Nov. 10, 2007

IRVING, Texas - Tulsa improved to 7-3 overall and 5-2 in C-USA action, with a 56-7 victory over Houston on Saturday. Tulsa now has the advantage over Houston for the C-USA West Division title and can clinch the crown in the final game of the season with a victory at Rice. Marshall beat East Carolina 26-7 in Huntington. Bernard Morris became the first quarterback in Marshall history to rush for 1,000 yards in a career as he registered 364 yards of total offense. On the day, Morris was 24 of 32 passing for 238 yards.

Memphis' Martin Hankins threw four touchdowns passes, including two in the final minutes, to rally Memphis to a 29-26 conference win over Southern Miss, while Clark Fangmeier hit a 31-yard field goal with no time left to give Rice a 43-42 win over SMU. UCF's Kevin Smith carried 41 times for 320 yards and four touchdowns to lead UCF to a 45-31 victory over UAB. Smith, a junior from Miami, shattered his previous career high of 223 yards, set earlier this season against Louisiana-Lafayette. He had scoring runs of 2, 3, 8 and 41 yards and set a single game school rushing record.

TULSA 56, HOUSTON 7
Tulsa improved to 7-3 overall and 5-2 in C-USA action, while the Cougars dropped to 6-4 and 5-2 in league play. With the victory Tulsa has the advantage over Houston for the C-USA West Division title and can clinch the crown in the final game of the season with a victory at Rice.

With Smith's 37-yard touchdown pass to Dion Toliver in the third quarter, he became both the school's career and single-season passing leader. Smith broke TJ Rubley's career record and Billy Guy Anderson's 1965 single season record. With that pass he also tied the single season touchdown passes record of 32 which was set by Jerry Rhome in 1964. Smith now has 9,338 career yards and 3,467 passing yards this year.

Smith also threw for five touchdown passes and ran for another, in tying his season and career-bests of five TD passes. He finished with his 10th 300+ yard passing game as he completed 15 of 28 passes for 313 yards. It wasn't only Smith and the offense that put on a show, as the Hurricane defense was dominant. The Tulsa defense forced a season-high five turnovers with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

Tulsa amassed 515 total yards of total offense, while holding the Cougars to 30 points under its season scoring average and 198 yards under its total offense yardage.

The Hurricane scored 35 first-half points and scored all 56 of its points before the Cougars were able to get on the scoreboard for the first and only time with just 2:25 left in the contest.

Tulsa jumped out to a 7-0 lead after taking its first possession 63 yards in nine plays, as Paul Smith scored from three yards out on his 10th rushing touchdown of the season.

The Hurricane scored on its next possession, traveling 80 yards in seven plays, as Paul Smith threw 53 yards to Brennan Marion, combining for their seventh TD pass on the year.

In the first half, the Cougars had its closest penetration in Tulsa territory late in the second quarter. Houston went 49 yards in eight plays to the Tulsa eight-yard line, but the Hurricane defense stiffened and forced a Houston 25-yard field goal, which was blocked by Tulsa nose guard Brandon Jones.

The Hurricane deflated any hopes of the Cougars by scoring three times within the final 3:24 of the first half to take a 35-0 halftime lead.

Tulsa took a 21-0 lead at the 3:24 mark of the second quarter as Smith and Marion hooked up for their second TD connection of the game, this time for 32 yards, capping a five-play, 48-yard drive. After Tulsa's Nelson Coleman forced a Houston fumble, Smith used just one play to put the Hurricane ahead 28-0 as he threw 51 yards to Charles Clay. With one second remaining on the first half clock, Smith rifled an 11-yard scoring strike to tight end Jake Collums for its 35-0 halftime lead.

At halftime, Tulsa held a 309 to 169-yard advantage in total offense while the Cougars held more than a 90-second edge in possession time.

The Hurricane came out in the second half and scored two more times in the third quarter as Smith threw his fifth TD of the game with his record-setting pass to Toliver at the 10:50 mark. On Tulsa's next possession, Trae Johnson returned a punt 37 yards to the Houston 18 yard-line and three plays later Tarrion Adams ran in from two yards out to give the Hurricane a 49-0 lead.

Tulsa added to the onslaught with a 52-yard, 10-play drive for a 56-0 lead at the 11:35 mark of the fourth period. Jamad Williams ran in from 10 yards for the final Hurricane score.

Tulsa steps out of Conference USA action next week as the Hurricane travels to play the Army Black Knights in West Point, NY. Game time on ESPN Classic is scheduled for 11:00 am (CT).

MARSHALL 26, EAST CAROLINA 7
Led by an outstanding defensive performance the Marshall football team produced a dominant effort Saturday night, beating East Carolina 26-7 at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.

Bernard Morris became the first quarterback in Marshall history to rush for 1,000 yards in a career as he registered 364 yards of total offense. On the day, Morris was 24 of 32 passing for 238 yards and two touchdowns, and he had 126 yards rushing with another score on the ground. The senior connected with a trio of primary receivers. Cody Slate, E.J. Wynn and Emmanuel Spann combined 15 catches, 163 yards and two touchdowns.

ECU came in averaging 32 points-per-game but was hampered all night by the Thundering Herd defense, which limited the Pirates to just 276 yards. Marshall shut down the ECU running game, holding one of Conference USA's top rushing attacks to just 108 yards. ECU running back Chris Johnson had to just 72 yards on 12 carries. Patrick Pinkney led the Pirates passing attack with 109 yards through the air.

Marshall dominated the time of possession in the first half, controlling the ball for 21:12 minutes of the first 30 minutes. The Pirate offense was able to get nothing going early as the Herd pitched its second first half shut out of season. After receiving the opening kickoff Marshall took the lead on its first drive. Morris led the Herd on a 16-play march that took 8:36 off the clock and ended with a 34-yard Anthony Binswanger field goal.

The Herd moved the ball into ECU territory twice in its next three drives but was turned away on both occasions. Marshall finally able to break into the end zone just as the first half was winding down.

Starting at his own 44-yard line with under a minute left, Morris took the Herd into the hurry-up offense and connected on a quick strike to Spann for 33 yards. After an incomplete pass to Darius Passmore in the end zone, Morris found Wynn on a slant for a 23-yard touchdown that put Marshall ahead 10-0 at halftime.

The second half started with more of the same as Marshall forced ECU into a three-and-out. On the Herd's first offensive play, Morris rushed into the record books with 75-yard scamper for a touchdown.

ECU came back with an eight-play, 74-yard scoring drive to cut the Marshall lead to 16-7. With fourth and one at the Herd four-yard line, Pirate coach Skip Holtz rolled the dice and went for the touchdown. Pinkney pitched to Johnson on an option and the scat-back found his way to the corner of the end zone.

The teams traded punts on their next possessions. Marshall took over at its own 34 late in the third and worked its way to the Pirate 17 where Morris found Spann for his third touchdown throw of the day. The touchdown put the Herd ahead 23-7.

East Carolina moved to the Marshall 41 on its next drive, but was stopped on fourth and three when Pinkney's pass intended for Jamar Bryant fell incomplete.

The Thundering Herd then went 41 yards in 10 plays and ate 5:21 off the clock en route to a 33-yard Binswanger field goal with 5:41 left to play.

The Pirates last comeback hopes ended as ECU quarterback Rob Kass was sacked by Mario Harvey at the Marshall 37 and his ensuing fourth down pass fell incomplete.

MEMPHIS 29, SOUTHERN MISS 26
Martin Hankins threw four touchdowns passes, including two in the final minutes, to rally Memphis to a 29-26 conference win over Southern Miss on Saturday.

Hankins hit Carlos Singleton on a 52-yard scoring pass with 1:04 to play to seal the win for the Tigers (5-5, 4-2 Conference USA).

The Golden Eagles (5-5, 4-3) led 26-14 after Brandon Sumrall's 86-yard interception return for a score with 10:22 to play. But Hankins, who finished with 396 yards, completing 35-of-48 passes, guided the Tigers on a pair of 76-yard touchdown drives to grab the win.

The first of those two drives ended in a 12-yard scoring strike to Earnest Williams with 4:21 to play. The Tigers then forced Southern Miss to punt on the ensuing drive.

Another highlight in the game came when Damion Fletcher scored for Southern Miss on a 5-yard run in the first quarter and became just the third player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. Fletcher needed just 10 yards coming into the game to join Derrick Nix and Ben Garry as the only Golden Eagles with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

Fletcher ran for 97 yards and the one score in the game, but it just wasn't enough.

Memphis came into the game with the league's No. 2. passing offense and it was obvious early in the match up when Hankins found Duke Calhoun on a 65-yard scoring pass just over five minutes into the game.

UCF 45, UAB 31
Kevin Smith carried 41 times for 320 yards and four touchdowns to lead UCF to a 45-31 victory over UAB Saturday night.

Smith, a junior from Miami, shattered his previous career high of 223 yards, set earlier this season against Louisiana-Lafayette. He had scoring runs of 2, 3, 8 and 41 yards and set a single game school rushing record.

Smith broke UCF's single season rushing record with a 20-yard run in the first quarter.

UCF (7-3, 5-1 CUSA) won its fourth game in a row. The Knights claimed sole possession of first place in the east division of Conference USA with the help of Marshall's 26-7 victory over East Carolina.

Backup quarterback Joseph Webb completed 15-of-25 passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns to lead UAB (2-8, 1-5). Starting quarterback Sam Hunt was the Blazers leading rusher with 79 yards on seven carries. Frantrell Forrest caught six passes for 71 yards and one touchdown.

Jake Howard's 44-yard field goal gave UCF a 3-0 lead, but UAB responded with a 67-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard scoring run by Hunt.

Smith put UCF back in front with a 2-yard touchdown run, only to see a 27-yard pass from Webb to Forrest provide UAB with a 14-10 advantage after one quarter.

A 3-yard touchdown run by Smith gave UCF the lead. But a 30-yard field goal by Swayze Waters in the final minute of the first half made it 17-17 at halftime.

On the second play of the second half, UCF's Joe Burnett intercepted a Hunt pass and returned it 21 yards to the UAB 21-yard-line. Smith scored on an 8-yard run to give the Knights a 24-17 lead.

UAB answered with a 64-yard drive that ended with a 13-yard scoring pass from Webb to Mario Wright. However, a 51-yard run by backup tailback Curtis Francis helped UCF retake the lead at 31-24.

A four-yard pass from Kyle Israel to Rocky Ross gave UCF a 38-24 lead with 7:59 left. UAB closed to within 38-31 on a four-yard pass from Webb to Jeffrey Anderson with 2:12 left. The Blazers tried an onside kick, but UCF recovered and two plays later Smith raced 41 yards for a touchdown to seal the victory.

TULANE 34, UTEP 19

RICE 43, SMU 42
Clark Fangmeier hit a 31-yard field goal with no time left to give Rice a 43-42 win over SMU on Saturday.

Fangmeier's field goal capped a 10-play, 69-yard drive that consumed the final 2:29 of the game and helped the Owls (3-7,3-3 Conference USA) overcome a 15-point fourth quarter deficit.

Chase Clement of Rice completed 35 of 52 passes for 364 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 124 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns.

Clement scored on a 6-yard run to narrow SMU's lead to 42-40 with 10:01 left in the game, but the Owls failed on the two-point conversion attempt. Clement began the quarter by scoring on an 8-yard run on the first play.

SMU's Justin Willis completed 13 of 31 passes for 165 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another score.

The Mustangs scored 28 straight points to take a 42-27 lead after a 1-yard run by Chris Butler with 2:06 left in the third quarter.

The Owls returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the first half to help build a 27-21 halftime lead. Brandon King scored on a 30-yard interception return and Andrew Sendejo scored on a 31-yard return with 4:53 left in the second quarter for a 27-14 Rice lead.

Clement set a single-season school record for touchdown passes for 22 in a season after he threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes to Jarrett Dillard of 13 and 25 yards. Clement broke the previous record of 21, which he held with Tommy Kramer.

Dillard also set a school record in the game for most career receptions with 190, breaking Eric Henley's previous record of 186. Dillard finished with 13 receptions and 128 yards.

Zach Sledge caught three touchdown passes of 21, 15 and 6 yards for the Mustangs. Sledge finished with five receptions for 68 yards. SMU's DeMyron Martin led all rushers with 137 yards on 16 carries.