Tulsa, Old Dominion on rolls headed to Myrtle Beach Bowl

Updated Dec. 18, 2021 5:20 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — Myrtle Beach Bowl: Tulsa (6-6) vs. Old Dominion (8-4), Dec. 20, 2:30 p.m. EST (ESPN).

Line: Tulsa by 8, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Series record: First meeting.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Both teams enter the season on win streaks that they'd love to carry into 2022. The Golden Hurricane won their last three games of the regular season to qualify for the postseason. The Monarchs did them two better, winning their past five games to reach its first bowl game since 2016.

KEY MATCHUP

Tulsa RB Shamari Brooks vs. Old Dominion's rush defense. Brooks led Tulsa with 922 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. The Golden Hurricane were third in American Athletic Conference rushing at 187 yards a game, one spot ahead of league champion and CFP participant Cincinnati. Old Dominion was third in Conference USA against the rush and only allowed one opponent, Charlotte, to run for 200-plus yards.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tulsa: LB Justin Wright leads the Golden Hurricane with 77 stops while missing the season opener. He's made 61 tackles his last seven games with 3 1-2 sacks and was twice named the AAC's defensive player of the week.

Old Dominion: TE Zach Kuntz is a Penn State transfer who's led the Monarchs this season with 71 catches for 684 yards and five touchdowns. He's second among FBS tight ends in catches this past season with only Colorado State's Trey McBride getting more with 90 receptions.

FACTS & FIGURES

Tulsa is playing its 23rd bowl game and is 10-12 all-time in the postseason. ... Old Dominion is playing in its second bowl game in its ninth FBS season after beating Eastern Michigan 24-20 in the 2016 Bahamas Bowl. ... Tulsa's Brooks is 30 yards shy of surpassing Tarrion Adams for second on the school's career rushing list. ... Hayden Wolff as started the last six games at quarterback for Old Dominion, leading them to a 5-1 mark. He threw for 1,613 yards, seven TDs and six interceptions. ... Tulsa was the first school to play in five consecutive New Year's Day games from 1942-46. ... Old Dominion tailback Blake Watson ran for 1,035 yards this season, the second ever in school history to crack 1,000 yards in a season after Ray Lawry did it in 2015 and 2016. ... A member of the Higuera family has been Tulsa's long snapper for nine of the past 10 seasons. Rey Higuera handled the job from 2012-15 before younger brother Adam took over in 2017. Adam Higuera will play in his final college game in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. ... Old Dominion is tied for first with Cincinnati and Houston with six blocked kicks this season. The Monarchs' four blocked punts are also tied for the top in the FBS this fall with four others, including Coastal Carolina on whose field they'll play Monday.

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