by TULSA, Okla. – USF scored 31 second-half points to claim a 38-30 win over Tulsa Saturday afternoon in front of a Homecoming crowd of 18,744 at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
The Golden Hurricane led 27-7 at the half, but was outscored 31-3 in the second half. Tulsa gained a 314-96 advantage in total yards in the first half, but that tipped to 316-174 in favor of USF in the second half.TU fell to 1-6 overall and 1-2 in American Athletic Conference play, while USF improved to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in conference play.
For the game, TU quarterback Dane Evans (Wichita and Affiliated Tribes) completed 22-of-34 passed for 314 yards. Sophomore receiver Keevan Lucas caught 11 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown, and junior running back Zack Langer gained 100 yards on 26 rushes.
In Evans, Lucas and Langer, the Golden Hurricane produced a 300-yard passer, 100-yard receiver and 100-yard rusher in the same game since Nov. 12, 2011.
Tulsa scored the initial points of the game for the first time this season. On USF’s second offensive play, McDaniel jumped an out route and returned the interception 46 yards for the touchdown, giving TU a 7-0 lead at the 12:30 mark of the opening quarter.
USF tied the score with 10:37 left in the first on a 34-yard run by Marlon Mack, which capped a two-play, 29-yard drive.
The Hurricane responded with a 12-play, 61-yard drive leading to a 31-yard Salazar field goal, which gave TU a 10-7 lead. On the drive, Evans threw 40 yards downfield to Lucas, who
Tulsa, which had scored seven first-quarter points this season entering Saturday, took a 17-7 lead with 2:17 remaining in the period. Bishop Louie took a reverse handoff and raced 18 yards around the left end for his first career touchdown. Louie caught a 39-yard pass earlier on the drive.
TU extended its lead to 24-7 when Evans found Lucas on third down for an eight-yard touchdown pass with 10:31 left in the half. Salazar’s 19-yard field goal at the end of the quarter gave Tulsa a 27-7 lead at the half.
The Hurricane totaled 314 yards in the first half, while holding the Bulls to 96 total yards. Evans was 11-of-14 passing for 222 yards in the opening half.
South Florida scored on its opening possession of the second half when Mack ran 54 yards for a touchdown, cutting Tulsa’s lead to 27-14.
The Hurricane drove 60 yards in nine plays on the ensuing drive, scoring on a 32-yard field goal by Salazar. His third field goal of the game made the score TU 30, USF 14, with 8:27 to play in the third quarter.
USF cut the Tulsa lead to 30-21 on a 15-yard pass from Mike White to Andre Davis, capping seven-play, 52-yard drive. Tulsa drove 34 yards on its next possession, but a 47-yard field goal attempt by Salazar was blocked. It would have been a career-long field goal for the senior. The Bulls took over and drove 72 yards to make the score, 30-28, with 9:23 left in the game on another 15-yard pass from White to Davis.
USF took the 35-30 lead after a Tulsa punt, and scored on White’s 85-yard pass to Davis. A 28-yard field goal by Marvin Kloss extended the Bulls’ lead to 38-30 with 2:33 remaining in the game.
The Golden Hurricane will take a week off before traveling to Memphis for a Halloween night American Athletic Conference game against the Tigers at 7 p.m. on Oct. 31.
