SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 8, 2014
Tulsa 38, SMU 28: Dane Evans overcame a slow start to throw for a career-high five touchdowns as the Golden Hurricane held on to defeat the visiting Mustangs in an American Athletic Conference game and end a seven-game losing streak.
Matt Davis, who is the fourth quarterback to start a game for SMU (0-8, 0-4) this season, rallied his team in the second half with two fourth-quarter rushing scores and a two-point conversion pass to pull the Mustangs within 35-28 with 3:14 remaining in the game. Davis ran for 181 yards and two scores and was 21-of-32 for 212 yards and a touchdown – including a 64-yarder to Der’rikk Thompson, who had four catches for 84 yards and the touchdown.
Evans, who started the game 2-for-8, finished 16-of-24 for 286 yards, with Keyarris Garrett getting four catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns and Keevan Lucas adding four receptions for 88 yards and two more scores for Tulsa (2-7, 2-3). Zack Langer had 167 yards on 33 carries.
SMU led 13-7 with 2:32 remaining in the first quarter, but 17 seconds later Evans hit Bishop Louie for a 42-yard score and the Hurricane never trailed thereafter. The Mustangs scored on their first offensive play of the game on the Davis-to-Thompson pass -- the ensuing two-point attempt failed – and also had a 13-yard scoring run by K.C. Nlemchi.
Leading by 15 points at halftime, Tulsa stretched its lead to 35-13 when Evans lofted a 32-yard pass into the back of the end zone and Garrett made a great over-the-shoulder catch while staying in the field of play. Davis answered early in the fourth quarter with a 3-yard scoring run three plays after he broke loose for a 51-yard sprint and added a 4-yard touchdown with just over three minutes left, but it wasn’t enough as the Mustangs extended their losing streak to 10 games dating to last year.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Lucas became the first Hurricane player to reach 1,000 yards receiving in a season since 2009 with 1,017 yards and 10 touchdowns on 79 catches. … SMU entered the game having scored just five offensive touchdowns all season – three passing and two rushing – but had four Saturday, including three on the ground. … The Mustangs led twice in the first quarter, the first time they’ve led in any game this season.