Tulsa, Oklahoma – In a thrilling comeback, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane managed to reverse a significant deficit, defeating the UTSA Roadrunners 46-45 on Saturday. Quarterback Cooper Legas was instrumental in the victory, passing for an impressive 333 yards and tossing five touchdown passes.

Legas orchestrated a crucial eight-play drive that spanned 92 yards in just over a minute, culminating in a 4-yard touchdown pass to Kamdyn Benjamin. This marked Benjamin’s third touchdown reception in the game and provided Tulsa with its first lead, coming with only a minute left on the clock.

UTSA’s last chance to reclaim the game saw quarterback Owen McCown guide the Roadrunners to midfield with a successful 25-yard pass to Houston Thomas. However, the momentum halted as four straight incomplete passes sealed their fate.

The comeback was sparked by Tulsa defensive lineman Amieh Williams, who returned a fumble for a touchdown, narrowing the score from 35-7 at halftime to a much more manageable deficit.

Despite UTSA maintaining a commanding lead with a third-quarter touchdown from McCown to Willie McCoy, which pushed the score to 42-17, Tulsa responded swiftly. Less than a minute after McCown’s touchdown, Legas connected with Benjamin for a remarkable 74-yard touchdown play.

In the final quarter, Legas kept the pressure on with additional touchdown passes of 4 yards to Viron Ellison Jr. and another 20 yards to Benjamin, continuing to close the gap created earlier in the game. By contrast, UTSA’s McCown had initially established a significant lead with touchdown passes of 9, 69, and 23 yards to receivers Oscar Cardenas, Chris Carpenter, and Dan Dishman, respectively. A missed extra point after Dishman’s touchdown further complicated their scoreline, making it 20-0 at one point.

Legas also threw his first touchdown of the afternoon to Bill Jackson on a 31-yard strike. UTSA countered with a 9-yard touchdown run before recovering a fumble in the end zone after Legas was tackled at his own 11-yard line by Jamal Ligon.

For the day, McCown completed 30 of 50 passes for a total of 434 yards, complemented by four touchdown throws. Despite the loss, the offensive showcase was a testament to the high stakes and rivalry in college football.