In desperate need of a win, Tulsa hosts UConn on Homecoming

The time is now to end Tulsa’s ridiculous 12-game losing streak against major college competition.

Yes, Tulsa has now gone the equivalent of an entire season without beating a FBS opponent.

That will likely change when Tulsa hosts horrid UConn (1-7, 0-4 AAC) at 6 p.m. Saturday night in TU’s Homecoming game at H.A. Chapman Stadium.

Perhaps the biggest reason Tulsa will probably defeat the Connecticut Huskies is that UConn is really bad. They've played much worse than the Golden Hurricane, even though both teams share identical records.

While most of Tulsa’s losses have been close, and Tulsa has blown leads in several of those games, UConn has gotten blown out of most of its games. UConn has only had two close losses, which both came in the last two weeks. Tulsa has not been blown out of a single game.

Last Saturday’s 22-17 loss at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut was hardly anything to be positive about since it was against dreadful independent UMass (3-6). UConn’s previous loss was a close 38-30 at South Florida (7-1, 3-1). But keep in mind that most of USF’s wins have been extremely close, including its last second win at Tulsa.

Like Tulsa (1-7, 0-4), UConn’s only win is over a FCS team. The Huskies defeated Rhode Island by seven points.

In Tulsa’s seven losses, the average margin of defeat has been 12 points. UConn, however, is losing by an average of 31.7 points per game. Really, there is no comparison in quality between the two teams.

Tulsa’s well-documented fourth-quarter problems have cost the Golden Hurricane at least three victories, and possibly more. In the losses at Houston, and at home to USF and last week to Tulane, Tulsa blew double digit fourth quarter leads.

This is in great part due to a passing game that has been subpar to say the least. But it is also due in great part to getting too conservative in the fourth quarter. In the last four games with Seth Boomer at quarterback, TU has been outscored 52-3 in the fourth quarter.

No matter how much better Tulsa’s defense has been this season, which has played much better with Bill Young in complete control instead of being co-defensive coordinator, the defense gets worn down in the fourth quarter. Especially when TU can’t pick up first downs to extend drives.

The best defense at any level of football is a good offense. When the other team can’t get the ball back, it can’t win.

TU coach Philip Montgomery has to be commended, however, for going for it on fourth-and-one at the Tulane 42-yard-line with over five minutes remaining and the game tied at 17-17. He knew that Tulsa had to try and win the game.

Although fans will certainly argue that Tulsa’s choice of going under center for the first time in the game was not the best option, and perhaps it wasn’t, but at least Tulsa was being aggressive. It is unfortunate that Boomer couldn’t hold on to the snap and fumbled.

There probably weren’t many TU fans at that point that didn’t think Tulane was going to go down and score, and possibly run out the clock. By that point, Tulane’s running game had worn down the Golden Hurricane defense.

And of course, Tulsa couldn’t drive to get the touchdown needed to tie the game and send it into overtime. Didn’t get close, barely crossing midfield before retreating.

But Boomer, who was starting only his fourth game, played a little better, completing 12 of 26 passes for 180 yards. His numbers would have been better if not for some key dropped passes. Boomer, however, did miss some open receivers as well.

Boomer’s counterpart this week at quarterback, David Pindell, is a major ground threat, and average passer. Pindell has rushed for 857 yards, eight touchdowns, and a 5.8 yards per carry average on the season, including consecutive 100-yard games the last two weeks.

Pindell rushed for 120 yards on 21 carries last week against UMass, and had 197 yards on 28 carries two weeks ago at South Florida. His best game of the year came against Central Florida, where he completed 27 of 41 passes for 266 yards, while rushing for 157 yards on 22 carries.

Running back Kevin Mensah has been solid, rushing for 646 yards and five touchdowns.

But UConn’s run defense is porous, giving up 315.9 yards per game on a whopping 7.5 yards per carry. The Huskies give up 47.8 points per game. Amazingly, UConn also gives up 309.6 yards passing per game.

One can imagine how many up the middle handoffs TU will try in the game. It might set some kind of record.

A win this week over the Huskies would give Tulsa some momentum going into the final stretch of the season against a relatively weak finishing schedule. The remaining schedule after UConn features games at Memphis (4-4, 1-3), at Navy (2-6, 1-3) and at home against SMU (3-5, 2-2).

Although the Golden Hurricane can’t qualify for a bowl game, a finish of 5-7 or even 4-8 would give TU a much better feeling going into next season. But a 2-10 or even 1-11 finish would be an unbelievably bad way to try and turn things around.

Neither Montgomery or his players are throwing in the towel on the season.

“We've still got a lot to play for and most importantly it's pride,” Montgomery said. “Pride for the name on the front of our jersey and pride for the name on the back of our jersey. Our guys work extremely hard, and we continue to battle and we continue to fight, and our guys have always done that. We'll continue to do that. And like I said, we've got pride about what we do and how we do it.”

Middle linebacker Cooper Edmiston, who has had an outstanding junior season leading the defense and coming up with turnovers, is frustrated like everybody else at TU. But there is still the same amount of fight left for him.

“It sucks for sure. Not being eligible to go to a bowl,” Edmiston said. “But we have got to move on, play UConn next week and get a win there.

“Keep our head up, keep fighting, keep playing, play for the seniors and keep your pride.”