THE STORYLINES . . .
• The two teams open American Athletic Conference play after posting 2-2 nonconference records.
• Tulsa is coming off a 22-14 win at Northern Illinois, while Temple dropped a 41-7 home decision to 20th-ranked Miami (Fla.).
• Tulsa is in its 127th season of football … Tulsa’s first football season was 1895, (TU did not field a team in 1907), while Temple’s first year of football was 1884.
• Tulsa has the smallest FBS enrollment with 3,777 students, while Temple has a student enrollment of 41,000.
• This is the first of 3 straight Owls Tulsa will face – Temple Owls, FAU Owls and Rice Owls.
• On the field, Tulsa has been pretty balanced offensively with 181.5 yards through the air and 169.5 yards on the ground.
• Temple’s passing game has led the way with 258 yards per game, while the Owls have rushed for 107.5 yards.
THE SERIES . . .
• This is the eighth meeting between Tulsa and Temple and just the sixth time as members of The American … the Owls have a 3-2 record in AAC games.
• Tulsa leads the series 4-3, including 2-1 at home.
• The first meeting of the series came at old Philadelphia Veterans Stadium in 1987 as Tulsa came away with a 24-17 victory.
• Tulsa has won the last two meetings, 27-16 last year and 44-10 in 2021.
• The 2021 win for Tulsa snapped a 3-game losing streak (2014, 2017, 2018).
QUICK HITTERS . . .
• Kendarin Ray was named the AAC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance at NIU.
• Tulsa had a different quarterback start each of its first three games this year due to injury … Braylon Braxton started the opener, Cardell Williams vs. #8 Washington and Roman Fuller against #19 Oklahoma.
• Williams was back in a starting role against Northern Illinois last week.
• Ray has three double-figure tackle games this year and now has 10 in his career.
• Tulsa’s defense has had 8 takeaways for a 2.0 average per game to rank 20th nationally for turnovers gained.
• Ray leads the AAC with 38 tackles, while ranking 21st in the NCAA.
• Tulsa has been efficient in the red zone this season, converting 13-of-15 attempts (86.7%), with 10 of those going for touchdowns.
DOMINATING FINAL QUARTER . . .
• It was a nip-and-tuck game most of the way for Tulsa and Northern Illinois last week as NIU held a 14-12 lead after three quarters.
• In the 4th quarter, Tulsa dominated in all three phases – the offense wen 76 yards in 9 plays to take a 19-14 lead at the 8:33 mark.
• On the subsequent KO, Tulsa forced and recovered a fumble thus leading to a 22-yard field goal and 22-14 lead.
• Tulsa’s defense held NIU on it first two 4th quarter offensive possessions to just 10 yards on 8 plays, and then Kendarin Ray’s interception ended an NIU 57-yard, 11-play drive and the game with 0:26 left on the game clock.
HURRICANE PLAYER WATCH . . .
• Walk-on safety Dayne Hodge, from nearby Rock Island, Ill., received his first career start at Northern Illinois and responded with his first career interception.
• On Tulsa’s two 4th quarter scoring drives at NIU, RB Tahj Gary had 7 straight carries for 50 yards and one TD.
• Jehlen Cannady forced the fumble and Cam Crooks recovered it on an NIU kick return in the 4th quarter … it was a career first for both of them.
• In back-to-back games, WR Kamdyn Benjamin totaled 114 yards on six receptions after having just 5 career receptions for 25 yards.
• LB Julien Simon, after transferring from USC, had his career-high with 7 tackles and 2.5 TFL for -4 yards at NIU.
• PK Chase Meyer has converted 11-of-11 PATs and 4-of-4 field goals for 23 points in his first season at Tulsa after transferring from Penn.
• Oklahoma State transfers Kanion Williams and Demarco Jones each had their first career interceptions this year … Williams’ interception came against UAPB in the opener and Jones’ pickoff came against #19 Oklahoma.
DEFENSE FACES NATION’S TOP OFFENSES . . .
• Tulsa’s defense has been tested early this year against two of the nation’s top offenses within the first 3 weeks of the season.
• The Hurricane faced #8 Washington in week 2 … the Huskies currently rank first in the NCAA for total yards (593.2), passing yards (367.2) and 3rd for scoring offense (49.8).
• In week 3, #19 Oklahoma was the Tulsa opponent … the Sooners rank 10th in total offense (506.8), 6th for passing offense (349.0) and 4th for scoring offense (46.8).
• Those two top-20 teams averaged 579.0 yards, 465.0 passing yards and 54.5 points agaisnt Tulsa.
• Whereas, the Tulsa defense has held the other two opponents – UAPB and NIU– to 273.5 yards, 139 yards passing and only 10.5 points.
LAST YEAR’S TEMPLE GAME . . .
• Temple jumped out to a 10-0 lead before the first five minutes clicked off the clock as Tulsa turnovers led to the deficit.
• Tulsa’s first two passes were picked off by Temple defenders. The first resulted in a 35 interception return by Layton Jordan for a 7-0 lead, while the second led to an Owls field goal.
• After remaining scoreless in the first quarter, Tulsa’s offense came alive in the second quarter, scoring 14 points to take a 14-10 halftime lead.
• Tulsa’s two second quarter scores came on TD passes to Deneric Prince at the 9:40 mark and Ethan Hall with just 0:11 remaining before halftime.
• Although the rushing attack took control of the game with 299 yards, led by 231 from Prince, the spotlight was on receiver Keylon Stokes who became the school’s career receiving leader, breaking a 57-year record held by Howard Twilley (3,343 yards).
QB DEPTH . . .
• Tulsa has used three quarterbacks in the first four 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, and started the next contest against #19 Oklahoma, but gave way to Williams.
• Williams was back in the starting lineup and led Tulsa to a 22-14 win at Northern Illinois.
• Williams and Fuller have combined to complete 61% of their passes (58-of-95) for 717 yards and 7 TDs 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 260 career stops in 43 games and 30 starting assignments.
• He has a team-high 38 tackles in four games to lead the Hurricane defense and all American Athletic Conference defenders.
• Ray has had three double-digit tackle games this year and has 10 for his career.
• In the season opener, Ray had 10 stops, 5 solos and 5 assists … he totaled 11 stops against #19 Oklahoma and added 10 more tackles at Northern Illinois.
• In his career, Ray has added 13 pass breakups, eight TFL for -19 yards, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
• His second career interception came against Northern Illinois this year when he picked off a pass with 0:26 left in the contest to end the game.
• 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.
