NIU offense runs out of steam on final two drives of 38-35 loss to Tulsa

NIU wide receiver Cole Tucker streaks downfield in the Huskies' 38-35 loss to Tulsa on Sept. 10, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

TULSA, Okla. – Northern Illinois University couldn’t overcome a 17-point deficit in one play, and Thomas Hammock knew that.

If the Huskies were to beat Tulsa at its own comeback game, they’d have to consistently stack big plays. And stack big plays they did.

“We got to take it one play at a time and stay on the field offensively and try to find a way to score touchdowns and get back into the game,” Hammock said he told his team at halftime.

Unfortunately for NIU and its fourth-year coach, the offense ran out of steam in the final 3 1/2 minutes.

The Huskies accumulated 266 of their 385 total yards in the second half and scored 28 points that led to two fourth-quarter leads, but it wasn’t enough as Golden Hurricane cornerback Tyon Davis intercepted Rocky Lombardi on fourth down with 32 seconds remaining to help Tulsa escape with a 38-35 victory Saturday night at H.A. Chapman Stadium.

NIU (1-1) went four-and-out on its final two drives, gaining only 19 yards while using just more than two minutes of clock during the critical span.

For Tulsa (1-1), it was the 22nd comeback win of the Philip Montgomery era. After leading 24-7 at halftime, the Golden Hurricane fell behind 28-24 and 35-31 during the final 15 minutes before Steven Anderson notched the game-winning score from 1-yard out with 58 seconds remaining.

Hammock was aware of Tulsa’s comeback tendencies from last season when it rallied for five wins, including two on the road.

“I was aware that they played a lot of one-possession games last year,” said Hammock, whose team took its final lead with 5:57 remaining shortly after recovering a muffed punt at the Golden Hurricane 40-yard line. “We actually came back – we were down 17 points and then made it a fight – so it goes both ways. We got to make plays at the end to find a way to win the game.”

The Huskies received to open the second half and went right to work.

With a healthy mix of run and pass, they marched 75 yards on six plays in 3:16 with a 33-yard touchdown from Lombardi to Kacper Rutkiewicz capping the drive.

However, the momentum didn’t truly switch until the ensuing kickoff.

NIU recovered a perfectly placed onside kick from John Richardson, and seven plays and 54 yards later, it suddenly was a three-point game at 24-21 thanks to an 8-yard Antario Brown scoring run not even halfway through the third quarter.

“We practiced all week just finding the right situation to do it,” Hammock said. “And the kids went out there and executed. Not only the kicker, but the two guys that were responsible for blocking their defenders to make sure that they couldn’t get to the ball. Special teams is a big part of the game, and that was certainly a momentum-changing play for us.

“After we settled down, and after the first half, I thought our guys really started playing some good football.”

Much to the chagrin of Tulsa, that offensive eruption only continued, and Lombardi had a lot to do with that.

The senior finished with 259 yards and three touchdowns on 18-of-31 passing while adding a score on the ground. He completed only 3 of 6 passes for 36 yards and a touchdown in the first half.

Lombardi was responsible for giving the Huskies both of their leads, tossing a 33-yard touchdown to Cole Tucker with 14:50 remaining in the fourth before scoring on a 1-yard keeper at the 5:57 mark.

His only turnover was the untimely interception that ended the game and gave the Golden Hurricane their 14th home-opening win of the past 17 seasons.

“We knew it was gonna be a four-quarter football game,” Hammock said. “Credit to Tulsa – they made the plays at the end. We had an opportunity to win the game on offense on fourth down. I told my staff this morning we got a chance to go win this game on offense, and we’re going to do that.

“We just didn’t make the play.”

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