The Golden Hurricane extend their winning streak over the Cowboys with a decisive home victory.
The University of Tulsa football players had the crowd on their feet Saturday afternoon as they took the field for the first time this season. However, the game did not begin until after the festivities: freshmen participated in the annual Freshman Storm with a brand-new Goldie, Gus T pumped up the crowd from the back of an ATV and Skelly Stadium was ringed in with the blasts of fireworks. By the time the players took the field, the muggy air was so charged with the excitement of the crowd there could have been heat lightning — and what an electric game it was.
With the heat index climbing to a scorching 108 degrees Fahrenheit, the players were primed and ready to take on the heat — in more ways than one. While the heat index may have only indicated 108, the temperature of the field itself reached 161 degrees in the hot sun. Paramedics were on standby, and cooling stations were set up on either side of the stadium, but the Hurricane’s supporters proved on Saturday to be anything but “fair-weather fans.”
On Sept. 19, 2025, Tulsa defeated Oklahoma State on their home field, breaking the 27 year drought against OSU. Following that game, head coach Mike Gundy was fired. It was a historic loss for OSU, and the final straw that led to the school searching for a new head coach. Flash forward to Sept. 5, 2026: Oklahoma State has a new coach and some new star players, but Tulsa pulled out a win yet again.
Kicker Marlon Hauch opened the scoring in the first quarter of the game, sending a 40-yard field goal sailing through the goalposts to put three on the scoreboard. The first touchdown of the game was scored by TU in the second quarter, on a direct snap to tailback Damari Alston, who took the ball off the left side and into the end zone. The score was 10-3 at the half favoring the Golden Hurricane.
Coming back from halftime, the opening possession led to Tulsa recovering a fumble, giving them momentum to start the second half with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter. Receiver Oran Singleton scored another touchdown for TU on a 21-yard reception from quarterback Baylor Hayes, making the score 17-3. The only Cowboy touchdown came at the very end of the third quarter. A controversial call preceded the score as TU was on the wrong end of a poor pass interference call on a key third down in the drive.
In the middle of the fourth quarter, Alston rushed 29 yards for another touchdown, bringing the score to 24-10, Tulsa. Then, with just minutes left in the game and OSU scrambling to close the gap, Zach Williams glided in front of the intended Cowboy receiver to intercept the ball as the crowd went wild. OSU had one more opportunity in the final seconds, but defensive back Tyson Williams shut it down with one more interception. The game was decided by the turnover battle, which Tulsa won 4-1, stalling multiple OSU drives in dramatic fashion.
OSU fans slowly trickled out of the stadium as the second half played out. TU fans, on the other hand, expressed excitement for the team’s prospects moving forward. Simran Randawa, CHAOS student section leader, said, “The student section is such a supportive community. We didn’t stop chanting and cheering on our team the entire time!” “I had to have lost 5 pounds in sweat, but I was not leaving one second before that game was over,” said Tulsa Mom and Golden Hurricane fan Susan Reid. “We’re genuinely playing better football than them — it’s not even a fluke.” enthusiastically noted mechanical engineering student Mason Evans.
The takeaway? This win gives the Golden Hurricane consecutive victories over OSU for the first time since 1950-1952. With a final score of 24-10, Tulsa, it was safe to say that — while the Cowboys could not weather the storm — the Hurricane could clearly take the heat.
