TULSA, Okla. -- Tai Lavatai and James Harris II scored on 1-yard touchdown runs in the second half and Bijan Nichols' late 48-yard field goal provided the winning margin as Navy took a 20-17 victory against Tulsa Friday night at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
The Midshipmen (2-6, 2-4 American) finished with 302 total yards, all on the ground as Navy did not complete a pass in the winning effort. Navy's defense held Tulsa to 294 yards of offense and forced two turnovers, including a key fourth-quarter interception that set up the go-ahead points.
Navy took its first lead at 17-10 on Lavatai's 1-yard run with 11:25 left, capping a textbook 15-play, 80-yard drive that consumed 8:09 between the third and fourth quarters.
The teams had traded field goals in the first half, and Tulsa took a 10-3 lead to start the second half as Anthony Watkins returned the kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.
Navy tied it on the following drive when Harris went in from a yard out to cap a 10-play, 75-yard drive. Tulsa took the ensuing drive down to the Navy 16, but Davis Brin's pass to the end zone was picked off in the end zone by a diving Rayuan Lane, giving the ball back to Navy.
The Midshipmen converted four third downs on their go-ahead drive, including Lavatai's five-yard dive to the 1 on third-and-5 to set up his touchdown on the next play.
Tulsa got the ball near midfield in its bid to tie it, and the Golden Hurricane went for it on fourth-and-3, but Brin's pass up the middle after a scramble was dropped for a turnover on downs. Navy then chewed up nearly four minutes on its ensuing drive, which was capped by Nichols' 46-yard field goal with 4:14 to play.
Tulsa was able to close within three points when Brin hit JuanCarlos Santana for a 42-yard gain to the Navy 1-yard line before he found Ezra Naylor alone in the end zone to make it 20-17. Navy recovered the onside kick with 2:20 left, and the Midshipmen clinched it with a 17-yard run on first down by fullback Isaac Ruoss.
Navy had 10 ballcarriers account for its 302 rushing yards as Carlinos Acie led the way with 80 yards on three carries. Chance Warren went for 70 yards on 10 carries.
Navy's defense registered three sacks and eight tackles for loss.
Santana had seven receptions for 109 yards for Tulsa (3-5, 2-2 American).