Cyclones blow past Golden Hurricane

TU quarterback Cody Green throws a pass during Thursday night's game against Iowa State. TU fell to the Cyclones, 38-21.

The Iowa State Cyclones blew into Tulsa Thursday night in the midst of a four-game losing streak dating back to last year, and left with a 38-21 victory over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.  The visitors from the Big 12 came into the game obviously intent on stopping the TU run game, which they accomplished by limiting TU senior running back Trey Watts to just 38 yards on 14 carries.  The Golden Hurricane were gracious hosts, offering up four turnovers during the game, including two fumbles that occurred during the exchange between senior quarterback Cody Green and running back Ja’Terian Douglas. Iowa State opened the scoring in the first quarter on a one-yard run by Jeff Woody.  Woody’s short touchdown plunge was set up by a 35-yard scamper by running back Aaron Wimberley, who led all running backs with 137 rushing yards.  Two plays later, it was 7-0 in favor of the visitors.

Golden Hurricane wide receiver Jordan James celebrates a touchdown against Iowa State, but officials ruled James down at the one-yard line.

The Hurricane knotted the score in the second quarter, when Watts found the end zone on his own one-yard run.  Later in the quarter, Douglas took Green’s screen pass 40 yards to set up Thomas Roberson’s first of two touchdown grabs on the night, this one from nine yards out.

It appeared that Iowa State’s Sam Richardson was in position to make the interception, or at least break up the pass, but Roberson reached over him to haul in the pass.  TU was seemingly poised to take a 14-7 lead into the locker room, but Cyclones quarterback Sam B. Richardson ran their two-minute offense masterfully, ending with a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jarvis West.  Iowa State could have taken a lead into halftime, but kicker Cole Netten missed on a pair of field goal attempts earlier in the half.

The second half was all Iowa State as the Cyclones found the end zone on two occasions in the third quarter, including a 16-yard strike from Richardson to tight end E.J. Bibbs, only four plays after a Cody Green fumble.  ISU increased their lead to 14 points when Woody capped off a 13-play, 68-yard drive with another one-yard touchdown run.

TU running back Trey Watts looks for room to run during Thursday night's game against Iowa State.

Following a Netten 40-yard field goal, Tulsa’s lone second half score came on a 21-yard pass from Green to Roberson, his second touchdown grab of the game.  Thursday night’s game was the first of the season for Roberson, who missed much of August camp and the Golden Hurricane’s first three games with concussion symptoms.

Iowa State closed out the scoring late in the game when Woody scored his third rushing touchdown of the contest, this one from three yards out.

Tulsa opens conference play on Saturday, October 5 when they host the Rice Owls at H.A Chapman Stadium.  Kickoff is set for 2:30pm.

-NOTES- Thursday night was the third meeting between these two teams in just over a year.  Iowa State won last season’s season-opener at home, 38-23.  They met again in last December’s Liberty Bowl, with TU winning 31-17.

Third downs were once again a problem for the Golden Hurricane on both sides of the ball.  The Cyclones were 8-18 on third downs, while TU was 3-12.

Tulsa coach Bill Blankenship alternated quarterbacks during the second half Thursday, giving backup Dane Evans his first significant playing time.  Evans was 8-18 passing, for 51 yards and no touchdowns, while starting signal-caller Cody Green was 18-31 for 237 yards, with two touchdown passes and an interception.

Photos by Greg Duke, Tulsa Today