Tragic Head Injury Claims Life of College Football Player, 21

WHO:

Fox News - Tyler Ulrich, a 21-year-old sophomore football player at Southern Nazarene University (SNU) in Oklahoma.

Fox News - Mark Ulrich, Tyler's father, who posted updates on Facebook.

Fox News - Dustin Hada, head coach of Southern Nazarene’s football program.

WHAT:

Fox News - Tyler Ulrich died five days after sustaining a "traumatic injury" during a football game.

Fox News - SNU announced Ulrich's death on Thursday.

Fox News - Ulrich had started 16 of his 20 games with the program and had six starts this season, tallying 36 tackles on the year.

Fox News - SNU canceled its upcoming game at Southwestern Oklahoma State due to Ulrich’s death.

NY Post - University officials confirmed the death following the critical injury during the game.

WHERE:

Fox News - Southern Nazarene University, located in Bethany, Oklahoma.

Fox News - The game where Ulrich was injured took place on the field of Southern Nazarene University.

WHEN:

Fox News - Ulrich suffered the head injury during a game on a Saturday.

Fox News - Ulrich passed away at 11:13 a.m. on Thursday, five days after the injury.

WHY:

Fox News - The cause of Ulrich's death was not specified, but it was due to the head injury sustained during the game.

HOW:

Fox News - The game was delayed for nearly an hour as Ulrich received medical attention on the field after the injury. He was later transported to a hospital.

(UPDATED October 16, 2026 02:06 UTC)

Tyler Ulrich, a 21-year-old sophomore football player at Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma, tragically passed away five days after suffering a traumatic head injury during a game. The university announced his death on Thursday, and in response, they have canceled the upcoming game against Southwestern Oklahoma State. Ulrich had made a significant impact on the team, starting 16 of his 20 games and recording 36 tackles this season.