Orlando Pirates wide receiver Thomas Owens caught a 20-yard dart from Paxton DeLaurent for the winning score in overtime to complete a wild 61-55 comeback win over the Tulsa Oilers at the Kia Center on Sunday night.
The Pirates (3-0, 3-0 Eastern Conference) remained undefeated and handed the Oilers (1-1, 0-1 Eastern Conference) their first loss in a game that featured multiple comebacks and a pair of 40-plus-yard field goals to end each half. The 116 were the most of any in the still-young IFL season.
DeLaurent went 15-for-24 throwing the ball with five passing touchdowns, four of them to Owens. DeLaurent was also the game’s leading rusher, adding 32 yards on six carries and a score. Tulsa quarterback TJ Edwards II was more prolific through the air, going 20-for-35 passing with seven touchdowns, including four to Jerminic Smith Jr. and three to Spencer Tears.
After Orlando opened the scoring with a 14-yard touchdown toss to Owens, Tulsa answered with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Edwards to Tears.
The visiting Oilers actually trailed 30-21 with a minute remaining in the second quarter before things got interesting. Tulsa scored twice in the next 59 seconds of game time. First, Edwards II found Tears for a 40-yard bomb to pull to within two after the extra point.
Then, after a Pirates turnover on downs deep in Tulsa territory, the Oilers took over with 35 seconds left in the half. The result was a five-play, 43-yard drive capped by a Smith touchdown reception with one second left on the clock. Following the kickoff Orlando got a 37-yard field goal attempt off and good as time expired to cap a wild final minute of the quarter.
The teams traded scores in the third quarter before a wild fourth frame. Trailing 49-40 with 10:39 left in regulation, Dante Wright fielded a Bailey Hale kickoff in the endzone and returned it the distance to draw within one score.
DeLaurent scored on a seven-yard touchdown run with 27 seconds remaining completing a wild comeback to give Tulsa its first lead since late in the second quarter, 55-52. Hale then drilled a 41-yard field goal as regulation expired to tie the game at 55-55 and send it to overtime.
Hale missed a long field goal on the opening possession of overtime, which set up the DeLaurent-to-Owens winner.
The Pirates next head up I-95 to Jacksonville for a game against the Sharks on Friday at 7 p.m. The Oilers return home to the BOK Center at 8 p.m. on Saturday against the Fishers Freight in a game you can stream right here on Yahoo Sports.