Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Tulsa opened the Tre Lamb era with a 24-10 upset of Oklahoma State as a double-digit underdog, then handled Sam Houston 23-17 and shut out East Texas A&M 42-0. But the schedule stiffened: a 34-6 loss at Arkansas, a 45-44 overtime heartbreaker to North Texas, and a 34-26 defeat at Navy dropped them to 3-3 before a 38-17 win at Rice steadied things. At 4-3 overall and 1-2 in American play, the Golden Hurricane have shown they can beat lesser teams and compete with Power Four opponents, but they have yet to string together a complete game against quality competition.

Sophomore quarterback Baylor Hayes has been the catalyst, using his legs and arm to drive the offense. He threw for 268 yards and a touchdown at Navy and then exploded for three touchdown passes in the Rice win, completing 20 of 27 passes for 249 yards. His dual-threat ability was on full display in the overtime thriller against North Texas, where he accounted for five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing). The run game, led by Old Dominion transfer Trequan Jones, has provided explosive plays: Jones ripped off an 81-yard touchdown run at Sam Houston and added a 45-yard scoring burst at Rice. Tristan Lawyer needed just one carry to score from 56 yards out against Sam Houston. The offensive line, anchored by right tackle Cam East, has opened holes, but pass protection remains a work in progress against elite edge rushers.

The Golden Hurricane defense was expected to take a step forward in 2026, and there have been flashes: a shutout of East Texas A&M, a goal-line stand against Oklahoma State, and an interception by Carter Langenderfer. But the big-play epidemic that plagued the 2025 unit has not been fully cured. Sam Houston hung 316 passing yards and scored on a 94-yard catch-and-run. Arkansas gashed them for 309 yards through the air. North Texas racked up 45 points and 219 rushing yards from Jahiem White. Navy's Jackson Gutierrez ran for 232 yards and accounted for four touchdowns. The loss of leading tackler Ray Coney to Texas A&M has left a void in the middle, though Chris Thompson Jr. has returned from a broken ankle and leads the team in tackles. The secondary, led by cornerback Elijah Green (who led the American with five interceptions in 2025) and safety Zach Williams, must tighten up for Tulsa to contend in the AAC.

Tulsa's kicking game has been a liability. Marlon Hauck, a Mississippi State transfer with almost no college kicking experience, missed a point-after at Sam Houston that kept the Bearkats within a score. Punter Max Tulen, a Bethune-Cookman transfer, is new to the role after replacing a three-year starter. In close games, these mistakes can be the difference: the North Texas loss came by one point in overtime, and the Navy loss was decided by eight. The staff needs to see clean operation from both specialists as the schedule tightens. On the positive side, Trequan Jones returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown against East Texas A&M, showing big-play potential in the return game.

Slow starts have been a recurring problem. Tulsa trailed 7-0 to Sam Houston, fell behind early at Arkansas, and spotted Navy a 20-7 lead before rallying. Against North Texas, they needed a late touchdown to force overtime. The Hurricane have been sloppy early in competitive games, and against disciplined teams like Navy and Army, spotting points is a recipe for defeat. The remaining schedule includes a home date with Army (4-2), a trip to UTSA, and other AAC matchups. Tulsa has already shown it can win on the road (Sam Houston, Rice) and beat a Power Four team (Oklahoma State). If the defense can limit explosive plays and the offense can start faster, a bowl game is within reach. But the margin for error is thin, and the kicking game remains a wild card.