Game Notes: First Meeting in Tulsa since 1996

PROVO -- Coming off a tough loss at No. 13 UCLA, the Cougars will travel to the state of Oklahoma for a matchup against former WAC foe Tulsa. Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m. (CDT) from Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium and will be broadcast nationally on CSTV. The game will mark the second of two straight road games for BYU while Tulsa had last weekend off after a 35-17 win over Louisiana-Monroe to start the season. The Cougars are 6-0 all-time against the Golden Hurricane, including a 2-0 mark in Tulsa.

THE BYU-TULSA SERIES

For the second year in a row BYU will play Tulsa, an old WAC foe. The Cougars hold an all-time record of 6-0 against the Golden Hurricane, most recently taking a 49-24 victory at LaVell Edwards Stadium in 2006. Tulsa finished the 2006 season with an 8-5 overall record, including a trip to the Armed Forces Bowl. The bowl game marked Tulsa's third post-season appearance over the past four seasons. Saturday's game will mark the first time BYU has played i Tulsa since 1996. The Cougars won that game, 55-30, en route to a 14-1 season. BYU first played at Tulsa in 1971, beating the Golden Hurricane, 25-7. The Cougars also beat Tulsa in 1984, 38-15. The two teams played three straight years (1995, 1996 and 1997). The two team met last season in Provo for the first time since 1997. The Cougars prevailed, 49-24, in a game that was delayed in the second half due to hurricane-like conditions.

ON THE TUBE

Saturday's game will be broadcast live to a national television audience on College Sports Television (CSTV). Tom Hart will call the action and Trev Alberts will lend analysis. Hart graduated from the University of Missouri after playing a season of football at Quincy (Ill) University. His television play-by-play experience includes national coverage of the Conference USA Football Game of the Week, men's and women's basketball, and baseball for CSTV. Alberts is a former consensus All-American linebacker from the University of Nebraska. A 1993 Dick Butkus Award winner, Alberts was drafted with the fifth overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 1994. Alberts went on to play three seasons in the NFL before retiring in 1997. After his retirement from the NFL, Alberts spent five years working for CNN/SI and Sports Illustrated as a college football analyst. From 2002-05, Alberts was a college football analyst for ESPN's College GameDay Scoreboard and College GameDay Final.

LAST GAME RECAP

Despite racking up 435 yards of total offense, including 391 yards passing, BYU saw its 11-game winning streak come to an end, as No. 11 UCLA beat the Cougars 27-17 in front of 72,986 fans at the Rose Bowl. The Cougars held the Bruins to just 236 total yards but fell short in their bid to upset UCLA on its home field. BYU sophomore quarterback Max Hall threw 30-of-53 attempts for 391 yards and two touchdowns, while a stifling defense held UCLA junior quarterback Ben Olson to just 126 passing yards.

SERIES INFORMATION

Saturday's game will mark the seventh meeting between BYU and Tulsa, dating back to the 1971 season. BYU owns a 6-0 advantge over its former WAC foe, including a 49-24 win last season in Provo. Following are brief highlights of each BYU/Tulsa game:

Oct. 23, 1971 -- BYU 25, Tulsa 7 at Skelly Stadium in Tulsa, Okla.

Trailing 6-7 at the half, BYU scored 19 second half points to secure the victory in the first matchup between the two teams.

Sept. 15, 1984 -- Tulsa 15, BYU 38 at Cougar Stadium in Provo, Utah

Robbie Bosco had 314 yards passing, as four different Cougars found the end zone.

Nov. 4, 1995 -- Tulsa 35, BYU 45 at Cougar Stadium in Provo, Utah

BYU senior FB Hema Heimuli gained 93 yards on 14 carries and scored two rushing touchdowns.

Oct. 19, 1996 -- BYU 55, UCLA 30 at Skelly Stadium in Tulsa, Okla.

Senior QB Steve Sarkisian threw five touchdown passes and junior RB Brian McKenzie rushed for 132 yards.

Nov. 8, 1997 -- Tulsa 39, BYU 49 at Cougar Stadium in Provo, Utah

Kevin Feterik tossed four touchdown passes and racked up 246 passing yards, while Brian McKenzie gained 187 yards on the ground and rushed for two touchdowns.

Sept. 9, 2006 -- Tulsa 24, BYU 49 at Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah

Senior RB Curtis Brown ran for 125 yards and had 82 yards receiving, including a 62-yard touchdown run.

SEASON TICKET HOLDERS ARE FULLY INVESTED

BYU has sold over 53,500 season tickets for the 2007 season -- that?s an increase of 7,900 over last year?s total of 45,600. Interestingly, nearly 84 percent of the Edwards Stadium capacity will be occupied by season-ticket holders.

TALE OF THE TAPE

BYU's starting five offensive linemen weigh in at an average 318.4 pounds and average 6-feet-5. The front five will be going up against a Tulsa defensive front that measures an average 6-feet-3, 299 pounds. Defensively, the Cougars' front three average 6-feet-2, 270 pounds, while the Tulsa offensive line tips the scales at an average 6-feet-2, 311 pounds per man.

FOOL ME ONCE ...

In the Bronco Mendenhall era, BYU is 5-1 in games following a loss during the regular season. The Cougars' only loss following a loss came on October 1 when BYU dropped a 31-10 decision at San Diego State following a 51-50 overtime loss against TCU.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Saturday's game at Tulsa will mark the fourth time in the Bronco Mendenhall era the Cougars have played back-to-back road games. Interestingly, regardless of the outcome of the first road game, BYU is a perfect 3-0 when playing the second of two straight road games.