Early mistakes lead to blowout loss against Rice

Self-inflicted mistakes started the disaster. And it developed into a mostly lifeless performance for Tulsa.

The result was a 42-10 walloping by Rice over Tulsa in a hapless performance Thursday night in front of 18,527 fans at H.A. Chapman Stadium.

"We laid an egg as an offense and defense tonight. It's kind of tough to swallow," said Tulsa coach Kevin Wilson. "But we're not going to cast those guys under the bus. We're going to fight our way through it."

And to go along with the nightmarish game, Tulsa failed in its attempt to break the world record for beer tasting before the game.

It was the first game of the Kevin Wilson era where his team showed little-to-no life. It's safe to say that this type of lethargic, inept performance will be met with some changes next week. Perhaps some young players will get moved up?

Tulsa (3-4, 1-2 AAC) got down 14-0 in the first quarter against a team that just lost at home to one of the worst teams in college football, UConn.

The disaster began with poor play by starting quarterback Braylon Braxton, who made a horrible decision while out of the pocket to throw the ball up for grabs when he had running room on the second offensive play of the game for Tulsa.

"First drive, bonehead play by me, trying to throw back across my body. Interception," Braxton said. "We're kind of like shooting ourselves in the foot.

"If I don't throw the ball to the other team, keep strong hands in the pocket, don't let the ball go, I feel like it's a different football game.

"Coach Wilson will probably take the blame, but I'm going to go ahead and say that one is on me. As an experienced player, I can't put our team in that position, letting the ball go or giving it to the other team, especially in a game like that where the talent is equal."

Braxton's interception set up a shocking, up the middle TD run by one of the least impressive running backs Tulsa will face all season. Dean Connors, who led a previously inept ground game for the Owls with 180 yards for the season, broke off an untouched 54-yarder to put Tulsa down 7-0.

When Braxton fumbled on the next series, Tulsa allowed Rice to quickly score, and it was all of a sudden 14-0.

Enter QB Cardell Williams, who fumbled the ball away. Braxton and Williams would switch off QB duties for the rest of the game. They were both on the field at times. Braxton even dropped an easy swing pass from Williams.

Things looked up a little when Tulsa finally scored some points. When Williams hit Kamdyn Benjamin on a 30-yard TD pass with 1:20 left in the half, it looked like TU would go into halftime trailing just 14-10 with the prospect of getting the ball back to start the second half.

But a quick Rice drive against matador defense, led by talented journeyman quarterback J.T. Daniels, completely deflated Tulsa. And TU didn't recover.

But still, a potential opening drive TD by Tulsa could have gotten the Hurricane back into the game. Instead, a three-and-out followed with Braxton at quarterback. Tulsa's next series was another three-and-out, with Williams at QB.

Rice (4-3, 2-1) responded to those two pitiful drive attempts by scoring touchdowns against a less-than-resistant Tulsa defense.

And before the end of the quarter, the game was over.

"Kind of a slow death march for us there," Wilson said.

Tulsa made Daniels, a former five-star recruit who played for USC, Georgia, and West Virginia, look like a Heisman candidate. Daniels has mostly played well this season. Although not against UConn. But he hasn't been that good.

Daniels completed 24 of 37 passes for 342 yards and 2 TD's. And Daniels' running back, Dean Connors, gained 120 yards on just 9 carries. A 13.3 yards-per-carry average.

For Tulsa, Williams and Braxton accomplished next-to-nothing passing. Braxton was Tulsa's leading rusher in his first game starting since the season opener, gaining 89 yards on 12 carries. Although 40 yards of that came on one attempt.

Braxton completed 4 of 8 passes for 37 yards and an interception. Williams completed 7 of 14 for 101 yards.

The unsettled quarterback situation, with horrible turnovers by both, will lead to nothing but failure until those types of mistakes are resolved.

Because, let's face it. Losing to Rice at home is always bad. But getting blown out? Unbelievable.