Tulsa hires Ohio State coordinator Kevin Wilson as head coach

Associated PressDec 6, 2022, 10:06 PM EST

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TULSA, Okla. – Kevin Wilson will seek to bring Tulsa some of the prolific passing and scoring he’s overseen during six seasons as the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.

Wilson was hired as Tulsa’s coach on Tuesday and introduced at an afternoon news conference.

“With career ties to the state of Oklahoma, I’ve always had great appreciation for the university, the football program, its success through the years and the great city and people that live in Tulsa,” Wilson said. “I’m looking forward to getting to know our current players, the staff and putting together a new staff in the weeks to come.”

Wilson is a 37-year coaching veteran who spent six years as Indiana’s head coach, going 26-47 from 2011-16.

He then joined Urban Meyer‘s staff at Ohio State and stayed on under Meyer’s successor, Ryan Day. During that time, Ohio State has become a quarterback factory, producing back-to-back first-round draft picks at the position: the late Dwayne Haskins and Justin Fields. Current Buckeyes QB C.J. Stroud is also projected as a first-round pick.

At Tulsa, Wilson replaces Philip Montgomery, who was fired after going 43-53 in eight seasons with the American Athletic Conference program, including 5-7 in 2022.

“Coach Wilson is a proven winner and great fit for TU as he has a history of building programs where student-athletes succeed both in the classroom and on the gridiron,” university President Brad Carson said.

Wilson has also been an assistant at Oklahoma, Northwestern, Miami (Ohio), North Carolina A&T and Winston Salem. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at North Carolina.

Wilson has coached in four national championship games, three at Oklahoma and one at Ohio State. The Buckeyes went 67-8 during his six years as their offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.

Ohio State (11-1) is preparing to face No. 1 Georgia in a College Football Playoff semifinal on Dec. 31.

Spears, Johnson lead No. 19 Tulane past Tulsa, 27-13

Associated PressNov 5, 2022, 5:51 PM EDT

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TULSA, Okla. – Tyjae Spears ran for 157 yards and a touchdown and Shaadie Clayton-Johnson gained 106 to lead No. 19 Tulane to a 27-13 win over Tulsa on Saturday.

Tulane (8-1, 5-0 American Athletic Conference) had lost the past two meetings with Tulsa (3-6, 1-4) in overtime, but controlled this one with a dominant running game.

The Hurricane gained 357 yards on the ground, with Spears and Johnson each running the ball 14 times.

“Our offensive line did a terrific job,” Tulane coach Willie Fritz said. “Bodies on bodies is a big part of it.”

Tulsa had won seven of the first eight home games with Tulane.

Michael Pratt completed 11 of 19 passes for 125 yards for Tulane. He was victimized by a walk-off interception return for a touchdown in overtime two seasons ago.

Fritz didn’t worry about the losses in the past two years.

“Each year is different, said Fritz. “This is the 2022 Tulane Green Wave, and this is the 2022 Tulsa Golden Hurricane. We have to do a good job of flushing those down the toilet and playing and not worrying about the past successes or failures and playing the best that you can.”.

Tulsa was playing without starting quarterback Davis Brin, who has been banged up but hadn’t missed a game in the last two years. Brin had beaten Tulane the last two years.

Braylon Braxton couldn’t rally the faltering Golden Hurricane, completing 13 of 25 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown.

Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery said playing Tulane can be frustrating.

“Defensively, they did a good job on us,” Montgomery said. “They can really eat up the clock when they get the lead..

Tulane had taken a two-touchdown lead on Spear’s 34-yard touchdown run. Tulsa cut it to 17-10 at halftime on Braxton’s 28-yard touchdown pass to JuanCarlos Santana.

But Tulane went up 24-10 on its first possession of the second half on a 20-yarder from Pratt to Shae Wyatt, and was never threatened again.

THE TAKEAWAY

TULANE: The Green Wave took care of business after two straight rough losses to Tulsa and kept the game safely away from overtime territory.

TULSA: Held to 257 total yards in Brin’s absence against the league’s top defense, well under the 434.2 yards a game the Hurricane were averaging coming into the game.

BRIN MISSES GAME

The Green Wave benefitted from not having to face Brin, who victimized Tulane the last two years. Brin has been banged up this year. The first meaningful action of his career came against Tulane, and his 37-yard Hail Mary at the end of regulation in 2020 forced the game into overtime.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Tulane could move up a little in the polls by improving to 8-1.

GOING FOR IT

Fritz wasn’t shy about going for it on fourth down in the first half, and both gambles paid off. On 4th and 2 from its own 35 in the first quarter, the punt team was out but a quick huddle and snap gained 3 yards, leading to a field goal. The second one came on 4th and 2 at its own 42 in the second quarter. A completed pass by Pratt led to a Tulane TD and a 17-3 lead.

UP NEXT

Tulane hosts No. 25 UCF on Saturday, Nov. 12.

Tulsa has a short turnaround before visiting Memphis on Thursday.

No. 2 Cincinnati holds off Tulsa 28-20 to improve to 9-0

Associated PressNov 6, 2021, 9:37 PM EDT

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CINCINNATI – Desmond Ridder threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns and No. 2 Cincinnati held off Tulsa 28-20 on Saturday.

Alec Pierce had five catches for 113 yards and a touchdown to help the Bearcats (9-0, 5-0 American Athletic) extend the nation’s second-longest home winning streak to 25 games.

Shamari Brooks rushed for 132 yards for Tulsa (3-6, 2-3), and Anthony Watkins ran for 105.

When Tulsa was stopped short on fourth down at the 4, it appeared the Bearcats would just run out the clock. But Ridder fumbled on a sneak, giving the Golden Hurricane life.

On fourth-and-goal from the 1, Steven Anderson fumbled as he was reaching for the goal line, and Jabari Taylor made the recovery for a touchback.

The Bearcats beat Tulsa 27-24 on a last-second field goal in the AAC championship game last season.

The game Saturday didn’t feel like it would be that close when rushing TDs by Ridder and Jerome Ford put the Bearcats ahead 14-0.

The Bearcats had a rough series in the second quarter when Ridder was sacked twice and leading rusher Jerome Ford was helped off with an apparent left leg injury. He did not return.

Brooks’ 8-yard TD run capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive by Tulsa late in the first half and cut the Bearcats’ lead to 14-9, but the point-after attempt was missed.

Zack Long connected on a 50-yard field goal and Tulsa trailed 14-12 at halftime. It was the second straight week that the Bearcats led 14-12 at halftime.

Cincinnati outgained Tulsa 165-36 in the first quarter but was outgained 120-66 in the second.

Ridder and the Bearcats responded with touchdown passes to Pierce and Michael Young Jr. to go ahead 28-12.

But Tulsa wasn’t finished.

Davis Brin threw a 21-yard TD pass to JuanCarlos Santana and the 2-point conversion to bring the Golden Hurricane to 28-20 with eight minutes left.

THE TAKEAWAY

Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane relied on the ground game to keep the Bearcats’ high-powered offense off the field. It was the fifth time this season that Tulsa has rushed for 200 or more yards.

Cincinnati: After relatively close wins the past two weeks against Navy and Tulane, the Bearcats needed an impressive performance to sway the playoff committee. But Saturday’s performance isn’t likely to move the needle.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Cincinnati is ranked No. 2 for the third consecutive week. But the Bearcats are more concerned with their No. 6 ranking in the first College Football Playoff rankings, which they felt was disrespectful.