NDL: S32W9 - Tulsa (41) at UT San Antonio (31)
Bill Jackson had the Game Sealing TD on the day.Tulsa Outlasts the Road Runners
Article By: By Chris Berman-ish
SAN ANTONIO — In a game that felt more like a Texas tornado warning than a football matchup, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane weathered the early storm, roared back, and closed out strong to stun the UTSA Roadrunners, 41–31, at the Alamodome in a Saturday night thriller that had more twists than a country road.
You wanna talk starts? UTSA came out like a jalapeño on a hot sidewalk. On the very first possession, Tulsa turned the ball over, and Roadrunners QB Brandon “Don’t Call Me Steve” Tennyson went full throttle — finding Makai “Smooth as” Anderson for a 45-yard bomb that set the Alamodome on fire. 7–zip. Tulsa fans might’ve been thinking, “Here we go again,” as that marked the fourth straight game they opened in a hole.
But then, Cooper “Lightning” Legas channeled some Sooner State sorcery, launching a 60-yard moon ball to Braylon Presley, like Elvis in cleats, who took it to the house with 1:24 left in the first. The tide was turning — and quickly.
Cue the defense. Enter: Aquarius Dunbar. More like Aquarius Pick-Six Dunbar. He read Tennyson like a bedtime story, jumped the route, and high-stepped 65 yards to the end zone with just 35 ticks left in the quarter. Just like that, the Hurricane led 14–7, and UTSA looked like they'd been hit by a gust they didn’t see coming.
Second quarter? Tulsa kept the pedal to the medal. Seth “All Net” Morgan knocked through a 32-yard field goal, and Bill “Action” Jackson bulldozed his way in for a six-yard TD. 24–7? Not quite. UTSA had answers. Brandon “Hy-Flyin” High busted loose for a 65-yard sprint to glory, and Anderson again caught a 50-yard prayer as the first half expired. Fireworks, folks. At the break: Tulsa 24, UTSA 21.
Third quarter, and guess who? High again. Seventeen-yard scamper into the end zone, and UTSA flipped the scoreboard back in their favor, 28–24. The dome was rumblin’. But Tulsa wasn’t done stirring up trouble.
After another Seth Morgan FG, Malachi “Pick Me” Jones turned defense into dance moves, snatching a Tennyson pass and racing 61 yards to the promised land. The Golden Hurricane blew back into the lead, 34–28.
Fourth quarter? Batten down the hatches. UTSA managed just a field goal to trim it to 34–31, but when Tulsa got the ball with four minutes left, Legas turned into Johnny Unitas with a mustache. Two first downs, a 9-yard swing to Bill Jackson, and then...
BOOM! Legas to Jackson — 41 yards and a spin-cycle highlight reel. Bill Jackson turned two defenders into traffic cones and waltzed into the end zone like it was prom night. That was all she wrote.
Key 1 Parker sealed it with a clutch INT with 1:38 left, and Tulsa went full victory formation to close it out.
Final: Tulsa 41, UTSA 31.
Tulsa improves to 8-3 overall, 6-1 in conference, and now controls its own destiny heading into a showdown with USF. UTSA, meanwhile, heads back to the drawing board after getting caught in the eye of the storm.
Boomer’s Bottom Line: You don’t mess with Mother Nature — and you don’t sleep on a team that knows how to finish. The Golden Hurricane brought thunder, lightning, and a whole lot of heart to San Antonio.
As always… “He. Could. Go. All. The. Way.”
Runners implode vs Tulsa, fall 41-31
Article By: In a game that perfectly captured the season, the Roadrunners applied pressure and made big plays, but undermined their own success with boneheaded plays, as the Roadrunners pick-six their way to defeat.
Following a 4 TD, turnover free performance, QB Brandon Tennison regressed to play like the backup QB he had been to start the season. Two impressive stops by the defense were rewarded with two methodical drives, until disaster struck. Following an explosive 45 yard strike to WR Mehki Anderson, the Roadrunner offense again took the field, driving in to the Tulsa redzone. But an unblocked rusher caught Tennison off-guard, and the young QB fumbled. Two plays later, Tulsa WR Braylin Pressley raced by the defense for a 67 yard strike and tied the game. Next, a pick six, and another redzone turnover, and the 7-0 lead had become a 24-7 deficit.
With only 1 min left in the half and Tulsa receiving the 2nd half kickoff, coach Mort knew points would be vital, and so did the speedster HB Brandon High. On 2nd and inches, with 1:06 remaining, he wiggled through the Tulsa defense for a 75 yard scamper, bringing the score to 24-14 and reviving the crowd. A quick 3-and-out, and the Roadrunners would have the ball and the shot at more points to end the half.
With 50 yards and 8 seconds on the clock, lighting struck in San Antonio, and Mehki Anderson found himself all alone in the Tulsa secondary, sprinting to the endzone with no time remaining, and bringing the score to 24-21.
The Roadrunners forced an opening drive INT on the first play, and then Brandon High raced 16 yards for his 2nd TD of the day on UTSA's first play... and the Roadrunners were in control, 28-24.
But another pick six would seal the Roadrunners fate. Tulsa would add a FG, and the 28-24 lead became a 33-28 deficit the Roadrunners would never recover from. Tennison would airmail multiple throws to open WRs, and the game would be lost.
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