TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Kirk Francis threw for four touchdowns — all before halftime — and Tulsa beat Northwestern State 62-28 on Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.
The feisty FCS-member Demons put a spirited fight in the first quarter when on the second play from scrimmage, Kenneth Lacy ran for a 75-yard score and a 7-0 lead.
Francis threw his first score when he connected with Kamdyn Benjamin from 36 yards to tie it. A little more than two minutes later, Benjamin returned a punt 66 yards for a 14-7 Tulsa advantage.
With 1:06 left in the first, the Demons’ Cam Hardy blocked a 32-yard field-goal attempt by Seth Morgan and Antonio Hall gathered the ball and returned it 74 yards to tie it at 14.
Tulsa took control in the second with four touchdowns to end the Northwestern threat. Francis threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Ballard and scores of 20 and 14 yards to Connor Vaughn. The 14-yard score to Vaughn occurred with 37 seconds before halftime and put Tulsa up 41-14.
Francis finished 23-of-30 passing for 299 yards.
The Demons’ Lacy had seven carries for 72 yards despite the 75-yard scoring run.
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