Despite outplaying Memphis in most areas, it came down to Tulsa’s Achilles Heel - field goal kicking.
The Golden Hurricane really weren’t going to miss a 29-yard field goal at home for the win on Homecoming, would they?
Jacob Rainey’s 29-yard field goal attempt on the last play of the game to beat No. 25 Memphis was hooked left. And with it, Tulsa lost 42-41 in front of what was left of an announced crowd of 17,173 at H.A. Chapman Stadium on Saturday night.
It was the second time in 21 days that Tulsa has missed a game-winning field goal attempt against a ranked team. So instead of being 4-4 overall, 2-2 in AAC play, Tulsa is 2-6 and 0-4.
Rainey, a freshman walk-on who made two of five field goals for the game, and is nine of 16 for the season, had made a 26-yarder with 5:14 remaining to increase Tulsa’s lead to 41-35. But Memphis took only three plays to go 60 yards to take back the lead at 42-41.
“We definitely could have done it (win) by stopping them and not letting them score,” said Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins. “If they don’t score, they don’t win. So, it’s not just his fault, it’s everyone on the team.”
But Tulsa came back after that last Memphis TD and grinded the clock out with clutch pass plays and run plays, and when it set up for the potential game-winner, it looked like TU might finally break through for a big win.
The shame of losing the game is that Tulsa outplayed Memphis and should have won the game. Especially after getting down 14-0 in the first seven minutes of the first quarter.
Tulsa outgained Memphis 584-498, and had a whopping advantage in plays of 101-59, and a time-of-possession advantage of 36:05 to 23:55. And Tulsa won the turnover battle 2-0.
“Put ourselves in a position to win, just didn’t come our way,” said Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery, with his voice cracking up with emotion. “Can’t tell you how proud I am of them.”
Memphis (7-1, 3-1) was led by freshman sensation Kenneth Gainwell, who had 149 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 24 attempts. But considering he had 82 of those yards on two carries, Gainwell was held to 67 yards on his other 22 carries, including a key fourth-down stop early in the third quarter by Collins when Tulsa was trailing by 11.
Brady White completed 15 of 25 passes for 277 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers. By comparison, TU’s Zach Smith completed 23 of 40 for 309 yards and a touchdown. Keylon Stokes was absolutely terrific, with 9 catches for 129 yards.
Shamari Brooks grounded out 156 yards on 36 carries for Tulsa, while Corey Taylor gained 85 yards on 13 carries.
Down 28-17 at halftime, TU battled back and finally took the lead on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Smith to JuanCarlos Santana in the back left corner of the end zone to put TU up 38-35 with 9:33 left in the game.
A recovered fumble at the Memphis 23-yard-line by Collins on the next series gave Tulsa a chance to put the game away if it would score a TD, but it settled for a field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-six at the Memphis 9-yard-line.
“There isn’t anything you can tell them,” Montgomery said. “They’re hurt. I’m hurt. You pour your heart out on the field, you play with the passion you play with, there’s nothing I can say to them right now that’s going to change it.”
