Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Tulsa
Bulldogs Rally For 28-14 Win Over Tulsa
10/30/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 30, 1999
By KELLY KURT
Associated Press Writer
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Billy Volek's passing and an aggressive defense helped Fresno State overcome a 14-point deficit to beat reeling Tulsa 28-14 Saturday.
Volek completed 18 of 27 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown for the Bulldogs (6-3, 3-1 WAC), who held Tulsa scoreless after the first quarter and turned two interceptions into touchdowns.
It was the seventh straight loss for a Tulsa (1-7, 0-5), the most for the Golden Hurricane since an 0-11 season in 1954. The game was Tulsa's first under Pat Henderson, who was named interim coach following the dismissal of longtime coach Dave Rader on Monday.
Fresno State, which had averaged 29.4 points a game, struggled in the first half and trailed 14-6 at the break. But the Bulldogs capitalized on Tulsa's second-half turnovers.
Defensive back Anthony Limbrick returned the first of two interceptions 76 yards for a touchdown to give Fresno State its first lead 21-14 with 8:19 left in the third quarter.
Curtis Edwards snagged another interception in the final seconds, running it 52 yards for a Fresno State touchdown.
The Golden Hurricane dominated the first quarter, the first this decade without Rader on the sidelines. Tulsa scored on its first two drives to take a 14-0 lead.
D.J. Barnett's 2-yard touchdown run came in a 92-yard Golden Hurricane drive, which included a 34-yard pass from quarterback Josh Blankenship to Donald Shoals. In the next drive, Ken Bohanon capped 24 yards rushing with a 1-yard touchdown run.
Blankenship, a freshman making his second collegiate start, completed 19 of 36 passes for 247 yards and threw three interceptions.
Tulsa outgained the Bulldogs 367 to 272 yards, with penalties costing Fresno State 70 yards.
Volek, the WAC's most efficient quarterback, completed only one of his first five attempts.
