No. 21 Tulane Trounces SMU, 59-24, on Senior Day

Thursday, November 17

New Orleans, LA

6:30 P.M.

Tulane University

9-2 , 6-1

Southern Methodist University

6-5 , 4-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

SMU

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

No. 21 Tulane Trounces SMU, 59-24, on Senior Day

Nov 17, 2022 | Football

Box Score

FINAL STATS | POSTGAME FRITZ PRESS CONFERENCE | GALLERY BY PARKER WATERS NEW ORLEANS – The No. 21-ranked Tulane football team (9-2, 6-1 AAC), coming off the team's first loss in over a month, put on an offensive showing against SMU (6-5, 4-3 AAC) on Senior Day on Thursday at Yulman Stadium. The team walked away with the resounding 59-24 victory, the program's highest point total against a conference opponent since scoring 62 against Tulsa in 2017.
The Tulane offense was led by quarterback Michael Pratt. Pratt connected on nine passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns and also ran 10 times for 70 yards and three more scores. He is just the fourth FBS player with three or ore rushing touchdowns and three or more passing touchdowns in the same game this season along with Bo Nix (Oregon), Jayden Daniels (LSU) and John Rhys Plumlee (UCF). His three touchdown passes tied his career-high for the third time, while his three rushing scores are a new career-best. Running back Tyjae Spears also had an outstanding performance, running 13 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a catch for five yards and a touchdown. Shaadie Clayton-Johnson totaled eight carries for 75 yards. Iverson Celestine recorded seven attempts for 39 yards. Wide receiver Shae Wyatt had a fantastic game with three catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns. His two touchdowns tied his career-high and was the second time that he totaled multiple touchdown receptions against SMU in his career (10/21/21).

Lawrence Keys III recorded 118 yards in kickoffs aided by his long of 63. Nick Anderson was a menace on defense, recording a game-high 12 tackles. Larry Brooks picked up nine tackles and a forced fumble. Dorian Williams had eight tackles plus a forced fumble. Kameron Hamilton had a career-high six stops. D.J. Douglas had five tackles and an interception. Darius Hodges had a career-high 2.5 sacks among his five tackles. He also forced a fumble. Lummie Young IV had five tackles and an interception. Corey Pratt Jr. had four tackles and a fumble recovery. Macon Clark had four tackles. Angelo Anderson had four tackles plus half a sack. Eric Hicks Jr. had a tackle for loss. Patrick Jenkins had two tackles and recovered a fumble. Tulane's offense ended the contest with 451 yards (310 rushing and 141 passing). The program's defense had three sacks and forced five turnovers. SMU recorded 470 yards in the game with 329 of them coming through the air. Tulane scored first as Pratt rushed it in from six yards out to finish off the 12-play, 81-yard drive that gave the Green Wave the 7-0 lead with 7:01 remaining in the opening quarter.

The Olive and Blue's offense kept its foot on the gas and scored on its second possession as Spears rushed it in from two yards out to put the score at 14-0 with 5:06 remaining the first quarter. The big play of the drive was a 48-yard rush from Spears.

Tulane made it three touchdowns in as many drives and scored its third TD in the first 15 minutes of the game as Pratt connected with Spears from five yards out to put the score at 21-0 as time expired in the opening quarter.

After a touchdown from SMU off a muffed punt recovery, Tulane's offense made it four touchdowns in as many drives with Pratt rushing it in from 26 yards out to put the score at 28-7 with 12:22 remaining in the second quarter. The game remained the same heading to the third quarter when Tulane again dented the scoreboard with Pratt connecting with Wyatt from six yards out to put the score at 35-7 with 13:32 remaining in the quarter.

After a strip-sack by Hodges, the Green Wave scored quickly as Spears rushed it in from 12 yards to put the margin at 42-7 with 7:32 remaining in the third quarter.

The Tulane offense continued to score at will as Pratt connected with Wyatt on a 52-yard pitch and catch to increase the score to 49-7 with 4:37 remaining in the third quarter.

The Green Wave kept pouring it on as Pratt rushed it in from a six yards out to put the team up 56-14 with 13:32 remaining in the contest.

Tulane added a late 33-yard field goal from kicker Valentino Ambrosio with 3:40 to play to make the final score 59-24. Next, the Tulane football team travels to take on No. 22 Cincinnati on Friday, November 25 at 11 a.m. The game will be shown nationally either on ESPN or ABC. Notes: The win makes Tulane 9-2 and 6-1 in the American Athletic Conference…The six wins in the AAC are the most-ever for the program and bettered the previous five won by the 2018 team…It is the eighth time that the program has won nine or more games in a season (2022 {9-2}, 1998 {12-0}, 1973 {9-3}, 1948 {9-1}, 1934 {10-1}, 1931{10-1}, 1929 {9-0}, 1925 {9-0-1})….The six conference wins are the most for the program since 1998 when that team won six Conference USA games with only the 1934 team's eight win when the school was still a member of the Southeastern Conference being more….The win over SMU was the first time that the program has defeated SMU since joining the American Athletic Conference as the team had previous been 0-7….The win over SMU was the first for the program since 2012…The series now stands at 15-14 in favor of the Mustangs…Spears ran for 121 yards in the game and now stands just four yards short of reaching 1,000 yards rushing on the season… The game was the sixth time this season and the fifth straight game that Spears has gone over 100 yards rushing as he ran for 121 yards…It was the 12th time he has topped the century mark on the ground in his career (2x in 2020, 4x in 2021 and 6x in 2022)…With three touchdown passes, Pratt moved passed J.P. Losman for third all-time at Tulane with 61 career touchdown passes…Pratt, with three touchdown passes today, has now thrown at least one touchdown pass in 31 of his 32 career games…Tulane has now run for 100 yards as a team in 83 of the last 87 games…Steve Barrios, who has worked for Tulane radio for 40 years, had the Yulman Stadium Radio Booth named in his honor at halftime of today's game. Barrios is also the school's all-time leader in yards per reception (25.25 in 1970) and in a career (19.95 from 1969-71)….As a team, Tulane ran for 310 yards…It was the second time in the last three games that the program has run for more than 300 yards...The rushing total was the 50th time the program has ever run for 300 or more yards…The 310 yards rushing is the 44thh most in school history…The game was the final home regular season game for 19 Tulane players (Nick Anderson, Larry Brooks, Cam Carroll, Macon Clark, Joey Claybrook, Carlos Hatcher, Sincere Haynesworth, Nik Hogan, Tyrick James, Tylo Phillips, Tyjae Spears, Alfred Thomas, Will Wallace, Duece Watts, Phatt Watts, Dorian Williams, Shae Wyatt and Lummie Young IV)…The group, coming into the SMU game, had combined to play in 637 career games at Tulane. TICKETS Tickets for the 2022 season for men's and women's basketball, volleyball and baseball 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. SOCIAL MEDIA Follow Tulane football on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. WE ARE NOLA BUILT Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.