3 Hurricane Takeaways: Tough Day As #8 Washington Slams Tulsa 43-10

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane made the long flight to Husky Stadium in Seattle this weekend, but the No. 8 team in the country was low on hospitality as they clobbered TU, 43-10.

Washington had little trouble on Saturday with starting QB Michael Penix Jr. throwing 409 yards and three touchdowns. The Tulsa defense did manage to make an interception when senior Jaise Oliver picked off a pass in the endzone in the second quarter. The Huskies finished with over 560 yards of total offense in the win.

The Golden Hurricane didn't pick up the win this week, but there were some elements to be encouraged by.

Here Are The 3 Big Takeaways From Week 2 For The Golden Hurricane:

First Takeaway: Injuries Taking A Toll On Tulsa Quarterbacks

Tulsa starting quarterback Braylon Braxton did not play after injuring his ankle in the first quarter of the opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Tulsa quarterback Cardell Williams was 6 of 14 for 65 yards passing and threw an interception in the end zone in the first half. Coach Kevin Wilson said Williams bruised his thumb during a play in the second quarter and had to be replaced at halftime.

Junior QB Roman Fuller stepped in and went 12 of 18 for 85 yards. He threw a 15-yard pass to Luke McGary early in the fourth quarter for Tulsa's lone touchdown. All-in-all, Fuller played well in a difficult scenario as the Huskies' defense did their best to hold TU out of the endzone.

No word yet on Williams's or Braxton's condition for TU's next game against No. 19 Oklahoma. The injuries at the QB position could make for a tough 2023 for Tulsa as they try to bounce back from a 5-7 season in 2022.

Second Takeaway: Running Game Looked Strong

Tulsa fans should be encouraged by how the Golden Hurricane ran the ball on Saturday. They were able to put together some long drives and had 168 yards rushing yards against the Washington defense. Unfortunately, only two of those drives ended with scores.

It was a triple threat from Jordan Ford, Bill Jackson, and Anthony Watkins, who each rushed for over 50 yards. Despite the lopsided score, TU did well in the time of possession category hanging on to the ball for half the game and executing five drives of seven plays or more.

TU may be relying on the backfield next week against OU depending on their quarterback status.

Third Takeaway: Shake It Off And Get Ready

As previously mentioned, the Golden Hurricane will host No. 19 Oklahoma in Tulsa next week in only the 3rd sellout game at H.A. Chapman Stadium since the 2008 renovations. The Sooners are coming off a 28-11 win against SMU and are looking to win the Big 12 in their final year in the conference.

The Sooners and Golden Hurricane have not met since 2015 when OU beat TU 52-38. Interesting stat: that was the most points anyone scored against OU that year. Oklahoma is 20-7-1 against Tulsa over the years with the pair rarely playing despite the in-state connection.

The last time TU beat Oklahoma was in 1996 when the Golden Hurricane went to Norman to win 31-24.

Related Story: 3 Sooners Takeaways: Postgame Controversy Explained After 28-11 Win Over SMU