Tulsa suffers 29-20 home loss against Arkansas State

Even with a seemingly insurmountable deficit due to overall poor and lifeless play, Tulsa still looked like it would have a chance to complete the comeback against an Arkansas State team it should beat at home almost every time.

Instead, with TU backed up to its own end zone, Keylon Stokes was tackled for a safety on a jet sweep in the fourth quarter, and any chances of a comeback were gone.

The result was a 29-20 Tulsa loss to Arkansas State in front of 17,349 bewildered fans Saturday night at H.A. Chapman Stadium.

Tulsa was down 27-7 early in the third quarter due to a series of turnovers, missed tackles and poor execution. At that point in time, the Red Wolves were dominating in every facet of the game.

However, Tulsa (1-2) showed some life when it got the ball back and and narrowed the margin to 27-20. TU even had the ball back at its own 4-yard-line with 8:01 remaining after a fair catch on a punt.

But Stokes took the handoff at the goal line on a seldom used jet sweep on the first play and was dropped for a loss. The safety with 7:56 remaining effectively ended Tulsa’s hopes, and the defense couldn't get off the field after that point, letting the Red Wolves unbelievably run out the clock on its ensuing possession.

“We were just running a jet play that we’ve been executing really well,” said TU coach Philip Montgomery. “They slanted the front, and we just didn’t handle the penetration very well.

“If we get to the outside, I think it’s fixing to be a big hitter, but we just didn’t get it very well communicated up front.”

Unfortunately, Arkansas State defensive tackle Kevin Thurmon split in between redshirt freshman guard Chris Paul and senior center Chandler Miller to make the play.

Tulsa was often manhandled at the line of scrimmage and everywhere else by a Sun Belt team that finished 7-5 last season. The first half, where Tulsa trailed 13-7, was particularly rough, as the Red Wolves outgained the Golden Hurricane 246-106.

Even more mystifying was that Tulsa (1-2) scored on its first drive and looked like it would control the game at the point. Corey Taylor’s 2-yard run capped a 13-play, 62-yard drive that gave Tulsa an early 7-0 lead.

But after that, Tulsa’s offense was absolutely inept until trailing by 20 points. Too many three-and-outs. Turnovers. Penalties. Mistakes.

“We took the opening drive and went down and scored and then we really just sputtered offensively there in the first half,” saiid Montgomery. “The defense had to stay on the field way too much there in the first half.

“You can’t wait that long. When you’ve got opportunities, you’ve got to take advantage of them.”

After getting down 27-7 early in the third quarter, the Golden Hurricane looked like it was going to score a touchdown on its next series, but it bogged down. Tulsa put in Chad President on third-and-goal at the 4-yard-line. His option run was predictable, and he had no running room, losing a yard.

Instead of going for it of fourth down, Tulsa settled for 22-yard field goal by Nate Walker. Tulsa was down 27-10 with 5:06 left in the third quarter.

The Hurricane had been down only 13-7 at halftime, and got the ball back to start the second half. But a fumble on a pass play by Jarion Anderson on the first play set the tempo for the entire half.

With a short field, Arkansas State quarterback Justice Hansen, with no backs in the backfield, ran the ball on third-and-two. The result was an 18-yard touchdown run up the middle through a gaping hole, and Tulsa was down 20-7.

On the next series, Luke Skipper was hit while passing around midfield, and the resulting flutterball was easily picked and run back for a touchdown, and Tulsa was shockingly down 27-7 with 10:25 left in the third quarter.

After narrowing the score to 27-10, Skipper connected with Cole Neph on fourth-and-three on a rollout for a 10-yard touchdown, and all of a sudden Tulsa was down only 27-17 with 14:57 remaining.

A 38-yard field goal by Walker with 11:13 remaining got the margin down to a one possession game at 27-20. Tulsa then stopped Arkansas State on a third-and-one run play just inside of midfield, forcing a punt.

Skipper finished the game completing 19 of 27 passes for 172 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was sacked four times and lost a fumble. He finished with 25 yards rushing on nine carries.

Skipper was understandably down after losing a game TU should win. But he was determined to put it behind him.

“We’ve got to come back together and go back to work tomorrow. This won’t happen again,” Skipper said.

Shamari Brooks rushed for 115 yards on 21 carries to lead the Golden Hurricane, while Taylor was held to 32 yards on 10 carries.

Justice Hansen, a previous OU signee who was the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year in 2017, was limited to 191 yards passing, completing 20 of 33 passes. He led ASU with 80 yards rushing on 14 carries.

Tulsa’s defense allowed 214 yards rushing on 49 carries. It just didn’t do a good job containing Hansen, as his successful runs usually consisted of wide open spaces.

Overall, ASU (2-1) outgained TU 405-339.

• Tulsa played most of the game with a three-man front and three safeties. Juco transfer TieNeal Martin subbed for Cristian Williams at deep safety and had 14 tackles to tie for the team lead with fellow safety McKinley Whitfield.

• As reported Saturday afternoon on Inside Tulsa Sports, Cristian Williams’ career is likely over due to a spinal cyst that was discovered this week.

• Senior tight end Chris Minter got his first playing time of the season at tight end, although Cole Neph played the majority of the game. Minter had been battling an injury which kept him out of the first two games.

• Zaven Collins, a 6-4, 250-pound redshirt freshman, got his first career start, starting at linebacker in place of injured Robert Revels. Collins finished third on the team with 12 tackles, including two tackles for loss.