by TULSA, Okla. – The University of Tulsa football team erased a 14-point fourth quarter deficit, scoring with 0:10 left in regulation to force overtime against Texas State, but ultimately fell in the third extra period, 37-34, in front of a crowd of 21,353 Saturday evening at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
The Golden Hurricane (1-3) trailed 17-3 before scoring two touchdowns in the final 10 minutes of the game. Sophomore quarterback Dane Evans (Wichita & Affiliated Tribes) scored on a one-yard keeper with 0:10 on the clock, and with the PAT tied the score, 17-17.
Tulsa and Texas State traded touchdowns for the first two overtimes. In the third, Salazar booted a 31-yard field goal, but Texas State’s Terrence Franks scored on a two-yard run to give the Bobcats (2-2) the win.
The game-tying TU score capped a 17-play, 75-yard drive that melted 7:00 from the game clock. The Hurricane converted three fourth down attempts on the drive. On 4th and one from its own 34, Mandel Dixon Jr. ran up the middle for 10 yards. On 4th and five at the TXST 40, Evans hit Conner Floyd with an eight-yard pass.
On the defensive side of the ball Chris Hummingbird (Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma) had 4 solo tackles and 2 assisted tackles on the night. He was also credited with a quarterback hurry for the Hurricane. “We keep preaching to go out there and give a fanatical effort and I think we did that. We probably didn’t start out as well as we wanted to, because they got the first points on the board. But it was pretty good for us to actually come back and hold them, come back and take it into overtime.” said Hummingbird.
Saturday’s game was the second overtime contest of the season for Tulsa, and first triple overtime game since 2004. TU opened this season with a 38-31 double overtime victory over Tulane. The Hurricane dropped its only other triple overtime contest, 54-48, at Nevada on Oct. 23, 2004.
Tulsa will go on the road next week to Colorado State for the first of two straight games away from home. The Hurricane and Rams play at 2 p.m. CT on the Mountain West Network.
