Tulane University
Oklahoma
Football Downed by No. 13 Oklahoma 34-19
Sep 14, 2024 | Football
FINAL STATS | ESPN HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTO GALLERY (BY PARKER WATERS) | POSTGAME SUMRALL PRESS CONFERENCE | POSTGAME MENSAH PRESS CONFERENCE | POSTGAME GRUBBS PRESS CONFERENCE
NORMAN – The Tulane football team (1-2) fought hard and scored 13 points in the second half to make it a one-score game before falling to No. 13 Oklahoma (3-0) by a 34-19 score on Saturday, Sept. 14, at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah went 14-for-32 for 166 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Redshirt sophomore running back Makhi Hughes had 84 all-purpose yards with 71 rushing and 13 receiving. He also had a receiving touchdown. Senior Dontae Fleming led the team with his four catches for 59 yards. He also picked up 19 yards on an end around for 78 all-purpose yards. Mario Williams totaled three catches for 36 yards. Quarterback Ty Thompson connected on his only pass of the game for a touchdown. Tight end Reggie Brown had a touchdown reception.
Sam Howard led the Tulane defense with 10 stops. Tyler Grubbs had a solid all-around game with five tackles, a sack and a interception that he returned for a score. Kevin Adams III and Bailey Despanie both had nine tackles in the contest. Patrick Jenkins tallied a sack.
Tulane's offense were limited to 279 yards with 106 on the ground and 173 yards in the air. The Sooners picked up 349 yards including 182 rushing.
Oklahoma started the scoring as Jackson Arnold ran it in from a yard out to put the Sooners up 7-0 with 7:36 remaining in the first quarter.
The Sooners scored the game's second touchdown as Arnold connected with Taylor Tatum on a nine-yard pitch-and-catch to increase the deficit to 14-0 with 10:02 remaining in the second quarter.
Oklahoma added another score on their ensuing drive as Tatum rushed it in from a yard out to put the margin at 21-0 with 3:39 remaining in the first half.
The Green Wave cut the deficit to two scores on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Ty Thompson to Reggie Brown with 00:19 seconds remaining in the opening half. The extra point was missed to end the streak of 203 straight for a Tulane player that started against South Alabama in 2020 and kept the score at 21-6 going into the break.
Following halftime, Oklahoma scored on their opening possession on a made 29-yard field goal from Tyler Keltner at the 9:20 mark of the third quarter to increase the lead to 24-6 Sooners.
The Green Wave answered with a touchdown a nine play, 75-yard drive completed on a nine-yard pass to Makhi Hughes from Darian Mensah to put Tulane down 11, 24-13, at the 4:45 mark of the third quarter.
The Green Wave kept fighting and got to within one score, 24-19, as Tyler Grubbs recorded an interception and returned it for a 22-yard touchdown with 14:20 remaining in the game.
After a Tulane interception caused a short field, Oklahoma took advantage as Arnold rushed it in from 24-yard out to put the lead at two scores, 31-19, with 6:05 remaining in the game.
The Sooners added one more field goal to make the final score 34-19.
Next, the football team continues the road trip and travels to Lafayette to take on Louisiana on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 11 a.m.
NOTES:
- Will Karoll's 78-yard punt in the second quarter was tied for the third-longest in school history along with Ross Thevenot vs. UCF (2009), Eddie Dunn vs. Vanderbilt (1958) and Lou Thomas vs. Georgia (1942).- Tulane's miss extra point in the first half was their first in the last 204 attempts dating back to the 2020 season against South Alabama
- Tulane is 1-2 for only the fourth time since 2016 and the 36th time overall (2024, 2021, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2000, 1997, 1996, 1994, 1992, 1987, 1986, 1982, 1980, 1971, 1967, 1965, 1959, 1957, 1953, 1952, 1950, 1947, 1946, 1933, 1927, 1913, 1903 and 1893)
- Tulane has lost consecutive games for the first time since the 2023 AAC Championship Game to SMU (L, 26-14) and the 2023 Military Bowl to Virginia Tech (L, 41-20)
- The loss was the third for Tulane against Oklahoma in school history as the program had lost the previous to the Sooners in 2017 (56-14) and in 2021 (40-35).
- Tulane is now 166-276-31 all-time against current schools in the SEC…The school, a former member of the SEC, has been playing against SEC opponents since a matchup against Alabama and Texas in 1894…The program's most victories against an SEC opponent is 29 against Vanderbilt.
- The game against No. 15/13 Oklahoma was Tulane second consecutive game against a ranked opponent after facing off with N0.17 Kansas State last weekend…The team hadn't played AP ranked opponents in back-to-back games since victories in the 2022 AAC Championship game against then No. 22 UCF and the 2023 Cotton Bowl against then No. 10 USC.
- Head Coach Jon Sumrall has now started each of the last three seasons at 1-2
- The loss was only the fourth that Jon Sumrall has suffered in his career on the road.
- The loss ends Tulane's school-record 10 straight in true road games which coming into the game was the third longest nationally.
- Since the start of the 2022 season, Tulane is now 24-7.
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