Parker Waters
Memphis, TN– The Tulane football team (7-2, 4-1 American) scored 35 points in the first half and withstood a fourth quarter Memphis comeback to earn a thrilling 38-32 victory over the No. 22 ranked Tigers (8-2, 4-2 American) on Friday night at the Liberty Bowl.
The game was decided in the fourth quarter and with Tulane nursing a six-point advantage and facing a third down with just under two minutes to p-lay, Jake Retzlaff tucked it and ran for the game deciding first down to cement the team’s victory.
Tulane scored first as Retzlaff connected with Shazz Preston for a 65-yard touchdown on the team’s first offensive play of the game to put the Green Wave up 7-0 with 12:33 remaining in the opening quarter.
Memphis quickly tied the score up on a Brendon Lewis’ 55-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Hawkins at the 10:38 mark of the first quarter.
The Green Wave it two for two on scoring drives and marched down the field to take the 14-7 lead on Javin Gordon’s five yard touchdown rush with 4:58 remaining in a back-and-forth opening quarter.
Memphis tied the score up at 14 on the first play of the second quarter as Arrington Maiden ran it in from the 21 with 14:55 remaining in the second quarter.
The Green Wave again took the lead on the ensuing drive, 21-14, as Retzlaff ran it for a 33-yard touchdown with 12:02 left in the second.
The Tulane offense kept things in high gear as Retzlaff connected with Anthony Brown-Stephens on a 54-yard score to put the team up two scores, 28-14, with 9:26 remaining in the second quarter.
Memphis drew a field goal closer, 28-17, as Gianni Spetic knocked in a 49-yard field goal with 4:27 left before the break.
The Green Wave offense kept attacking and score the team’s fifth touchdown of the half as Retzlaff connected with Preston on a five-yard pitch-and-catch to give Tulane a 35-17 lead going into the half.
Tulane started the second half with a 30-yard Patrick Durkin field goal to extended the advantage to 38-17 at the 11:51 mark of the third quarter.
Memphis scored a touchdown on a Frank Peasant one-yard carry to open the fourth to draw to within two scores after the successful two-point conversion, 38-25.
The Tigers kept storming back and scored the team’s second touchdown of the quarter as Lewis connected with Brady Kluse to put the score at 38-32 with 7:49 remaining in the game in what would be the final score.
