Tulsa didn’t just leave Huntsville with a win Saturday night. It left with a 2-0 start, a road escape, and a little more national attention after a wild weekend of scoreboard chain reactions.
The Golden Hurricane had already benefited from the ripple effect of what happened in Stillwater earlier in the day, when Oklahoma State knocked off No. 6 Oregon, 39-31.
A week after Tulsa beat Oklahoma State, 24-10, that result only added to the buzz around Tre Lamb’s team. But all of that noise meant nothing unless Tulsa handled its own business against Sam Houston, and for a long stretch at Bowers Stadium, the Bearkats looked ready to make the night uncomfortable.
This was a different kind of homecoming in Huntsville. Sam Houston had spent last season playing 70 miles away from campus in downtown Houston because of renovations at Bowers Stadium. With the work finally finished over the summer, the stadium welcomed fans back for the first time since November 2024, and the Bearkats wasted no time making the new setting feel alive.
On their first drive back on the turf in 652 days, Sam Houston marched 75 yards and jumped in front 7-0 on a 39-yard Chris Reed touchdown catch. Later in the first half, Landyn Locke sold a fake handoff beautifully, opening the door for Jerrian Parker Jr. to sprint free for a 94-yard touchdown reception.
Tulsa was staring at a serious upset threat after that opening half, but the game flipped once the Golden Hurricane settled in. The defense tightened up, and the offense came out swinging to open the third quarter with two explosive touchdowns.
The first came on one of the night’s strangest and boldest calls: a fake punt on 4th and 9 from Tulsa’s own 44. Instead of a kick, the ball went on a direct snap to defensive end Tristan Lawyer. With two strong blocks and a broken tackle helping him along, the 6’4”, 245-pounder powered 56 yards for the go-ahead score.
Then came the dagger-looking burst that pushed Tulsa in control. On the next possession, Old Dominion transfer running back Trequan Jones put together a sharp cut through the Bearkats’ defense and broke loose for an 81-yard touchdown. That stretch gave Tulsa a 16-0 run and a 23-14 lead.
Sam Houston still had plenty left. The Bearkats trimmed the margin with a third-quarter field goal and then made life difficult for Tulsa’s offense on back-to-back possessions.
With under two minutes to play, Locke completed a 6-yard pass to Grady O’Neill on 3rd and 11 from the Tulsa 16, setting up 4th and 5 from the 10. O’Neill was then suplex slammed by Tulsa free safety Zach Williams - the same player who was the hero of the Oklahoma State game - and that play gave Sam Houston four chances from the 5-yard line to win it.
Tulsa made every one of those chances disappear.
Dax Collins broke up Locke’s first throw in the end zone. Ashton Williams nearly picked off the second.
JD Drew knocked away the third. And on fourth down, the Tulsa front got home for a strip sack, sealing the Golden Hurricane’s road opener.
Sam Houston fell to 0-2, but both losses came by one score. Phil Longo’s team has shown progress in Year 2, especially at quarterback.
Locke threw for 316 yards Saturday after passing for 336 in Week 1, giving Sam Houston the two biggest passing performances by a Bearkat quarterback since the program moved to FBS in 2023. The Bearkats now turn to next Saturday’s home game against FCS opponent Nicholls.
Tulsa, meanwhile, is 2-0 for the first time since 2015. The Golden Hurricane sit six spots outside the AP Poll even after beating Oklahoma State, which was four spots outside the AP Poll when Tulsa beat it, and then seeing Oregon fall to the Cowboys.
Rankings aside, the results have Tulsa unbeaten through two games under Lamb in his second season. There is some concern, though: quarterback Baylor Hayes may be out for the near future after suffering a knee injury in Saturday’s game.
Tulsa will move on to face FCS East Texas A&M before finishing non-conference play at Arkansas.
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