Tulane Football Stuns Houston, 38-31

Thursday, September 19

New Orleans, La.

7 p.m.

Tulane University

3-1 , 1-0

Houston

1-3 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Houston

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

Sep 19, 2019 | Football

Box Score Final Stats

NEW ORLEANS – In a nationally-televised matchup on ESPN, quarterback Justin McMillan completed a 53-yard touchdown strike to wideout Jalen McCleskey with three seconds remaining as the Tulane football team defeated Houston, 38-31, in its American Athletic Conference opener Thursday evening at Yulman Stadium.

McCleskey finished the night with four receptions for 120 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while McMillan passed for 186 yards, ran for 91 more and accounted for four touchdowns to lead Tulane (3-1, 1-0 AAC).

Senior running back Darius Bradwell recorded 20 carries for 113 yards, while redshirt senior ball-carrier Corey Dauphine added eight more touches for 71 yards.

Both teams compiled more than 500 yards of total offense, including 300 yards rushing on the ground, respectively.

Houston (1-3, 0-1 AAC) got the night started with a bang on the game's first play from scrimmage – a 75-yard touchdown catch and run from quarterback D'Eriq King to wide receiver Marquez Stevenson.

Two possessions later, Tulane junior cornerback Jaylon Monroe intercepted a pass on the eighth play of the Cougars' drive.

The Green Wave used that momentum to build a five-play, 48-yard drive in just over two minutes that ended with a 38-yard touchdown reception by McCleskey to knot the score, 7-7, with 7:24 left in the first quarter.

Houston jumped back in front four minutes later with a 10-play, 75-yard drive on a rushing score by Kyle Porter from one yard out.

After two three-and-outs by Tulane's offense, the Cougars extended the advantage when King found a receiver over the middle for a 28-yard strike just 25 seconds into the second quarter. King followed that up with a 35-yard rushing touchdown less than 80 seconds of game time later to push the lead to 28-7.

The Green Wave responded on their next possession, putting an end to Cougars' 21-0 scoring run on a nine-yard rushing touchdown by junior running back Stephon Huderson to cut the deficit in half.

McMillan led Tulane's march down the field in less than two minutes on the opening possession of the second half, lofting up a 48-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout Darnell Mooney to pull Tulane within seven.

Defense was the theme for both teams for much of the third quarter, before the Green Wave initiated its longest drive of the year – 95 yards – which was consummated with a game-tying score.

On the fourth play of the drive, McCleskey caught a 27-yard pass along the far sideline to convert a third-and-14 and move the chains. Four plays later, Dauphine broke free for a 35-yard gain just before the end of the quarter. Two plays after that, McMillan took things into his own hands and scampered for a 15-yard touchdown run with 14:22 remaining.

Houston assembled a 12-play drive on its subsequent possession that went just 44 yards and lasted nearly 3:50, before a 48-yard field goal attempt by Dalton Witherspoon to reclaim the lead for the Cougars went wide left.

Tulane put the wheels back in motion after taking over, using a series of first-down rushes early in the drive to begin a 10-play, 42-yard drive that lasted nearly four-and-a-half minutes. Redshirt junior kicker Merek Glover connected on a 44-yard field – matching his career long – to give the Green Wave their first lead of the night with 6:10 to go.

The Cougars chewed up all but the final 21 seconds with a final drive that went 68 yards on 16 plays, before Witherspoon connected on a 24-yard field goal to tie the game, 31-31.

Those 21 seconds provided just enough time for Tulane to produce some Yulman magic.

A nine-yard kickoff return started the Green Wave drive at their own 29 yard line with 18 seconds remaining, before sophomore running back Amare Jones rushed 18 yards over the left end to get ball near midfield.

After a timeout stopped the clock, McMillan rifled a pass over the middle into triple coverage, but it found the hands of McCleskey who completed the catch, made a left hand turn and raced to the end zone for the game-winning score.

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