EditorsNote: Changed stat on Arline (first start, not second); fixed spelling of Midshipmen
No. 24 Tulsa struggled but still locked up a spot in the American Athletic Conference Championship by beating Navy 19-6 on Saturday in Annapolis, Md.
The Golden Hurricane (6-1, 6-0 AAC) will host No. 7 Cincinnati (8-0, 6-0) next Saturday to decide home-field advantage in the title game.
Zach Smith (10 of 25) passed for only 168 yards as the Hurricane managed 296 yards in total offense, with 66 coming on a touchdown strike to Josh Johnson late in the third quarter.
The Hurricane's Zack Long kicked four field goals, including a career-long 48-yarder in the second quarter.
Xavier Arline (4 of 8) passed for only 27 yards and rushed for a team-best 60 yards on 27 carries in his first start for Navy, but he couldn't get the Midshipmen (3-6, 3-4) in the end zone.
Both teams were missing key players.
Tulsa was without leading rusher Deneric Prince (356 yards) and lost backup TK Wilkerson in the second quarter, turning the rushing workload over to senior Corey Taylor. Taylor finished with 69 yards on 19 rushes.
Linebacker Zaven Collins, who leads Tulsa in sacks and interceptions, injured his foot late in the second quarter and did not return. Defensive lineman Jaxon Player, however, had a huge game with 12 tackles and two sacks.
Navy was without slotback CJ Williams and lost slotback Myles Fells to a head injury in the first half.
The Hurricane managed only 117 yards in the first half and settled for a pair of field goals from Long for a 6-3 lead at the break.
The Midshipmen had only 71 yards in total offense the first half with 57 coming on their last possession of the half that culminated in Bijan Nichols' 34-yard field goal as time ran out.
The Middies then opened the third quarter with a methodical 60-yard drive for Nichols' second field goal to tie the game at 6-6.
--Field Level Media
