Football: Texas State Takes Down Tulsa in Three OTs
BY: KEFF CIARDELLO, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
@Keff_C
This past week, Texas State head football coach Dennis Franchione said that the Bobcats needed to find a way to “finish the game” after giving up a double digit lead in a loss to Illinois last week. Well, it took three overtimes, but the Bobcats found a way to finish the game, beating the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, 37-34.
After a scoreless first quarter, TXST Soph. QB Tyler Jones put the Bobcats on the board in the second with a three-yard run. The score capped off a 12-play, 91-yard drive, that was setup after Jones connected with his former high school teammate, redshirt fresh. WR Brice Gunter, on a 29-yard pass.
A six–yard touchdown run by Sr. RB Terrance Franks and a booming 49-yard field goal by Sr. K Will Johnson, gave Texas State a 17-3 lead going into the fourth quarter. But that lead wouldn’t last long.
The Golden Hurricane deviated from their pass heavy offensive scheme in the fourth and went to rushing attack. Tulsa’s backs punished the Bobcats defense on three straight drives, scoring on two of them (turnover on downs inside the Bobcats five on one drive), to even up the score at 17 and send the game into overtime.
Tulsa got the ball first and they found the end zone in four plays, scoring with a 10-yard pass from Soph. QB Dane Evans to Soph. WR Keevan Lucas. TXST Jr. WR. Jafus Gaines countered that with a five-yard touchdown grab on the Bobcats ensuing drive. Gaines now has four touchdowns on the season.
The Bobcats needed just one play in the second OT to score, with Jones finding Sr. WR Ben Ijah on a 25-yard fade in the corner of the end zone. Tulsa finished off their seven-play drive with a four-yard touchdown run by Jr. RB Zack Langer to send the game into a third overtime.
Settling for a 35-yard field goal, Tulsa put the Bobcats in position to end the game if they are able to find the end zone. Four plays later, Franks plunged past the goal line from two yards out to give Texas State the 37-34 victory in walk-off fashion.
Jones went 21-31 for 228 yards and two touchdowns. He added 51 yards and a touchdown on 20 rushing attempts. Franks, who was playing for the injured Rob Lowe, finished the day with 71 yards and two scores, including the game winner, on 20 rushing attempts.
Sr. TE Brad Miller continues his impressive 2014 season, as he snagged eight passes for 112 yards. Sr. LB David Mayo continued his success as well, recording an astounding 20 tackles to lead both teams. Sr. DE Michael Odiari notched 13 tackles, a sack and three TFLs. Sr. DE Kris Peterson finished the game with seven tackles, a sack and a TFL.
This is a big win for the Bobcats but there are still a few daunting issues staring them in the face. Did they finish the game? Yes, but only after allowing two unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter after allowing just a field goal through the first three quarters. This is also the third game in a row where penalties have significantly halted the Bobcats momentum. They didn’t break double digits in penalties and go over 100 penalized yards as they have done already this season, but they had seven penalties for 77 yards. This included Jr. LB Jerrid Jeter-Gilmon being ejected for targeting and a converted fourth-and-two play being negated in the fourth quarter, forcing the Bobcats to punt to Tulsa who scored on the ensuing drive. Luckily for the Bobcats, penalties are one of the more correctable mistakes in football and they have a seasoned coach in Franchione that can introduce more discipline in their practices.
The Bobcats will take their 2-2 record to Idaho to face the Vandals next Saturday for the Bobcats first Sun Belt conference game this season. The game kicks off at 6 and will be aired on ESPN 3.
