Other conferences might have catchier late-night brands—think #Pac12AfterDark or #MACtion—but Tulsa might have just given us the wildest finish of the season in a Thursday night AAC clash with Tulane.
Playing in its first game as a ranked team since 2010, Tulsa’s bid to remain in the top 25 faced a serious test when the Golden Hurricane was forced to turn to its third-string quarterback. Trailing by seven with under a minute left, it appeared Tulsa’s stay among the game’s top tier would be short-lived.
Davis Brin and JuanCarlos Santana had other ideas.
Brin, forced into action when Tulsa’s first two quarterbacks were knocked out with injuries, found Santana on a 37-yard Hail Mary touchdown as time expired to tie the game, 21-21, and send it into overtime.
Tulsa received the first possession in overtime, and the two sides traded field goals. As if the game hadn’t had enough madness already, Tulsa defensive back Zaven Collins intercepted Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt and returned it 96 yards for the walk-off score.
Not bad for a game that was scoreless at halftime.
Brin finished the game going 18-for-28 for 266 yards and two touchdowns, adding another score on the ground. Santana was his favorite target of the night, as the junior made eight catches for 138 yards and the game-tying touchdown. For the season, Collins now has four interceptions—tied for the most in the FBS—with two returned for scores.
The win was Tulsa’s fifth straight, and the Golden Hurricane now has four wins by eight points or fewer. The remaining two games on its schedule will be challenging: Tulsa travels on the road to face Houston on Nov. 28 before finishing its regular season at home against No. 7 Cincinnati.
Few would bet on Tulsa running the table, but the fact that the team has itself in the conversation as the nation’s top Group of Five team is an accomplishment on its own.
