Oilers Fall to Blizzard from Fourth Quarter Failures
Published on May 16, 2026 under Indoor Football League (IFL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release
Tulsa, Okla. - Tulsa Oilers Football, a proud member of the IFL and powered by Community Care, lost to the Green Bay Blizzard 41-35 at the BOK Center on Saturday night.
Trevon Alexander hauled in a slant pass from Liam Thompson on the first play from scrimmage. The uncontested 24-yard pitch-and-catch and tacked-on extra point placed the reigning champions up 7-0 with 13:32 remaining in the first quarter. *TJ Edwards II* capped off a run-heavy debut drive with a 19-yard gallop into the end zone, leveling the affair 7-7 following a Bailey Hale PAT. Thompson found a wide-open Alexander for a second touchdown of the quarter, this time in the back of the end zone, restoring a seven-point, 14-7 lead for Green Bay. *Edwards II* and *Jerminic Smith* mirrored their opponents' aerial touchdown, pulling the game level 14-14 with a back-of-the-end zone strike with 1:46 left in the first period of play. The touchdown was *TJ Edwards II's* 63rd passing touchdown as an Oiler, anointing the 29-year-old as the franchise's all-time leader. Fredrick Mallay picked off Thompson in the closing seconds of the first quarter, giving the Oilers a chance to build on momentum.
Tulsa couldn't capitalize on their forced turnover, returning the ball to Green Bay after a failure to gain yardage resulted in a missed field goal returned by the Blizzard all the way to Tulsa's nine-yard line. Green Bay's top-ranked offense looked poised to retake the lead two yards from the Oilers' end zone, but *Alphonso Taylor *knocked the ball loose and recovered it 45 seconds into the second quarter. Following the fumble, *Caleb Ramseur* and *Cassian Foreman's* timecards were full during a blue-collar 7:28 drive, capped by a second *Edwards II* and *Smith Sr.* passing touchdown that gave Tulsa its first lead of the game, 21-14. The Blizzard recovered an onside kick following Tulsa's go-ahead score, but the Oilers' defense, spearheaded by *John McMullen*, halted Thompson at the goal line on fourth down. A 37-yard catch and cough-up from *Smith Sr. *turned a potential scoring play to a de facto punt. However, *Taylor* tormented Thompson once again, adding a closing-minute interception to his opening-minute fumble recovery, bookending the second quarter with forced turnovers. Despite a combined five turnovers and three red-zone visits, Edwards' 64th career touchdown toss was the only score.
*Ramseur* grabbed a handoff on the opening play of the second half, finding the hole before breaking free of contact at the second level and turning on the jets off a down-hill cut for a career-high 30-yard rushing touchdown to place Tulsa up 28-14 in the opening minute of the third quarter. Kairee Robinson and the Blizzard also went to the ground on their opening drive of the second half, reaching paydirt in eight plays and cutting the Oilers' lead to 28-21 with 7:59 left in the third quarter. Five plays, three penalties and seven yards resulted in a turnover on downs deep in Tulsa territory on the Oilers' following drive. Green Bay took quick advantage, leveling the game 28-28 with a two-play touchdown possession*. Edwards II* used his feet first to extend the drive, then to extend the following play, rifling a 14-yard pass to *Smith* for their third touchdown link-up of the night to pull ahead 35-28 on the final play of the quarter.
Draysean Hudson bullied himself open deep in man-to-man coverage, roping in a 24-yard catch with 12:57 left in the game, tying the contest 35-all. Bad snaps plagued the Oilers all night, and a third-down miscue resulted in a sack and a missed Oilers' field goal on fourth down. Green Bay started from the five-yard line with 9:39 remaining, finding the go-ahead score exactly one minute later with a scorching 45-yard reception from Alexander for a 41-35 lead after the missed extra point. Following the poor snap a personal foul forced Tulsa into a third-and-29 and a turnover on downs. However*, Tariq Bracy* kept Tulsa's hopes alive, climbing the ladder and intercepting a Thompson deep ball with 58 seconds remaining. Another pair of poor snaps and miscues dashed any hopes of an Oilers' comeback on the final drive, dropping Tulsa's record to 2-5 via a 41-35 loss.
Tulsa heads to San Antonio to take on the Gunslingers on May 23, kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. CT.
Season tickets and group outings are available for the 2026 season.
Call the Tulsa Oilers front office at 918-632-7825 or visit tulsaoilersfootball.com for more information
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Indoor Football League Stories from May 16, 2026
- Oilers Fall to Blizzard from Fourth Quarter Failures - Tulsa Oilers
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