No. 25 Tulane Celebrates 38-28 Homecoming Victory Over Memphis

Saturday, October 22

New Orleans, LA

2:30 p.m.

Tulane University

7-1 , 4-0

University of Memphis

4-4 , 2-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Memphis

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

No. 25 Tulane Celebrates 38-28 Homecoming Victory Over Memphis

Oct 22, 2022 | Football

Box Score

FINAL STATS | POSTGAME FRITZ PRESS CONFERENCE | GALLERY BY PARKER WATERS

NEW ORLEANS – The 25th-ranked Tulane football team (7-1, 4-0 AAC) made it a memorable Homecoming in front of a stadium-record crowd of 30,100 with a thrilling 38-28 victory over Memphis (4-4, 2-3 AAC) on Saturday afternoon at Yulman Stadium.

Tyjae Spears led the offensive charge for Tulane in running for 125 yards and a touchdown. Shaadie Clayton-Johnson picked up 29 yards on the ground plus a rushing score. Michael Pratt had an effective day in going 20-for-29 for 158 yards and a passing touchdown. He also ran for 19 yards and another touchdown. Dea Dea McDougle had five catches for 37 yards. Duece Watts made his three catches count as one was for a touchdown. Jha'Quan Jackson brought electricity into the game as he returned a punt for 90 yards and a touchdown. He also had a pair of catches for 22 yards. Tyrick James totaled a pair of catches for 26 yards. Shae Wyatt recorded a catch for 30 yards.

Dorian Williams was all over the field to help lead the defense with his 12 tackles, a sack and a pass breakup. Nick Anderson totaled 11 tackles, a stop for loss and a pass breakup. Larry Brooks picked up seven tackles, an interception and a pass breakup. Macon Clark had six tackles and a forced fumble. Tylo Phillips recorded four tackles and a fumble recovery. Keith Cooper Jr. totaled two tackles and a sack. Jarius Monroe ended up with six tackles, including the game-sealing interception in the final minute of the contest in the home end zone. Lance Robinson had a tackle and a pass breakup.

Tulane's offense gained 344 yards on the day with 186 of them coming on the ground. The squad controlled the clock at 32:16 to 27:44 in time of possession. The Green Wave defense forced three turnovers and pitched a shutout in the first 30 minutes of the game to allow Tulane to take control and go into the break with a 35-0 advantage.

Tulane wasted no time scoring in the opening quarter as the team marched down the field and dented the scoreboard first on a six-yard rush from Pratt to finish off the 11 play, 80-yard drive and made it 7-0 at the 9:39 mark. The Green Wave's quick start continued as Jackson, after a defensive stop, returned the ensuing punt for a 90-yard touchdown at the 8:09 mark. It was the first Tulane punt return touchdown since Fred Smith against UAB in 2004. The Tulane offense kept its foot on the gas as the scored the third touchdown of the opening quarter on a three-yard rush from Spears to go up 21-0. The Tulane offense started the scoring in the second quarter on a four-yard score from Clayton-Johnson to complete the 10-play, 77-yard drive to increase the lead to 28-0 with 5:49 remaining in the opening half. The Green Wave onslaught continued as the program scored just before the end of the half on the six-yard pitch and catch from Pratt to Watts. The play completed a 10 play, 53-yard drive and put the home team up 35-0 at the break. After Memphis scored a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter, and another score to start the fourth to cut the lead to 14 at 35-21, kicker Valentino Ambrosio helped stem the tide with his 25-yard field goal to finish off a 13-play, 67-yard drive and again put Tulane up three scores. Memphis added a touchdown in the fourth to make the final score 38-28.

Next, the Tulane football team, after a bye week, gets back on the road and takes on Tulsa University on Saturday, November 5.

Notes: The win makes the Green Wave 7-1 and 4-0 in the AAC this season…The 4-0 mark in the AAC is the best-ever start for the team since joining the American…The overall record is the best for the program since 1998…It is the 12th time the program is 7-1 or better (2022, 1998, 1973, 1948, 1939, 1934, 1931, 1930, 1929, 1925, 1924, 1918)..With the win, the program is guaranteed to finish at .500 or above for the 59th time (2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2013, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1987, 1981, 1979, 1973, 1972, 1956, 1955, 1952, 1950, 1949, 1944, 1943, 1941, 1940, 1939, 1938, 1937, 1936, 1935, 1934, 1933, 1932, 1931, 1930, 1929, 1928, 1925, 1924, 1923, 1922, 1920,1919, 1918, 1917, 1916, 1914, 1914, 1912, 1911, 1909, 1908, 1904, 1903, 1901, 1900, 1896, 1895)…The win for Willie Fritz is the 38th of his career and moves him alone into second place on Tulane's coaches victory totals with one more over Chris Scelfo's (1998-2006) 37….Jha'Quan Jackson's 90-yard punt return touchdown was the second-longest in both school and AAC history…The longest in school history was Joe Bullard's 92-yard punt return in 1969…The longest in the conference was last year's 94-yard return by Memphis returner Calvin Austin last year against Mississippi State…Tulane's listed attendance in the game was a new stadium-record 30,100…The previous record attendance was 30,000 that happened during the first game held at the Yulman Stadium (9/4/14)…Michael Pratt has now thrown at least one touchdown pass in 28 of his 29 career games…The game was the third time this season and the second straight game that Tyjae Spears has gone over 100 yards rushing as he ran for 125 yards…It was the ninth time he has topped the century mark on the ground in his career (2x in 2020, 4x in 2021 and 3x in 2022)… Tulane has run for 100 yards as a team in 80 of the last 84 games.

TICKETS
Tickets for the 2022 season can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.

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