Tulsa gets defensive stop, late TD to top USF 32-31

Oct 17, 2021, 04:04 am

TAMPA, Fla. -- — Shamari Brooks scored on a 3-yard run with 47-seconds to play, lifting Tulsa to a 32-31 win over South Florida on Saturday.

The winning nine-play, 42-yard drive was set up when the defense stopped the Bulls twice, beginning with a third-and-1, giving the offense the ball with 4:20 to play. The winning drive include a six-yard pass completion on fourth-and-2 from the Tulsa 20.

USF led 24-20 at the half on a 100-yard kickoff return by Brian Battie and a 69-yard interception return by Antonio Grier Jr. on the ensuing Tulsa possession. It was third 100-yard kick TD in school history and the third-longest interception return.

Tulsa (3-4, 2-1 American Athletic Conference) rallied late in the second quarter with 10 points on three plays — a field goal, a fumble recovery on the kickoff and a 37-yard TD pass from Davis Brin to Sam Crawford Jr.

South Florida had 535 yards of offense, the Bulls (1-5, 0-2) 268. Brooks ran for 145 yards on 23 carries and Deneric Prince 110 on 19 with a score.

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