The Mustangs came out and played the game they needed to, but they only played it for three quarters.
Both the offense and defense faltered in the fourth quarter and gave up the lead and the win to Tulsa, 29-23.
SMU seemed to have fixed its main problem coming into the game: tackling on defense. And they did it with some new names and faces in the lineup.
Cory Muse and Justin Smart were each out on the defensive line giving way to freshmen Youri Yenga and Jordan Johnson to get playing time. Also with the injuries on the defensive secondary, Bryce Hudman, David Haynes and De’Von Bailey gave more new players a chance to play. Devin Lowery returned to the secondary after starting the season at his original wide receiver position, and gave red-shirt first year Tyler Jones his first start in the secondary.
Things seemed to be going SMU’s way. The defensive line was disrupting Tulsa quarterback Paul Smith, never letting him get comfortable in the pocket, including sacks from Ryan Leonard, Yenga and one in which the two of them combined to take Smith down.
The Mustangs also appeared to have solved their tackling issues. A big part of that was the play of Tyler Jones in the secondary as well as all three linebackers: Damon Hurst, Will Bonilla and Wilton McCray.
SMU also took the ball away from the potent Golden Hurricane offense on four occasions. The defense got two interceptions and two fumble recoveries, but the offense could convert those into only three points.
Even with all the good things going for them the Mustangs still gave up big plays including a 51-yard pass play and a 37-yard pass play and too many third-down conversions, 10-15.
Tulsa was able to come back and score a touchdown after each of the Mustangs’ touchdowns, never allowing SMU to keep a big lead or momentum.
But everything seemed to be pointing to SMU breaking the losing streak and getting a crucial conference win on the road. Thomas Morstead, after connecting from 50 yards and 32 yards, hit a career long 52-yard field goal with 10:42 left in the game to give SMU the two-point lead.
But that is when the ghosts of SMU’s past came back to haunt it.
It was last year in the final game of the season at Rice where the Mustangs had two opportunities to score a touchdown from the one-yard line and couldn’t convert. The Owls went on to score a touchdown, win the game and go to a bowl while the Mustangs missed out.
On Saturday it was the same story, different chapter. The Mustangs had a 23-21 lead and were first and goal from the five with just over four minutes left in the game. The first-down play got the Mustangs to the two-yard line. But Tulsa’s defense stopped SMU after just a one-yard gain on second down and stopped the third-down play for no gain. SMU then went for the touchdown, giving the ball to DeMyron Martin. Martin was stopped short and the Mustangs once again couldn’t score.
But all was not lost. SMU still had the lead and with just 1:56 left in the game, and just had to stop the Tulsa offense which got the ball at the one-yard line.
But on second and 10 from the 49-yard line Tulsa got the job done. After a game where he had five tackles, one for a loss, a fumble forced, a fumble recovered and an interception, Hurst in coverage slipped at the 10-yard line and Tulsa easily made it into the end zone.
