Saturday, Sept. 23, 11:00 am (CT)
Stadium: Huskie Stadium (24,000)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: Big Country 99.5 FM
TULSA 1-2, 0-0 The American
Head Coach: Kevin Wilson
(North Carolina ’84)
1st year at Tulsa
Career Record: 27-49 (7 years)
TU Record: 1-2 (1 year)
NORTHERN ILLINOIS 1-2, 0-0 Mid-American
Head Coach: Thomas Hammock (Northern Illinois ’02)
5th year at NIU
Career Record: 18-29 (5 years)
NIU Record: same
THE STORYLINES . . .
• Both teams come into the game with 1-2 records, each winning their season openers and dropping their last two contests.
• Tulsa is in its 127th season of football … Tulsa’s first football season was 1895, (TU did not field a team in 1907), while Northern
Illinois’ first year of football was 1899.
• Tulsa has the smallest FBS enrollment with 3,777 students, while NIU has a student enrollment is 16,234.
• On the field, Tulsa averages 374.3 total yards, while NIU has averaged 282.3 yards per game …Tulsa gets 208 on the ground and
166.3 passing … NIU averages 85.0 yards rushing and 197.3 yards through the air.
• Tulsa has an overall 9-4 record against Mid-American Conference members –– 3-1 vs. Bowling Green, 2-1 vs. Central Michigan, 1-0 vs. Ball State, NIU, Ohio and 1-2 vs. Toledo.
THE SERIES . . .
• This is the second meeting between Tulsa and Northern Illinois.
• Tulsa holds a 1-0 series lead after capturing last year’s first game by a score of 38-35 at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
• In last year’s meeting, the Hurricane scored in the final minute of the game and then had an interception that sealed the victory.
QUICK HITTERS . . .
• Tulsa has had a different quarterback start each of its three games this year due to injury … Braylon Braxton started the opener, Cardell Williams vs. #8 Washington and Roman Fuller against #19 Oklahoma.
• SAF Kendarin Ray has had two double-figure tackle games this year and has nine in his career.
• Ray leads the American Athletic Conference with 28 tackles, while Cardell Williams leads the league in pass efficiency with a rating of 182.2.
• Tulsa has been efficient in the red zone this season, converting 9-of-10 attempts (90%), with eight of those going for touchdowns (80%).
NEWCOMERS . . .
• Through the first three games, a total of 24 newcomers have played in at least one game, including 13 transfers and 11 true freshmen.
• In the season opener there were 20 first-year players that saw action.
• That number in the opener included 11 transfers and 9 true freshmen, as six of those newcomers were in the starting lineup against UAPB.
• On offense, transfer WR Braylin Presley and true freshman TE Luke McGary each started in the opener … Presley had 13 rushing yards on 3 carries, while McGary had 27 receiving yards on 2 receptions.
• Defensively, transfers DE Ben Kopenski, CB Demarco Jones, LB Julien Simon and LB Coleton Smith were in the opening day starting lineup and combined for 17 tackles and 3 TFL for -14 yards.
LAST YEAR’S MEETING . . .
• Steven Anderson’s one yard run with 0:58 remaining in the game gave Tulsa a 38-35 victory over Northern Illinois in front of 22,113 fans at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
• Tulsa took a 17-0 lead and led 24-7 at halftime, but the Huskies scored on four of its first five second-half possessions.
• NIU took a 35-31 lead with 5:57 left in the contest.
• Tulsa took possession and marched to the NIU 45-yard line but couldn’t convert on 4th-and-1. However, the Hurricane defense shut down the Huskies on the next four plays to give Tulsa one last chance.
• The Hurricane took possession at their own 48-yard line with 1:54 left on the game clock. On third-and-14, Davis Brin found Malachai Jones for 24 yards to the NIU 32, and a play later, Keylon Stokes’ 31-yard reception put Tulsa at the one-yard line to set-up Anderson’s winning score.
• Tyon Davis’ interception on a 3rd-and-10 situation ended the Huskies final attempt for a comeback.
• Tulsa’s defense stiffened when it needed to the most. On three of NIU’s final four possessions, the Hurricane held the Huskies to just 15 yards on 12 plays and ended with the interception.
QB DEPTH . . .
• Tulsa has used three quarterbacks in the first three games due to game injuries • Braylon Braxton started the season as the opener, was replaced by Cardell Williams after suffering an injury in the first half vs. UAPB.
• Williams went 13-of-14 for 233 yards and 3 TDs in that role off the bench.
• Williams started the second game at Washington and late in the 2nd quarter was sidelined with an injury, thus giving Roman Fuller the reins.
• Fuller ended the game 12-of-18 for 85 yards and one TD against Washington.
• In three games, Williams and Fuller have combined to complete 66.6% of their passes (50-of-75) for 615 yards and 7 TDs in their three appearances this year.
K-RAY LEADING THE WAY . . .
• Fifth-year senior safety Kendarin Ray entered the 2023 season with 222 career tackles, and now after three games has 250 career stops in 42 games and 29 starting assignments.
• He has a team-high 28 tackles in three games to lead the Hurricane defense and all American Athletic Conference defenders.
• Ray has had two double-digit tackle games this year and has nine for his career.
• In the season opener, Ray had 10 stops, 5 solos and 5 assists … he totaled 11 stops against #19 Oklahoma.
• In his career, Ray has added 13 pass breakups, eight TFL for -19 yards, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and one interception.
• He had a career-high 13 stops and his first career pickoff for a 23-yard return against No. 19 Tulane in 2022.
• Ray’s three forced fumbles in 2022 tied for second in the AAC with an 0.25 average.
YOUNG GUYS LEAD RECEIVING CORPS . . .
• Leading the Tulsa receiving corps for Tulsa are sophomore Marquis Shoulders and freshman redshirt Devan Williams.
• Heading into the season, only Shoulders had seen collegiate action, playing in eight games in 2022 with three receptions for 23 yards.
• This year the twosome has collected 22 receptions for 355 yards and four TDs between them, combining for 56.8% of Tulsa’s total receiving yards.
• Shoulders leads the way with 207 yards and three TDs on 11 catches, while Williams has also caught 11 passes for 148 yards and one score.
