Georgia Tech: 20
Tulsa: 18

After finishing the regular season with a record of 7-3, the 13th ranked Yellow Jackets would travel to New Orleans to face the 15th ranked Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the Sugar Bowl. Tulsa carried a record of 6-0-1, had given up no more than 7 points in any game all year, and had outscored their opponents by an average of 30 points per game.

Tulsa would strike first. The Golden Hurricane took over at their own 14 yard line after Tech failed to get anything going on the opening drive. After a 5 yard run by Camp Wilson, Clyde LeForce ran 32 yards to the Tech 49 yard line. Two plays later, LeForce hit Ed Shedlosky for a 34 yard pass to the 15. After several plays, Tech would hold Tulsa to fourth down at the 15. Tulsa lined up for a field goal but caught Tech off guard with a fake, and the Hurricane scored on a touchdown pass from LeForce to Shedlosky for a 6-0 lead after missing the extra point.

The two teams exchanged punts for the remainder of the first period and the quarter came to a close just after a promising Tech drive ended on fourth down at the Tulsa 15 yard line. On the first play of the second quarter, Tulsa halfback Jimmy Ford took the ball 75 yards on a sweep to give the Golden Hurricane a 12-0 lead after another missed extra point.

The Jackets would finally wake up on their next drive. M.J. Logan returned the kickoff to the 28 and Red Broyles connected with J.W. Kilzer on a long pass to the Tulsa 36 yard line on second down. Tech would gain a first down at the 21 and then quarterback Eddie Prokop would move the Jackets to the 6 on a 7 yard run and an 8 yard pass to Phil Tinsley. Three consecutive runs would give Tech their first score of the game and cut the lead to five at 12-7.

Tech recovered a Tulsa fumble on the next drive and then the teams exchanged punts, Tulsa kicking last to the Yellow Jacket 6 yard line. Pinned deep in their own territory, Tech fumbled and Tulsa recovered at the 1 yard line. After a 5 yard penalty backed up the Golden Hurricane, LeForce rushed in for the touchdown to give Tulsa an 18-7 lead after their third missed extra point. The Jackets would throw an interception on their next possession and head into halftime trailing by eleven.

Early in the third quarter, neither team made a move as both punted on their respective first drives. Tech would take over on their own 11 to begin their second drive of the half and Eddie Prokop led the Jackets 89 yards in three plays for their second score. The Tech quarterback ran 13 yards on the drive’s first play to advance to the 24 and 25 yards on the second, placing the ball at the Ramblin’ Wreck 49 yard line. Prokop then connected on a 15 yard pass to Tinsley, who turned and raced 35 yards for the touchdown, a 50 yard strike to bring the Jackets within six at 18-13.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Tech would take over when Tulsa turned the ball over on downs at the Yellow Jacket 22 yard line. Logan gained 20 yards on two runs and Prokop would gain the first down at the 45. Several more runs put the ball at the Tulsa 40 yard line and then Tech advanced to the 29 on a short hook and lateral. The Jackets would run five straight times for the score, Scharfschwerdt gaining the final yard and the touchdown on third down to take the lead at 20-18.

Later in the fourth quarter, Tulsa advanced to the Tech 33 after recovering a Tech fumble at the Hurricane 44. But Tech would not falter, as Broyles intercepted LeForce’s pass with a little more than two minutes remaining. The Jackets would run out the clock to solidify the victory, giving Tulsa their first loss of the season. Tech was now 3-1 in bowl games, and had won three of the four major bowls.

Statistics:

First Downs:
GT – 25
TUL – 8

Rushing Yards:
GT – 372
TUL – 211

Passing (Comp-Att-Yds):
GT – 4-16-83
TUL – 6-15-87

Interceptions Thrown:
GT – 1
TUL – 1

Fumbles Lost:
GT – 3
TUL – 1

Penalty Yards:
GT – 60
TUL – 50

References:
Unknown. “Running Account of Georgia Tech-Tulsa Game.” The Atlanta Constitution. 1944 Jan. 2