Sept. 4, 2009

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NEW ORLEANS - Tulsa won its season opener for the third consecutive year as the Golden Hurricane captured a 37-13 victory over the Tulane Green Wave in front of 27,638 fans at the Louisiana Superdome on Saturday night.

After Tulsa put up 17 points in the first nine minutes of the game, the Hurricane scored just six points in the next 25 minutes until Damaris Johnson, a Louisiana product, returned his first career punt return 66 yards for a touchdown with 13:19 remaining in the game to give Tulsa a 30-10 lead.

Tulsa equaled its 17 first quarter points with 17 second half points, it just took a while to get the offense moving after intermission.

Johnson, the C-USA leader last year in all-purpose yards, ended the game with 252 all-purpose yards on 12 touches. G.J. Kinne completed 15-of-20 passes for 211 yards and one touchdown, while rushing for 77 yards and one TD.

After holding Tulane to 3-and-out on the opening series of the season, Tulsa took its opening drive 45 yards in eight plays and had to settle for a 22-yard Kevin Fitzpatrick field goal.

The Hurricane took its second possession just 42 yards after another defensive stand, as Kinne's 15-yard run around right end capped the four-play drive to put the Hurricane ahead 10-0 with 6:20 left in the first quarter.

Tulsa scored its second touchdown 0:20 later following a Mike Bryan 18-yard interception return that put the Hurricane at the Green Wave five-yard line. On the first play, Charles Clay smashed through two defenders to score his fourth career rushing touchdown.

After sacking Tulsa's Kinne for 15 yards at the 4:19 mark of the second quarter and putting the Tulane offense at the Tulsa 42-yard line, the Green Wave put its first points on the scoreboard at the 0:55 mark of the first half as Ross Thevenot converted on a 27-yard field goal.

As time expired in the first half, Fitzpatrick put three more points on the board for the Hurricane to give Tulsa a 20-3 halftime lead.

At the intermission, Tulsa gained 184 yards to Tulane's 132, but the Green Wave had nearly a 10-minute advantage in possession time, 19:34 to 10:26.

Tulsa opened the second half with a 63-yard, seven-play drive and again saw the sophomore Fitzpatrick put three points on the board with a 24-yard field goal at the 11:12 mark of the third quarter.

The Green Wave looked as though they would score their first touchdown of the game after a 68-yard pass completion put Tulane at the Tulsa four-yard line after John Destin ran down Tulane's Jeremy Williams. But the Hurricane defense stiffened, and held the Green Wave on four downs for no score.

However, after the Hurricane couldn't muster much offense, Tulane's offense went 41 yards in two plays, for its first TD of the game cutting the Tulsa lead to 13 points, 23-10, at the 5:19 mark of the third quarter.

On the subsequent Tulsa possession, the Hurricane marched to the Tulane two-yard line, but Charles Clay fumbled into the end zone on the 12th play of the series giving the Green Wave the ball at their own 20-yard line.

Tulane was forced to punt, giving Tulsa's Johnson his opportunity for the 66-yard punt return. Tulane then scored its second field goal of the game, making the score 30-13 with 10:20 left in the game.

Tulsa closed out the scoring with its first TD pass of the season, a 12-yard strike from Kinne to Trae Johnson.

Scoring Summary