Scores

Final

Tulsa 24

(7-4, 4-3 C-USA)

SMU 34

(6-5, 4-3 C-USA)

3:00 PM ET, November 18, 2006

Gerald Ford Stadium, DALLAS, TX

1 2 3 4 T
TLSA 3 21 0 024
SMU 0 7 12 1534

Top Performers

Passing: J. Willis (SMU) - 190 YDS, 2 TD

Rushing: J. Willis (SMU) - 17 CAR, 93 YDS, 1 TD

Receiving: I. Moss (TLSA) - 13 REC, 120 YDS, 1 TD

SMU 34, Tulsa 24

DALLAS (AP) -- Justin Willis threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead SMU to a 34-24 win over Tulsa on Saturday afternoon.

The Mustangs scored 27 consecutive second-half points to erase a 17-point halftime deficit, tying for the third-largest comeback in school history.

SMU took its first lead at 27-24 with 12:46 left in the game after Willis scored on a 6-yard touchdown run and ran in the two-point conversion. With the touchdown, Willis set a school record for touchdowns accounted for in a season with 28, the previous record had been set by Chuck Hixson in 1968.

Wide receiver Blake Warren scored on a 14-yard run with 4:31 left in the game to extend the SMU lead to 10 points. Willis threw a lateral to Warren, who broke two tackles on the way to the end zone.

The Mustangs (6-5, 4-3) became bowl eligible with the win and won at least six games for only the second time since the school received the death penalty in 1987.

Tulsa (7-4, 4-3) lost its third consecutive game.

Willis completed 11 of 18 passes for 190 yards with scoring tosses of 8 and 10 yards and led SMU with 93 yards rushing on 17 attempts. His 8-yard touchdown pass with 1:25 left in the third quarter to Reynaldo Pellerin came five plays after the Mustangs' Andrew McKinney recovered Nick Graham's fumbled kickoff return at the Tulsa 24-yard line.

Tulsa scored on all four of its first-half possessions for a 24-7 halftime lead. Paul Smith completed nine consecutive passes for 132 yards to start the game including a 12-yard touchdown pass to Idris Moss with 6:14 left in the second quarter for a 17-7 Tulsa lead. Moss led all receivers with 13 receptions for 120 yards. Smith also scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak with 36 seconds left in the first half.

Smith completed 22 of 30 passes for 230 yards and one touchdown.

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Team Stat Comparison

 
TLSA
SMU
1st Downs2021
Total Yards356369
Passing230190
Rushing126179
Penalties4-267-57
3rd Down Conversions5-124-10
4th Down Conversions0-10-0
Turnovers10
Possession34:1025:50

Passing Leaders

TulsaC/ATTYDSAVGTDINT
Smith22/302307.710
Southern MethodistC/ATTYDSAVGTDINT
Willis11/1819010.620
Sledge0/100.000

Rushing Leaders

TulsaCARYDSAVGTDLG
Tennial13544.218
Smith12423.519
Southern MethodistCARYDSAVGTDLG
Willis17935.5115
Martin11605.5021

Receiving Leaders

TulsaRECYDSAVGTDLG
Moss131209.2119
Bugg4266.5012
Southern MethodistRECYDSAVGTDLG
Chase45714.3120
Givens36822.7041

Scoring Summary

FIRST QUARTERTLSASMU
FG5:37JAROD TRACY 21 YD FG
Drive info: 15 plays, 63 yards.
30
SECOND QUARTERTLSASMU
TD12:34COURTNEY TENNIAL 5 YD RUN (JAROD TRACY KICK)
Drive info: 11 plays, 70 yards.
100
TD9:14BOBBY CHASE 10 YD PASS FROM JUSTIN WILLIS (THOMAS MORSTEAD KICK)
Drive info: 8 plays, 80 yards.
107
TD6:14IDRIS MOSS 12 YD PASS FROM PAUL SMITH (JAROD TRACY KICK)
Drive info: 5 plays, 80 yards.
177
TD0:36PAUL SMITH 1 YD RUN (JAROD TRACY KICK)
Drive info: 10 plays, 54 yards.
247
THIRD QUARTERTLSASMU
FG9:06THOMAS MORSTEAD 35 YD FG
Drive info: 5 plays, 41 yards.
2410
FG3:25THOMAS MORSTEAD 47 YD FG
Drive info: 6 plays, 31 yards.
2413
TD1:25REYNALDO PELLERIN 8 YD PASS FROM JUSTIN WILLIS (FAILED 2PT PASS)
Drive info: 4 plays, 24 yards.
2419
FOURTH QUARTERTLSASMU
TD12:46JUSTIN WILLIS 6 YD RUN (JUSTIN WILLIS 2PT RUSH)
Drive info: 6 plays, 74 yards.
2427
TD4:31BLAKE WARREN 14 YD RUN (THOMAS MORSTEAD KICK)
Drive info: 12 plays, 87 yards.
2434