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Tulsa faced a tough loss against Navy in their American Conference opener on Saturday night (September 13) at H.A. Chapman Stadium, with a final score of 42-23. Navy's Blake Horvath led the charge with 159 rushing yards and a touchdown, contributing to the Midshipmen's 369-yard rushing performance. Despite a rocky start with three consecutive turnovers, Horvath managed to recover, finishing with a touchdown and 84 passing yards.
Tulsa's Baylor Hayes completed 22 of 37 passes for 189 yards, threw one touchdown, and rushed for another score. Zion Booker was a key player on offense, catching eight passes for 90 yards. On defense, Elijah Green stood out with two interceptions, while Ray Coney led the team with 14 tackles.
Navy's Alex Tecza and Eli Heidenreich each rushed for 72 yards, with Tecza scoring two touchdowns. Heidenreich and Brandon Chatman added one touchdown each, helping Navy maintain their undefeated record in the American Athletic Conference.
The game began with Navy's Horvath being intercepted on his third offensive play, leading to an opening rushing touchdown for Tulsa's Dominic Richardson. Horvath's early struggles included another interception and a fumble, which Tulsa capitalized on with a rushing touchdown by Baylor Hayes. However, Navy's resilience and strong rushing game ultimately secured their victory.
Tulsa, now 1-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play, will look to regroup as they continue their season. Meanwhile, Navy improves to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the conference, showcasing their strength in the American Athletic Conference.