Tulane University
Houston
Tremendous Tulane Rally Falls Just Short, 36-31
Nov 6, 1999 | Football
Nov. 6, 1999
By MICHAEL A. LUTZ
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) - Ketric Sanford set a Houston rushing record and Kenny Hill had two interceptions, one a 75-yard touchdown return, to help overcome a wild Tulane comeback and lead the Cougars to a 36-31 victory Saturday.
Sanford scored two touchdowns and rushed 212 yards, surpassing Chuck Weatherspoon's 3,247 rushing yards. Sanford now has 3,424 yards. Mike Green rushed 118 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown.
The Cougars (5-4, 2-3 Conference-USA) held a comfortable 27-10 lead early in the third quarter when the Green Wave (3-6, 1-4) used an interception, a fake punt and a rare fumble by Sanders to produce two touchdowns in 37 seconds in the third quarter.
Quarterback Patrick Ramsey threw three touchdown passes and almost brought the Green Wave back from the 17-point deficit.
He hit Kerwin Jones with a 20-yard touchdown pass with 1:49 to go in the third quarter after Tulane got the ball on Meldon Barnes' interception and a fake punt pass by punter Casey Roussel to keep the drive going.
Sanford, who had handled the ball 385 times without a fumble, turned the ball over and Noel Ellis recovered, setting up Ramsey's 18-yard touchdown pass to Adrian Barnett with 1:02 to go in the third quarter.
The Cougars went back up 36-24 on 43-yard field goal by Mike Clark and Hill's 75-yard interception return, his second theft of the game.
Ramsey went to the sideline with a shoulder injury and backup Derrick Joseph came on to continue the rally. His 6-yard run on a quarterback draw made it 36-31 with 2:34 left in the game.
Ramsey returned to throw the final pass of the game that fell short of a first down. Ramsey completed 26-of-55 for 360 yards, with four interceptions Adrian Burnette caught 10 passes for 166 yards before he was ejected for throwing a punch in the game's final minute.
The Cougars took a 20-10 halftime lead on touchdown runs of 22 and 3 yards by Sanford and Green's 8-yard run. Seth Marler kicked a 48-yard field goal, equaling his career longest, and Ramsey hit Kerwin Jones with a 12-yard touchdown pass.
The Cougars went up 27-10 on Jason McKinley's 13-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Middleton with 12:41 to go in the third quarter.
