Freshman quarterback Cardell Williams comes off bench to lead Tulsa to 42-7 win

Updated Aug. 31, 2023 11:43 p.m. ET

Associated Press

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Freshman Cardell Williams came off the bench to throw for three touchdowns and ran for another to lead Tulsa to a 42-7 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and give new head coach Kevin Wilson the win in a season opener Thursday night.

Williams came on for Braylon Braxton, who was intercepted twice in his first four attempts before leaving with an an ankle injury. Williams led the Golden Hurricane to touchdowns on four consecutive drives for a 28-7 halftime lead. He completed all nine of his passes in the first half for 169 yards. He finished 13 of 14 and 233 yards.

Williams scored his first career touchdown on a 3-yard run to complete an eight-play drive to tie at 7-7. He followed with touchdown passes of 80 and 19 yards to Marquis Shoulders and 15 yards to Malachai Jones for the 28-second-quarter points.

The game got off to a rocky start with four turnovers in the opening quarter, three by Tulsa, including an interception by Kyre Williams on the Golden Hurricane’s game-opening possession. That led to a 1-yard touchdown run by Michael Jamerson.

Tulsa lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff before both teams exchanged interceptions on the next two possessions with the Hurricane’s Kanion Williams and the Lions’ Laprel Boyd making the picks.

Wilson, a former head coach at Indiana, spent the past six seasons as Ohio State's offensive coordinator. UAPB also has new head coach in Alonzo Hampton, who was an assistant for the Golden Lions from 2006-08.

UAPB plays at Tennessee State while Tulsa travels to 10th-ranked Washington for games on Sept. 9.

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