	Tulsa	12.0
	Owen Long	Colorado State	12.0
4.	JonJon Vaughns	UCLA	11.7
5.	Bryan McCoy Jr.	Oklahoma State	11.5
	Andon Thomas	Army	11.5

• He has logged two 14-tackle performances this season (vs. Abilene Christian, vs. Navy), both coming at H.A. Chapman Stadium. He added 8 tackles at New Mexico State.
• Beyond tackles, Coney has contributed 1.5 TFL, a QB hurry, and a pass breakup.
• Coney entered the year with high expectations, earning preseason honors:
                • Second-team All-AAC (Phil Steele)
                • Fourth-team All-AAC (Athlon Sports)
                • East-West Shrine Bowl 1,000 Player Watch List (only TU player selected).

BALL HAWK GREEN
• Elijah Green has been a ball hawk for the Golden Hurricane, recording takeaways in all three games this season.
• He opened with an interception vs. Abilene Christian, then added a fumble recovery at New Mexico State, before a career night against Navy with two first-quarter interceptions — his first multi-pick game.
• Green's three interceptions lead both the AAC and the nation; he's one of just five players nationally with three INTs.
• He set a career-high with 7 tackles at New Mexico State (previous best: 5 vs. North Texas, 2024), also forcing a fumble and breaking up a pass.
• Through three games, Green has tallied 13 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2 PBUs, and a fumble recovery, showcasing his all-around defensive impact.

TARGET BOOKER
• Zion Booker has emerged as Tulsa's go-to target, recording 5+ receptions in all three games this season. He now has eight career games with 5+ receptions.
• In his American Conference debut vs. Navy, he posted 8 catches for 90 yards, both team highs.
• The week prior, he notched a career-high 9 receptions at New Mexico State, becoming the first TU player with 9+ grabs in a game since 2022 (Keylon Stokes & Malachai Jones). The last Hurricane with more than nine was Stokes (11 at Wyoming, 2022).
• On the year, Booker leads TU with 23 receptions for 214 yards.
• He ranks 2nd in the American and 7th nationally in receptions per game (7.67), while averaging 71.3 yards per game (7th in the American).

HAYES MAKES FIRST START AT TU
• Baylor Hayes made his first start for the Golden Hurricane against Navy and set multiple career highs.
• He accounted for two touchdowns (1 passing, 1 rushing), marking the second straight game with scores both through the air and on the ground.
• Hayes threw for a career-best 189 yards, completing 22-of-37 passes — his first career game with 22 completions and over 150 passing yards.
• On the ground, he added his second career rushing TD, following his first the previous week at New Mexico State.
• Through two games this season, Hayes has thrown for 323 yards and 2 TDs on 36 completions, while also scoring twice on the ground.
• For his career, Hayes is completing 64% of his passes and averaging 9.3 yards per attempt.

BRINGING THE HEAT
• Tulsa's defense has tallied eight sacks through three games, ranking 35th nationally (2.7 per game).
• TU opened the season with five sacks vs. Abilene Christian and added two more at New Mexico State (sacks by J'Dan Burnett, Byron Turner Jr., and Nahki Johnson).
• Byron Turner Jr. recorded three sacks in Week 1, becoming the first TU player with three in a game since Ben Kopenski (Nov. 18, 2023) and just the second since 2008 to post three in a season opener (joining Zaven Collins).
• Burnett added two sacks vs. ACU, forming one of the league's top pass-rush tandems.
• TU's five-sack opener matched its single-game high from all of 2024 and was the most by any American Conference team in Week 1.
• Burnett's four sacks through three games already surpass the individual season-high for any TU defender in 2024.
• Burnett is averaging 1.67 sacks per game, the seventh-most nationally and highest in the American Conference.

RICHARDSON POWERS TULSA BACKFIELD
• Dominic Richardson makes a return to familiar territory Friday night in Stillwater, where he began his career at Oklahoma State before transferring to Baylor and then Tulsa.
• Richardson has established himself as TU's lead back, averaging 17.6 carries and 98.7 yards per game through the first three weeks.
• His 5.5 yards per carry average in 2025 is the best mark of his career.
• In 48 career games, Richardson has rushed for 2,063 yards on 481 carries (4.2 ypc).
2025 Season Highlights
• Logged 20 carries for 93 yards (4.7 avg.), including a 32-yard run, at New Mexico State.
• Marked his second straight game with 20+ carries — a first time in his career.
• In the season opener vs. ACU, rushed for 142 yards on 20 carries, including a career-long 57-yard touchdown run.
                o His 142-yard outing ranked as the 12th-highest single-game rushing total nationally in Week 1 and was the second-best of his career (169 vs. Baylor, Dec. 12, 2020).
                o Also became TU's first 100-yard rusher since Nov. 23, 2024 (Anthony Watkins, 101 vs. USF).
                o Marked the fourth 100-yard game of his career and his first since 2022 (vs. Arizona State, Oklahoma State).
                o His 7.1 yards per carry average was the fourth-best single-game mark of his career.

OPENING DRIVES
• Saturday marked the first time this season Tulsa scored on its opening drive, going 35 yards in 5 plays, capped by a 14-yard TD run from Dominic Richardson.
• On the flip side, TU's defense has been lockdown to start games — opponents have been held scoreless on their opening drives in all three contests.
• Through three games, Tulsa has allowed just 11 total yards on opponents' first possessions.

2025 CAPTAINS
• Head Coach Tre Lamb announced the 2025 team captains on Sunday night ahead of the season opener.
• Captain selections include one head coach's pick and four team-voted leaders (two offense, two defense).
• The 2025 team captains are:
                • Kirk Francis – Quarterback
                • Sevion Morrison – Running Back
                • Chris Thompson Jr. – Linebacker
                • Ray Coney – Linebacker
                • Tai Newhouse – Defensive Line

RECRUIT LOCAL
• Coach Tre Lamb's message is simple: Recruit Local. And it shows — 23 Golden Hurricane players hail from the Tulsa area.
• Of those 23, 16 are from Tulsa, four from Owasso, and three from Bixby.
• Expanding across the state, Tulsa's roster features 31 players from Oklahoma. Key transfers returning home include JD Drew, Micah Tease, Sevion Morrison, and Dominic Richardson.
• Lamb has emphasized that keeping homegrown talent in Tulsa not only strengthens the roster but also deepens the program's connection with fans and alumni.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREAKS LIST
• Bruce Feldman, a prominent national college football reporter, compiles an annual list for The Athletic highlighting the most physically impressive players in the country.
• Braylin Presley earned a spot on the 2025 Freaks List, recognized as one of college football's most dynamic and explosive athletes.
• Presley made an impact last season as a returner, averaging 52 yards on three kickoff returns.
• The 5-6, 170-pound senior boasts elite measurables: 10.4 100 meters, 23 mph top speed, 1.44 10-yard split, 38-inch vertical, 4.18 shuttle, 585-pound squat, and a 315-pound power clean.

WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT TULSA'S FOOTBALL TRADITION
• New Year's Day Bowl Streak: Tulsa was the first school to play in five consecutive New Year's Day bowl games: Sun Bowl (1942), Sugar Bowl (1943, 1944), Orange Bowl (1945), and Oil Bowl (1946).
• Ellis Jones: An All-American guard in 1945, Jones played with one arm and was a standout on the College All-Star team vs. the Chicago Bears.
• Pro Football Hall of Fame: Four former Tulsa players are enshrined: Bob St. Clair, Jim Finks, Steve Largent, and Drew Pearson.
• Heisman Runners-Up: Jerry Rhome (1964) and Howard Twilley (1965) finished second in Heisman Trophy voting.
• Glenn Dobbs (1940–42): Considered Tulsa's greatest player, Dobbs also coached the Hurricane in the 1960s. Eighth Street near H.A. Chapman Stadium is Glenn Dobbs Drive, dedicated in 2000. A statue of Dobbs was dedicated before the 2013 spring game.
• Zaven Collins (2020): Consensus All-America linebacker who won the Chuck Bednarik and Bronko Nagurski awards as college football's top defender.
• NFL Head Coaches: Four former Tulsa players have served as NFL head coaches: Tommy Hudspeth (Detroit Lions), Sam Rutigliano (Cleveland Browns), Ray Rhodes (Philadelphia Eagles/Green Bay Packers), and Lovie Smith (Chicago Bears/Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Houston Texans).
• College Football Hall of Fame: Tulsa has three former players, two former head coaches, and two former assistant coaches inducted:
                • Players: Glenn Dobbs (1940–42, 1961–68), Howard Twilley (1963–65), Jerry Rhome (1963–64)
                • Head Coaches: Francis Schmidt (1919–21), John Cooper (1977–84)
                • Assistant Coaches: Darrell Royal (1951), Sammy Baugh (1963)

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.

Tulsa Faces Oklahoma State in Gateway First Bank Turnpike Classic

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Zion Booker

J'Dan Burnett

Ray Coney

JD Drew

Kirk Francis

Elijah Green

Baylor Hayes

Nahki Johnson

Malachai Jones

Sevion Morrison

Tai Newhouse

Braylin Presley

Dominic Richardson

Micah Tease

Chris Thompson Jr.

Byron Turner Jr.

Anthony Watkins

Tulsa Faces Oklahoma State in Gateway First Bank Turnpike Classic

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Zion Booker

J'Dan Burnett

Ray Coney

JD Drew

Kirk Francis

Elijah Green

Baylor Hayes

Nahki Johnson

Malachai Jones

Sevion Morrison

Tai Newhouse

Braylin Presley

Dominic Richardson

Micah Tease

Chris Thompson Jr.

Byron Turner Jr.

Anthony Watkins

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