GAME #8
TULSA (3-4, 2-1 AAC) vs. NAVY (1-6, 1-4 AAC)
Friday, Oct. 29, 6:30 pm (CT)
Stadium: H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000), Tulsa, Okla.
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Big Country 99.5 FM
GAME PROMOTION: TULSA SALUTES those who defend our country on Military Day
TULSA 3-4, 2-1 The American
Head Coach: Philip Montgomery
(Tarleton State ’95)
7th year at Tulsa
Career Record: 34-44 (7 years)
TU Record: same
NAVY 1-6, 1-4 The American
Head Coach: Ken Niumatalolo
(Hawaii ’89)
14th year at Navy
Career Record: 102-73 (14 years)
NAVY Record: same
THE STORYLINES . . .
- Tulsa is in its 125th season of Tulsa football.
- Tulsa has the smallest FBS enrollment with 2,929 undergraduate students (based off 2020-21 statistics) … Tulsa’s overall enrollment is 3,961 … Navy is also among the smallest FBS schools, ranking No. 5 … Navy’s enrollment is 4,524 students.
- Tulsa has won its last two games, while Navy is coming into the game after losing three straight contests.
- This is the first of four straight road games for Navy … Tulsa plays three of its final four games on the road.
THE SERIES . . .
- This is the ninth meeting between Tulsa and Navy … Navy leads the series 6-2.
- Tulsa’s two wins have come in Annapolis … the series is tied 2-2 for games played in Annapolis.
- The Midshipmen have a 4-0 record for games played in Tulsa.
- Navy has a 16.7 win margin in its victories, while Tulsa has a 7.0 margin in two wins.
QUICK HITS . . .
- Tulsa has five players who have played in 50 career games – Robert Revels III (54), Adam Higuera (52), Cristian Williams (51), Tyarise Stevenson (51), Tiller Bucktrot (50),
- Tulsa scored a touchdown on its opening drive for the first time in 2021 vs. Memphis.
- Josh Johnson has had 100 or more receiving yards in three of the last five games, while Shamari Brooks has rushed for 100+ yards in three of Tulsa’s last four contests.
- On his third carry vs. Memphis, Shamari Brooks surpassed 3,000 career rushing yards, making him only the fifth player in school history to do so.
MISSING PIECES . . .
- Tulsa has missed some integral pieces of its offense and defense this year in a multitude of games.
- Defensively, starters DE Cullen Wick (2), NKL Cristian Williams (3), SAF Kendarin Ray (1), SAF TieNeal Martin (1), LB Justin Wright (1) have all missed games this season.
- On offense, WR Keylon Stokes (3), RB Deneric Prince (2) and LT Tyler Smith (1) have missed games.
IN THE AMERICAN . . .
- DE Cullen Wick’s 7.5 TFL leads the league in tackles for loss yards.
- Sophomore punter Lachlan Wilson leads the AAC in punting with a 47.6 average.
- WR Josh Johnson is fourth in the AAC for receiving yards per game (83.1 ypg) … Johnson is second for receptions per game with a 6.14 average.
- WR Sam Crawford Jr. is ranked ninth for receiving yards per game at 62.3.
- PK Zack Long is one of two place-kickers with more than one attempt that is tied for the league’s lead for field goal percentage.
- CB Travon Fuller has a team-highs of eight pass breakups and two interceptions to rank third in the AAC for passes defended per game with 10 (1.43 pg)
- RBs Shamari Brooks (5th) and Deneric Prince (6th) are ranked among the AAC’s top- 10 for rushing … Brooks ranks ninth for all-purpose yards.
- QB Davis Brin is third in the league for average passing yards (275.7) … Brin is also ranked fourth for total offense (278.1).
MISLEADING STAT . . .
- Statistically, Tulsa ranks 109th nationally for points allowed, giving up 32.4 points per game.
- A closer look at the stats show that Tulsa’s defense has allowed seven points less at 25.4 points (178) per game.
- Tulsa opponents have scored four times on special teams for 28 points and three times on defense for another 21 points.
- Without the defensive and special teams scores, the 25.4 points allowed per game would rank Tulsa 67th nationally.
500+ IN TOTAL OFFENSE . . .
- Tulsa has gone over 500 yards in total offense in three games and over 400 in five contests.
- In the last game, Tulsa had 535 yards against South Florida.
- Tulsa gained a season-high 663 yards on 74 plays for a 9.0 average per play against Arkansas State … the Hurricane gained 343 yards passing and 308 yards on the ground.
- A week before, Tulsa totaled 501 yards against No. 9-ranked Ohio State, throwing for 428 and rushing for 73 yards.
- The last time Tulsa had back-to-back 500+ total offensive games came in 2017 with 667 vs. Louisiana and 548 yards at Toledo.
- The last time Tulsa went over 600 yards in a game came in the 2019 season finale with 669 yards at East Carolina.
- Tulsa has now gone over 500 yards in the Philip Montgomery era in 27 games, registering an 18-9 record.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 500 . . .
- In the last 40 games, Tulsa’s defense has given up more than 500 total yards just three times.
- Two teams –– Ohio State and Memphis –– have accomplished that feat this year … OSU gained 508 yards and Memphis had 614 on 99 plays.
- The previous 500+ total offensive game in that stretch was by Oklahoma State with 506 yards in 2019.
BROOKS SURPASSES 3,000 YARDS . . .
- Running back Shamari Brooks, who missed the 2020 season with an ACL injury, became just the fifth player in school history to surpass 3,000 career rushing yards …
- He reached the 3,000-yard mark on his third carry against Memphis (10/9).
- Brooks has now totaled 3,261 yards on 684 career attempts in 39 career games.
- The senior from Tulsa’s Union High School came into the 2021 season ranked 5th on the school’s career rushing list with 2,700 yards.
- Brooks had his 15th career 100+ rushing game with 145 yards on 23 carries at South Florida … he alsao added 126 yards on 26 carries against Memphis and 155 yards on 22 carries against Arkansas State.
- He has scored four rushing TDs this season to give him 27 career touchdowns … he is now in 5th place on the school’s career list for rushing TDs.
- Brooks is now 254 yards shy of moving into a 4th place tie with Trey Watts (2010-13 –– 3,515 yards) on the school’s all-time rushing chart.
THE WRIGHT CHOICE . . .
- Junior linebacker Justin Wright ranks third on the team in tackles with 37, despite missing the season opener.
* Over the last 2 games, Wright has totaled 21 tackles, 4.5 TFL for -17 yards, 3.5 sacks for -16 yards, one forced fumble and one QB hurry.
- In Tulsa’s last outing, a 32-31 win at South Florida, Wright had a team-high 7 tackles, 2.5 TFL for -9 yards and one QB hurry … he was named the AAC’s Defensive Player of the Week for his performance.
- Against Memphis, Wright had a career-high 14 tackles, while adding two TFL for eight yards, one sack for -7 yards and one forced fumble.
- Wright has been in the starting lineup since last year for 15 games and has tallied 99 tackles in those starts … he has also totaled 13.5 TFL for -40 yards in those 15 starts and earlier this year had his first career interception, a 55-yard TD return against Oklahoma State.
DAVIS LEADING THE WAY
- Senior cornerback Tyon Davis has taken over the team lead for tackles with a total of 47 stops, including 35 solos.
- He had a career-high 11 tackles twice this year – Arkansas State and Memphis … Davis had nine solos and two assists vs. ASU and 10 solos and one assist vs. Memphis
- He also has seven pass breakups, which ranks second on the team … Davis had a career-high three PBUs against South Florida.
FULLER, THE DEFENDER . . .
- Texas A&M transfer Travon Fuller is in his first season at Tulsa and has started all seven games at cornerback.
- Thru seven games, Fuller has 18 tackles, including 12 solos, and team-highs of eight pass breakups and two interceptions.
- He ranks third in the AAC and fifth nationally for passes defended with 10.
- Against Memphis, Fuller had a 44-yard interception return and four pass breakups, while adding four tackles.
JOHNSON LEADING THE WAY FOR RECEIVERS . . .
- Josh Johnson came into the season with the third-most receiving yards a year ago, but this year is at the top of the receiving chart.
- With the absence of Keylon Stokes in three game this season, Johnson has team-highs of 43 receptions for 582 yards along with 3 TDs.
- Johnson has had three 100+ receiving games this year –– 149 vs. Ohio State, 127 vs. Arkansas State and 140 vs Memphis.
• His TDs have gone for 22 yards at Ohio State, 63 yards against Memphis and 13 yards at South Florida.
