It's raining cats and dogs for this Conference USA match up versus Tulsa. JC gets the nod from the broadcast crew (I guess when you're ranked 18th your games get put on TV) as the player to watch in this game. Specifically they say JC will need to "bring the wood" against a talented Tulsa running back. Heh heh, wood.
Joey and I have taken lots of caffeine pills before this game even to avoid reenacting DJ Stelly's moment from the Dayton/Tulsa 2003 NCAA Tournament game. That will probably prove to be unnecessary since the game today starts at 12:30 pm.
1st quarter-
We win the toss and kick off.
Woodyard is out this game with continuing complications from back spasms. I'm reminded of this when Ryan (as opposed to Ryno) makes his first tackle of the game.
After converting on a 4 and 12 it's a quarterback keeper on the option. Touchdown Tulsa. 7-0.
The Tulsa D is all over the field! It seems like they've got 14 guys out there each play. It's a BOX punt.
Their QB has been studying the BOX game tapes. Twice on the next drive the QB scrambles for 1st downs. That's our play!
Lucky for us their kicker misses a 36-yard FG wide right. That makes 4 straight FGs opposing kickers have missed.
The 1st quarter ends with the BOX offense finally moving the ball, but trailing Tulsa 7-0.
2nd quarter-
Dave is wide open in the flat with no one between him and the end zone! One problem, the rain-slicked ball goes right through his hands.
That drop is immediately followed by an INT. Uh oh. Might be one of those days.
More evidence... Ryno breaks in untouched to the QB, dives right at his chest... and bounces off. Incomplete pass, but should have been a sack.
I make a key 3rd down "tackle" by barely shoving the running back out of bounds. Corso says I "whammed off my block." I was not being blocked.
Our first option pitch of the day is pitched directly into the ground. Dave recovers.
We work the ball down to the 23 when... it's a blitz! and a fumble! and Tulsa ball! Not Nick's best game so far.
Apparently our secondary once again spent a large part of the week talking about how we were going to dominate Tulsa's receivers. They bring this up immediately after Ryan gets beat for a 35-yard completion.
5 straight FG misses as Tulsa's kicker is no where close on a 40-yarder. We're still only down a TD.
And now we're not! Nick scrambles it in from 5 yards out after a 77 yard drive nicely mixing runs and passes. With :50 to go in the 1st half the score is tied at 7.
Jay is fired up and gets the kicker tackle!
The BOX D bends but doesn't break at the end of the half. Which is surprising. I don't want to say we're having a tough day on D, but so far the Tulsa QB is 16 for 18 for 195 yards and 1 rushing TD. In other words, we're lucky that the score at the half is 7-7.
3rd quarter-
Starts with another Nick INT on a ball I was trying to throw out of bounds. I guess I don't know which button that is.
Game Changing Play! Everybody's All-American Joey jumps a curl route. The ball hits him so hard in the gut that he's already 15 yards down field before he has to put his hands on it. Pick 6! Dayton 14 - Tulsa 7
Bill finally takes out our frustration on the Tulsa QB. Unfortunately it's after the ball is in the hands of a Tulsa receiver. 15-yard penalty leads to first and goal Golicanes.
Touchdown Tulsa! Except they go to the booth and he only gets one foot down! Of course this is college, so the catch is good. Touchdown. But they miss the PAT! BOX 14 - Tulsa 13.
Can we kill 11 minutes by running the ball?
Well, we didn't quite kill 11 minutes, but we have the ball at the 2 yard line following 8 straight running plays. PJ attempts to Phlying Phillipino in from the 2 and gets knocked out of mid-air and out of the game with an injury.
Dave lowers his head and shoves his way in for the score.
With 15 seconds to go in the third: BOX 21 - Tulsa 13.
PJ has a bruised shoulder and will be back. Erin Andrews sounded relieved that nothing was broken.
4th quarter-
1st play of the 4th: 65-yard TD Tulsa! Ray gets beat by their fastest guy.
The 2-pt conversion is stopped by me! What the hell am I doing tackling a running back? BOX 21-19
3 and 8, it's a blitz! Nick recognizes it and escapes the outside pressure and takes off for 35 yards and the first down.
4 plays later and Dave follows his blockers for a 10-yard TD run. Two drives, zero passes, 2 TDs. Not a good day for the receivers, but right now we'll take the 28-19 lead with 4:46 to go.
Katy K. starts the next drive with a sack.
On 4th down MRBaum knocks away the Tulsa pass. Turnover on downs.
We can't pick up a 1st down, but kill 3 running plays worth of clock.
Tulsa gets it back down 9 with 1:47 to play.
Game over man! Game over! After 2 long no huddle completions, I come up with the INT to seal the game. Man, I had a nice night.
PJ and Dave combine for the final 1st down and Nick kneels it out to end the game.
Final Score BOX 28 - Tulsa 19
Dave was named Player of the Game.
Joey's Pick 6 was (rightfully) named the play of the game.
It was more of a struggle than I expected. The rain (blame it on the rain) really messed with our passing game, but once we stopped throwing the ball midway through the 3rd our offense was able to put points on the board. Probably not going to pick up too many votes in the polls with this win.
Apologies to T-Bird for not getting him the 3 TD receptions that I promised.
