Second-Half Rally Comes up Short at UAB

Saturday, September 15

Birmingham, Ala.

Noon

Tulane University

1-2

UAB

2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Tulane

UAB

Photo by: Parker Waters

Sep 15, 2018 | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery Tulane-UAB Box Score Postgame Notes

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Green Wave football team rallied from a 14-point second-half deficit to tie its game at UAB, but the Blazers put the final points on the board to defeat Tulane 31-24 at Legion Field on Saturday afternoon.

After trailing 21-7 at halftime, Tulane (1-2) got Darnell Mooney receiving touchdowns on its first two possessions of the second half against UAB (2-1) to get within 3 points. A career-long 40-yard field goal from Merek Glover tied things at 24-24 early in the fourth quarter.

The Blazers, though, made the most of their next possession and went 93 yards over 13 plays to go ahead 31-24 with 2:19 remaining.

Tulane could not find the end zone in the final two minutes, and UAB picked up the win at home.

Mooney was the team's leading receiver, making four catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, Darius Bradwell ran for 90 yards and a first-half touchdown.

Defensively, Tulane got huge first-half interceptions from Donnie Lewis Jr., and Thakarius Keyes – both in the end zone – that kept the team in the game. Birthday boy Lawrence Graham had a team-high seven solo tackles and nine total. Zachery Harris also had nine tackles while Roderic Teamer Jr. finished with eight.

Tulane came out of the second half on a mission, and Mooney provided a spark that helped get the Green Wave back in the game.

On Tulane's first drive of the half, quarterback Jonathan Banks found Mooney downfield for a 44-yard touchdown pass, making it a 21-14 game. The drive lasted just six plays and went 75 yards.

Following a UAB field goal, the Green Wave drove down the field again, putting up a touchdown drive that was exactly six plays and 75 yards again. Mooney caught a shovel pass from Banks to get in the end zone this time, taking the short pitch 24 yards down the right sideline and diving into the end zone to bring Tulane within 3 points.

Two drives later, Glover tied things at 24-24 with a 40-yard field goal, the longest of his Tulane career by one yard.

While Tulane got things going offensively in the second half, UAB had its offense cooking in the first.

UAB went right down the field for 65 yards on its first drive, scoring a touchdown as quarterback A.J. Erdely went 8 yards on the ground. On their second drive, the Blazers moved the ball 90 yards down the field before Lewis saved Tulane from going down by two touchdowns. Lewis picked off Erdely in the end zone, earning his seventh career interception and second of the season.

But on their third drive, the Blazers could not be stopped. They went 59 yards in 13 plays, capping things off with a 2-yard touchdown run from Spencer Brown to make it a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.

The Green Wave responded after that, as Banks hooked up with Mooney for a 44-yard reception on Tulane's next drive. It was all Bradwell after that, with Bradwell converting a fourth-and-2 with a 5-yard run, following that with a 15-yard scamper and finishing the drive with a 3-yard touchdown on a direct snap to make it 14-7.

With the Blazers driving at the end of the half, Keyes made it two end zone interceptions for the Green Wave, leaping for a grab with just 26 seconds left in the second quarter. Keyes' interception, the first of his career, gave Tulane some momentum heading into the break.

The Green Wave stay on the road next weekend, heading to Columbus, Ohio, to take on No. 4 Ohio State. Tulane and the Buckeyes are set for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff.