Sports writer Abbey Tillotston discusses the major comeback TU had during the first home game of the season.
Mötley Crüe are not the only ones that
know how to rock Chapman Stadium. The
University of Tulsa football players had
the crowd loud with cheers of excitement
Thursday evening as they took the field
for the first time this season. The weather
could not have been more perfect and the
temperature was just right for this eve-
ning event. With the smell of hot dogs and
beer in the air and an amazing fireworks
display following the conclusion of the
game, this home-opener was the perfect
way to close out August and the first two
weeks of classes!
The opening football game of the 2023
season had a rocky start, with Arkansas-
Pine Bluff scoring the first touchdown and
TU’s star quarterback, Braylon Braxton,
suffering an injury just after the third se-
ries. However, soon after, the team came
back stronger than ever, playing a game
that kept the fans going wild. Cardell Wil-
liams, redshirt freshman, took the field
as quarterback leading the Tulsa Golden
Hurricane to victory in their season-open-
ing football game.
TU kicked off the night by announcing
the name of the new school mascot. The
final four name choices — Gale, Gus T.,
Herc and Hurricane Hank — were includ-
ed in a poll and the winning votes deter-
mined the name of the new mascot. When
the votes were in, Gus T. became TU’s
new mascot, who had a striking new look
when revealed on Thursday night. Sur-
rounded by the entire Spirit Squad, Gus T.
made his debut riding in on a cart ahead of
the Freshman Storm just before the game
was to begin. The Freshman Storm is a
tradition in which the freshmen run across
the football field right before the opening
game of the season. A tradition that took
place this year with Gus T. leading the
storm and making himself right at home
here at Chapman Stadium.
Two Oklahoma legends were in atten-
dance at the game. Former OU coach Bob
Stoops and OU fan Toby Keith both at-
tended the game to support the new team
coach, Kevin Wilson. The new coach be-
gan his career at The University of Tulsa
with four touchdowns in only the second
quarter of the game. By halftime, TU had
277 yards in the second quarter alone,
with quarterback Williams performing
with a perfect 100% passing efficiency
and a score of 28-7 at halftime, includ-
ing one rushing touchdown of his own.
The second half of the game proved to be
just as exciting with Williams finishing at
13 of 14 passes completed for 233 yards.
The defensive line kept the opposing team
from scoring again throughout the entire
game. The University of Tulsa football
team was dominating so greatly that third-
string quarterback Roman Fuller took
over halfway through the fourth quarter of
the game.
The final score of the game was 42-7
with The University of Tulsa earning a
well-deserved victory. With just a couple
of weeks until the next home game against
The University of Oklahoma, the season
is kicking off to a great start.
