It will be the second time in a little more than three months that the Golden Hurricane will match up against the Cyclones.

However, Iowa State is a different team than what Tulsa saw in its opponent’s home season opener, which they lost 38-23.

Conference champions

After starting off 0-1 against the Cyclones, the Golden Hurricane went on a 7-0 run before losing to nonconference opponent Arkansas and, later, conference rival SMU to finish with a 10-3 record en route to a Conference USA title.

During that seven-win streak Tulsa won by an average of 18 points with victories against Rice and the Mountain West champion Fresno State.

The Golden Hurricane also tallied the 11th-best running attack in the nation, averaging 240.2 rushing yards per game while leading Conference USA with 3,123 total rushing yards and 37 rushing touchdowns.

Trey Watts, Ja’Terian Douglas and Alex Singleton were all dynamic for the TU rushing attack, totalling 959, 857 and 765 rushing yards, respectively, on the season.

In what was a thrilling C-USA title game, the Golden Hurricane got their 10th win against Central Florida in overtime 33-27. The Golden Hurricane finished atop the C-USA with an almost spotless conference record of 7-1, despite the loss to SMU. 

Back to Memphis

Tulsa will be returning to Memphis, Tenn., for the second time in school history, just as Iowa State will be. Tulsa made its Liberty Bowl debut in 2005 when it faced off against Fresno State, then part of the WAC.

The Golden Hurricane were the victors in that game, giving them their first bowl victory since 1991. They won 31-24 after quarterback Paul Smith ran it in from four yards out for what ended up being the game-winning touchdown.

Smith achieved the final statistics of 18-of-27 with 234 yards and one passing and one rushing touchdown each. Smith was also crowned the bowl’s MVP afterwards.

Of the nation’s best

Of the 124 rushing offenses there are out there in Division I football, Tulsa’s ranks among the top 15 in the country.

At No. 11, the Golden Hurricane rush for an average of 240.2 yards per game. When running the football, Tulsa crossed the goal line 37 times.

While their rush offense is 11th in college football, the Golden Hurricane’s total offense ranks 25th in the nation, while Iowa State ranks 88th. 

A familiar opponent

Not only will this Tulsa team be facing a familiar, but not too similar ISU team for the second time in one season, quarterback Cody Green is facing a familiar foe as well.

For the 2009 and 2010 seasons, Green spent his time as the quarterback at Nebraska, which was part of the Big 12 at the time before its move to the Big Ten.

Green squared off against Iowa State as the NU quarterback in two different showings. Not playing in the 2009 matchup, Green was 7-of-12 with 79 yards and no touchdowns in the Cornhuskers’ 31-30 overtime victory against the Cyclones in 2010.

The Cyclones failed on a two-point conversion in that game, and the Cornhuskers came out the victors, 31-30 in overtime.