Football Falls To Southern Miss, 27-24

Saturday, September 24

New Orleans, LA

6 p.m.

Tulane University

3-1 , 0-0

University of Southern Mississippi

2-2 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Southern Miss.

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

Sep 24, 2022 | Football

Box Score

FINAL STATS | GALLERY BY PARKER WATERS

NEW ORLEANS – The Tulane football team (3-1) led 17-10 at the half, but saw Southern Miss (2-2) come roaring back to score the next 17 points to take the contest 27-24 at Yulman Stadium on Saturday.

Tyjae Spears led the team with his 114 yards rushing and two touchdowns. He also was the team's leading receiver with five catches for 74 yards for a total of 188 yards from scrimmage. Michael Pratt ended his night going 19-for-29 for 247 yards and a touchdown. He also had 16 carries for 58 yards. Alex Bauman totaled four catches for 57 yards. Jha'Quan Jackson had two catches for 57 yards and a touchdown.

The Green Wave defense was led by eight tackles from Dorian Williams. Williams also had a pair of stops for loss. Nick Anderson had five tackles. Macon Clark totaled five tackles, including one stop for loss. He also forced a fumble. Larry Brooks recorded four tackles with one being for loss.

Tulane picked up 26 first downs and 451 total yards in the game. The team rumbled for 204 yards rushing and 247 yards through the air. The defense limited USM to 253 total yards. The biggest difference came as the Golden Eagles blocked a field goal and had an interception return for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter that helped turn the tide of the game.

Tulane began the scoring as Spears rumbled it in from eight yards out to complete a seven play, 62-yard drive and made the score 7-0 with 10:14 remaining in the opening quarter. Spears put the Green Wave up two scores with his 34-yard rumble for the end zone at the 11:57 mark of the second quarter. USM turned the momentum back in its favor by scoring the next 10 points. Tulane's Kriston Esnard finished off a 10 play, 64-yard drive with his 28-yard field goal to again put the Green Wave up by a touchdown just before the break. The Golden Eagles tied the game up with 1:53 remaining in the third quarter on a touchdown pass from Zach Wilkie. USM took their first lead on the game on a 26-yard field goal with 8:26 remaining in the game. The Golden Eagles made it a two-score game on an interception return for a touchdown at the 7:07 mark. Tulane got to within a field goal with just :19 seconds remaining in the game on a 25-yard Jha'Quan Jackson reception from Michael Pratt. The touchdown pass finished off a four-play, 72-yard drive that took just 37 seconds. The ensuing on-side kick attempt came up just short as Tulane fell for the first time this season.

Tulane Football next gets on the road to open American Athletic Conference play with the trip to take the University of Houston on Friday at 6 p.m. at TDECU Stadium.

NOTES: The loss ends the Green Wave's three-game winning streak to start the season…The loss makes Tulane 3-1 on the season…It is the first time that Tulane has been 3-1 to start a season since 2019 and the 22th time overall (2022, 2019, 2016, 1988, 1979, 1972, 1970, 1966, 1956, 1949, 1948, 1944, 1941, 1921, 1918, 1916, 1915, 1914,1909,1907, 1904, 1901)…Counting ties, it is the 28th time that Tulane has won three of the first four games of the season (1939, 1937, 1936, 1925, 1923, 1920)….Michael Pratt has now thrown at least one touchdown pass in 25 of his 26 games. …Tulane has run for 100 yards as a team in 78 of the last 81 games…The game was the first time that Tyjae Spears has gone over 100 yards rushing this season and the seventh time he has topped the century mark on the ground in his career (2x in 2020, 4x in 2021 and 1x in 2022).

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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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