Tulane University
Duke
Football Falls, 48-27 at Duke
Sep 24, 2011 | Football
Sept. 24, 2011
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
DURHAM, N.C. - Despite getting an early defensive touchdown from Ryan Travis, the Tulane football team was not able to spoil the homecoming festivities at Duke University on Saturday afternoon as the Blue Devils rolled to a 48-27 victory at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Tulane (2-2, 1-1 C-USA) found themselves down 7-0 early as Duke (2-2, 1-0 ACC) got on the board first, scoring on their opening possession with a 76-yard drive capped by Juwan Thompson's scored from one yard out. The Blue Devils set up the score with a 44-yard pass and catch from quarterback Sean Renfree to receiver Conner Vernon.
Travis' interception evened the score at 7-7 with 8:22 remaining in the first. Travis jumped in front of a Renfree pass in the flat on the right side and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown. The junior CB also recorded 10 tackles for the Green Wave. Trent Mackey, a transfer from Duke, led the way for Tulane with 13 tackles in his return to Durham.
"It was exciting to be back today, but unfortunately it was the outcome we wanted as a team," Mackey said. "We lost to a better team today so we have to go back to the drawing board and get better for next week."
Duke scored on five of its seven first-half possessions. The only two that didn't result in points for the Blue Devils was the interception returned for a touchdown in the first half and the final possession of the half when the clock ran down.
"Duke ran the ball extremely well today and that really took us out of our game," Tulane head coach Bob Toledo said. "We missed tackles and (Sean) Renfree did a good job of throwing accurate passes and their receivers did a great job of not only catching the ball but running after the catch."
The Blue Devils totaled 484 yards in the game, including 151 on the ground and 333 in the air. Renfree was 21 of 30 for 278 yards.
The Green Wave would add a 20-yard field goal with 11:23 left in the second half.
The score at the break was 31-10.
Duke opened the second half with a nine-play, 68-yard drive capped by a Jay Hollingsworth 3-yard run.
Santos added another field goal, a career-long 49-yarder, with 8:17 remaining in the third. That drive started after cornerback Derrick Strozier recovered a fumble by Renfree on the Duke 32 yard line.
"The first half we were playing more of a man defense and they ran crossing routes and we didn't stay with them," Toledo added. "We went to a zone in the second half and were able to get to Renfree a little more."
The Green Wave added two late touchdowns after Duke expanded the lead to 48-13. Tulane quarterback Ryan Griffin found tight end Brock Sanders in the endzone from two-yards out. The drive was highlighted by a 26-yard pass and run by Griffin to Stephen Barnett and a 24-yard pass to Wilson Van Hooser.
Griffin finished the day 14-29 for 188 yards. He found 10 different receivers with his 14 completions.
Tulane then forced Duke to punt for the first and only time in the game on the ensuing possession. The Green Wave took over at their own four yard line, but proceeded to march down the field to score the final points of the game when Robert Kelley scampered in the endzone from seven yards out. The drive was 11 plays for 96 yards and back-up QB D.J. Ponder completed four of his seven passes for 75 yards on the drive.
Freshman receiver Justyn Shackleford pulled down three of those Ponder passes for 59 yards, including a 34-yard catch.
Joe Kemp also finished the game with a team-high three catches. Tulane totaled 263 yards in the air on the afternoon, but collected only 55 yards on 22 carries on the ground.
Tulane returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 1 at Army for an 11 a.m. CT. The game will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network. The Green Wave's next home game is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 8, when Tulane plays host to Syracuse in the Louisiana Superdome. Kickoff for that game will be 7 p.m. and the game will be carried live on Cox Sports Television.
Season ticket sales are still available through the Tulane Athletics Ticket Office, with packages starting as low as $90. Single-game sideline tickets are $35, adult endzone seats selling for $20 and youth endzone seats cost $10. The Ticket Office is located on the first floor of the James W. Wilson, Jr., Center on Ben Weiner Drive, and tickets can be purchased in person, over the phone at 504-861-WAVE (9283) or via the Internet at www.TulaneGreenWave.com.
