Saturday, September 19
Tulsa, Okla.
7 p.m.
University of Tulsa
vs
East Texas A&M
Golden Hurricane Returns Home to Face East Texas A&M
9/17/2026 11:16:00 AM | Football
| GAME 3: TULSA (2-0, 0-0 American) vs. East Texas A&M (1-2, 1-1 Southland) | |
|---|---|
| Date/Time: | Saturday, September 19, 7 p.m. (CT) |
| Site: | Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| Stadium: | H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000) |
| Coaches: | TULSA – Tre Lamb (Tennessee Tech '12), 2nd year EAST TEXAS A&M – Clint Dolezel (East Texas A&M '94), 4th year |
| TV: | ESPN+ |
| Talent: | Chad McKee (pxp), Reggie Walker (analyst) |
| Radio: | Big Country 99.5 FM or Online |
| Talent: | Bruce Howard (pxp), Rick Couri (analyst), Jeremie Poplin (sideline) |
| Live Stats: | Live Stats |
| Series: | 1st Meeting |
| Game Notes: | Tulsa | East Texas A&M | American Conference |
FIRST MEETING WITH THE LIONS
• Tulsa and East Texas A&M will meet for the first time when the teams play Saturday, Sept. 19, at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
• Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT, with the game streamed on ESPN+.
• The contest is Tulsa's third of four consecutive nonconference games to open the season.
• It will be the Golden Hurricane's second home game of the year following its 24-10 season-opening victory over Oklahoma State.
• East Texas A&M is in its second season as a full NCAA Division I member and competes in the Southland Conference.
• The Lions' trip to Tulsa will be their first appearance at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
OFF TO A 2-0 START
• Tulsa improved to 2-0 with victories over Oklahoma State and Sam Houston, marking the Golden Hurricane's first 2-0 start since 2015.
• The Golden Hurricane has opened the season with a home victory and a road victory for the first time since 2015.
• In 2015, Tulsa began the year with an overtime victory over Florida Atlantic before defeating New Mexico on the road.
• Tulsa has outscored its first two opponents 47-27, producing a double-digit scoring margin in each half this season.
• The Golden Hurricane has entered the fourth quarter with the lead in both games and has not allowed a point during the final period.
• Tulsa has scored six offensive touchdowns through two games, including five on the ground.
• The Golden Hurricane defense has not allowed a rushing touchdown while limiting opponents to 91 rushing yards per game and 2.7 yards per carry.
• Tulsa will look to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2008 when it hosts East Texas A&M at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
• The 2008 Golden Hurricane opened the season with eight consecutive victories and finished 11-3 as the Conference USA West Division co-champion and GMAC Bowl champion.
GAINING NATIONAL ATTENTION
• Tulsa received votes in both the Associated Press Top 25 and US LBM Coaches Poll released Sunday, Sept. 13.
• The Golden Hurricane collected seven points in the Coaches Poll while also appearing among the teams receiving votes in the AP poll with 18 points.
• The recognition marks Tulsa's first appearance in the receiving-votes category of either major poll during the 2026 season.
• Tulsa earned national attention after opening the season 2-0 with victories over Oklahoma State and Sam Houston.
• The Golden Hurricane began the year with a 24-10 victory over Oklahoma State, which strengthened Tulsa's résumé by defeating then-No. 6 Oregon the following week.
• Tulsa followed its season-opening win with a 23-17 road victory at Sam Houston, giving the Golden Hurricane its first 2-0 start since 2015.
• Tulsa has outscored its first two opponents 47-27 while allowing only 13.5 points per game.
• The Golden Hurricane enters its matchup against East Texas A&M seeking its first 3-0 start since the 2008 season.
STOPPING THE RUN
• Tulsa has limited its first two opponents to 182 rushing yards on 68 attempts—an average of 91.0 yards per game and 2.7 yards per carry.
• The Golden Hurricane is tied for 30th nationally in rushing defense and ranks 23rd among FBS teams in yards allowed per rushing attempt through games of Sept. 12.
• Tulsa's run defense has improved significantly from the 2025 season, when the Golden Hurricane allowed 188.1 rushing yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry.
• Tulsa held Sam Houston to only 55 rushing yards on 31 attempts, an average of 1.8 yards per carry.
• The 55 rushing yards were 72 fewer than Oklahoma State produced in the season opener and lowered Tulsa's season average from 127.0 to 91.0 yards allowed per game.
• Oklahoma State and Sam Houston combined for only 10 rushing plays covering at least five yards, with neither opponent producing a rushing touchdown.
• Tulsa is among the national leaders with zero rushing touchdowns allowed through the first two games.
• The Golden Hurricane has scored five rushing touchdowns of its own, giving Tulsa a plus-five advantage in rushing touchdowns this season.
• Tulsa's next opponent, East Texas A&M, enters the matchup averaging 73.0 rushing yards through its first two games.
PRESSURE UP FRONT
• Tulsa recorded five sacks for 47 yards against Sam Houston after collecting two sacks for 12 yards in its season-opening victory over Oklahoma State.
• The Golden Hurricane has totaled seven sacks for 59 yards through two games.
• Thomas Davis leads Tulsa with three sacks for 19 yards, including two sacks in the road victory over Sam Houston.
• Davis is tied for fifth nationally in total sacks and ranks second in the American Conference, trailing only Memphis' Elijah Kinsler, who has 3.5.
• Davis has already matched the three sacks he recorded in seven games at App State during the 2025 season.
• Kyran Duhon recorded both of his season sacks against Sam Houston and is tied for 26th nationally and fourth in the American Conference with two.
• Duhon's second sack came on fourth down during Sam Houston's final possession. He forced a fumble on the play that Jaylen George recovered to secure Tulsa's 23-17 victory.
• Davis also ended a fourth-quarter possession with an 11-yard sack on fourth-and-nine, giving the Golden Hurricane two fourth-down sacks during the final period.
• Dax Collins and Will Upshaw have added one sack apiece, giving Tulsa four different defenders with at least one sack through the opening two games.
JONES BREAKS LOOSE
• Running back Trequan Jones rushed for a game-high 125 yards and two touchdowns on only nine carries in Tulsa's 23-17 road victory over Sam Houston.
• Jones averaged 13.9 yards per attempt and became the first Golden Hurricane player to record a 100-yard rushing game this season.
• He opened Tulsa's scoring with a three-yard touchdown run in the second quarter before breaking free for an 81-yard score in the third quarter.
• The 81-yard touchdown is Tulsa's longest play of the season and the second-longest rushing score of Jones' collegiate career, trailing only his Old Dominion-record 93-yard touchdown in 2025.
• Through two games, Jones has rushed for a team-leading 160 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries—an average of 10.0 yards per attempt.
• His 10.0-yard rushing average leads the American Conference and ranks fifth nationally among qualifying players.
• Jones ranks fifth in the American Conference and 50th nationally with 160 rushing yards.
• He has produced five runs covering at least 10 yards this season, with four resulting in either a touchdown or first down.
• The performance pushed Jones past 2,000 career rushing yards. He enters the East Texas A&M game with 2,023 yards and 22 touchdowns while averaging 7.7 yards per carry across his college career.
COLLINS LEADS THE DEFENSE
• Linebacker Dax Collins recorded a career-high 12 tackles in Tulsa's 23-17 road victory over Sam Houston, surpassing his previous best of 11 that came against South Florida during the 2024 season.
• Collins finished the Sam Houston game with five solo tackles and seven assists while helping the Golden Hurricane limit the Bearkats to only 55 rushing yards.
• The junior has increased his tackle total in each appearance this season and has established a new career high in consecutive games.
• Collins leads Tulsa with 19 tackles through the opening two contests, averaging 9.5 stops per game.
• His 19 tackles rank ninth in the American Conference and are tied for 40th nationally through games of Sept. 12.
• Collins has nearly doubled his production from the entire 2025 season, when he recorded 10 tackles in 12 appearances.
• In addition to his 19 tackles, Collins has contributed one sack and one quarterback hurry this season.
• His first career sack came during the second quarter against Oklahoma State, helping Tulsa hold the Cowboys to 10 points in the season-opening victory.
• Collins has played a key role in a Tulsa defense that has allowed only 13.5 points and 91 rushing yards per game while forcing six turnovers through two contests.
• He is one of four Golden Hurricane defenders with double-digit tackles, joining Chris Thompson Jr., Ashton Williams and Jaylen George.
DEFENSE CLOSES THE DOOR
• Tulsa's defense did not allow a point during the fourth quarter for the second consecutive game.
• The Golden Hurricane has outscored its opponents 7-0 in the fourth quarter this season.
• Tulsa stopped Sam Houston twice on fourth down during the final period, with Thomas Davis and Kyran Duhon ending possessions with sacks.
• Sam Houston reached the Tulsa 5-yard line on its final drive, but the Golden Hurricane forced three consecutive incompletions before Duhon's strip-sack on fourth down.
• Tulsa has allowed opponents to convert only two of eight fourth-down attempts through two games.
• Opponents have scored on only two of five red-zone possessions, including just one touchdown.
LAWYER EXECUTES THE FAKE
• Defensive lineman Tristan Lawyer delivered one of the game's biggest plays with a 56-yard touchdown run on a fake punt.
• The touchdown completed an 11-play, 80-yard drive and gave Tulsa its first lead of the game, 16-14, early in the third quarter.
• It was Lawyer's first collegiate rushing attempt and first career touchdown.
• The 56-yard run was Tulsa's longest rushing play of the season until Trequan Jones scored from 81 yards later in the quarter.
• Tulsa converted four of its six fourth-down attempts against Sam Houston, including Lawyer's fake-punt touchdown.
2026 CAPTAINS
• Head Coach Tre Lamb announced the 2026 team captains during fall camp.
• Captain selections include one head coach's pick and four team-voted leaders (two offense, two defense).
• The 2026 team captains are:
• Baylor Hayes – Quarterback
• Sevion Morrison – Running Back
• Chris Thompson Jr. – Linebacker
• Jaylen George – Defensive Line
• Malachi Preciado – Offensive Line
NEW NUMBERS FOR 2026
• Seven returning Golden Hurricane players will wear new jersey numbers during the 2026 season.
• Donnell Gee Jr. moves from No. 18 to No. 0, Zach Williams from No. 18 to No. 1, Devin Robinson from No. 16 to No. 2 and Ashton Williams from No. 15 to No. 5.
• Aquavious Dunbar changes from No. 40 to No. 21, Tristan Lawyer from No. 51 to No. 40 and Micah Tease moves from No. 3 to No. 8 as he transitions from wide receiver to cornerback.
RECRUIT LOCAL
• Tulsa's 2026 roster features 27 players from the Tulsa metropolitan area, demonstrating the Golden Hurricane's commitment to recruiting and retaining local talent.
• The group includes 17 players whose listed hometown is Tulsa, four from Owasso, three from Bixby and one each from Collinsville, Jenks and Mannford.
• Local players represent every phase of the roster, with Tulsa-area talent appearing on offense, defense and special teams.
• The group includes players from several of the area's most successful high school programs, including Bixby, Booker T. Washington, Cascia Hall, Collinsville, Holland Hall, Jenks, Metro Christian, Owasso, Rejoice Christian and Union.
• Tulsa's local contingent includes returning Golden Hurricane players as well as student-athletes who returned home after beginning their collegiate careers elsewhere.
• Head coach Tre Lamb and his staff continue to prioritize relationships with area high school coaches while providing local players an opportunity to compete at the FBS level in their hometown region.
WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT TULSA'S FOOTBALL TRADITION
• New Year's Day Bowl Streak: Tulsa was the first school to play in five consecutive New Year's Day bowl games: Sun Bowl (1942), Sugar Bowl (1943, 1944), Orange Bowl (1945), and Oil Bowl (1946).
• Ellis Jones: An All-American guard in 1945, Jones played with one arm and was a standout on the College All-Star team vs. the Chicago Bears.
• Pro Football Hall of Fame: Four former Tulsa players are enshrined: Bob St. Clair, Jim Finks, Steve Largent, and Drew Pearson.
• Heisman Runners-Up: Jerry Rhome (1964) and Howard Twilley (1965) finished second in Heisman Trophy voting.
• Glenn Dobbs (1940–42): Considered Tulsa's greatest player, Dobbs also coached the Hurricane in the 1960s. Eighth Street near H.A. Chapman Stadium is Glenn Dobbs Drive, dedicated in 2000. A statue of Dobbs was dedicated before the 2013 spring game.
• Zaven Collins (2020): Consensus All-America linebacker who won the Chuck Bednarik and Bronko Nagurski awards as college football's top defender.
• NFL Head Coaches: Four former Tulsa players have served as NFL head coaches: Tommy Hudspeth (Detroit Lions), Sam Rutigliano (Cleveland Browns), Ray Rhodes (Philadelphia Eagles/Green Bay Packers), and Lovie Smith (Chicago Bears/Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Houston Texans).
• College Football Hall of Fame: Tulsa has three former players, two former head coaches, and two former assistant coaches inducted:
• Players: Glenn Dobbs (1940–42, 1961–68), Howard Twilley (1963–65), Jerry Rhome (1963–64)
• Head Coaches: Francis Schmidt (1919–21), John Cooper (1977–84)
• Assistant Coaches: Darrell Royal (1951), Sammy Baugh (1963)
Visit www.TulsaHurricane.com for the latest news and information on the football program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'TulsaFootball' on X, Facebook and Instagram.
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