Football Secures AAC Championship Berth After 29-16 Win over UTSA

Friday, November 24

NEW ORLEANS

2:30 p.m.

Tulane University

11-1 , 8-0

UTSA

8-4 , 7-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

UTSA

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

Football Secures AAC Championship Berth After 29-16 Win over UTSA

Nov 24, 2023 | Football

Box Score

FINAL STATS | POSTGAME FRITZ PRESS CONFERENCE | RADIO HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTO GALLERY (BY PARKER WATERS)

NEW ORLEANS – The Tulane Green Wave (11-1, 8-0 AAC) secured a home AAC Championship game for the second consecutive year after putting up a 29-16 victory over the previously undefeated in conference play UTSA Roadrunners (8-4, 7-1).

Quarterback Michael Pratt went 9-22 on the day with 125 yards and two touchdowns, while adding on 10 rushing attempts for 50 yards. Running back Makhi Hughes powered the rushing unit with 26 attempts for 166 yards and one touchdown, including a 58-yard run that would set up a field goal for the Green Wave. Wide receiver Chris Brazzell II led the Wave in the air for the second week in a row after hauling in five receptions for 93 yards and two touchdowns. The defense forced five turnovers, including three interceptions, limiting UTSA to less than 200 yards in the air for the fourth time this season.

Tulane went up first after Kam Pedescleaux tipped a Frank Harris pass into the arms of Bailey Despanie on the second play of the game at UTSA's 15-yard line. That set up a seven-yard touchdown pass from Pratt to Brazzell.

On the next drive, Devean Deal picked off a pass from Harris, but the Roadrunners struck back, capitalizing on a forced fumble to tie the game at seven-all.

UTSA took the lead early in the second quarter after a 40-yard field goal, but its momentum was stunted as the Wave went on to score 16-unanswered points to close out the half (23-10 Tulane lead).

After a scoreless third quarter, the Olive and Blue forced a turnover on downs at the UTSA 32 to set up the first points of the half on a three-yard touchdown pass to Brazzell for his second score of the day.

UTSA found one more receiver in the end zone on the next drive, but it proved to be too little, too late as the Green Wave salted away a 13-point victory.

Tulane will return home next Saturday to host the AAC Championship game for the second consecutive year at 3 p.m. against either SMU or UTSA. SMU (9-2, 7-0 AAC) faces Navy at home at 11 a.m. tomorrow. A win would send the Mustangs to NOLA for next week's title game. A loss would mean the tiebreaker between SMU and UTSA (the two did not play during the regular season) would go to the computers and those numbers would be released by the conference office on Sunday.

NOTES

Valentino Ambrosio tied his career-high with his 47-yard field goal in the first half against UTSA (Cincinnati – 11/24/22)…Makhi Hughes' 166 yards rushing against UTSA were a career-high, bettering his 153 yards against Rice (10/28/23)…Hughes has now run for 100 or more yards in seven of the team's last eight games…Chris Brazzell II's two touchdown catches was the first multiple touchdown performance of his career…It was the second straight game that a Tulane player has caught multiple touchdowns (Chris Carter – 2 touchdown receptions vs. Florida Atlantic – 11/18/23)…It was Tulane's sixth multiple touchdown scored game (either rushing or receiving) of the season (Makhi Hughes – 2 rush vs. UAB – 9/30, Jha'Quan Jackson – 2 receiving vs. South Alabama – 9/2, Lawrence Keys III – 2 receiving vs. Nicholls – 9/23, Alex Bauman – 2 receiving vs. North Texas – 10/21, Chris Carter – 2 receiving vs. Florida Atlantic – 11/18 and Chris Brazzell II's – 2 receiving vs. UTSA – 11/24)… Michael Pratt now has thrown a touchdown pass in 44 of 45 career games…It was the 31st time that he has had multiple passing touchdowns (8x in 2020, 7x in 2021, 9x in 2022 and 7x in 2023) in a game… Tulane is 11-1 on the season for the first time under Coach Fritz…This is the first time in school history that Tulane has won 10 or more games in back-to-back years…Overall, the program is 11-1 or better for the third time since 1893 (2023- 11-1, 1998 – 12-0, 1931 – 11-1)…The Green Wave finished 8-0 in conference play for the first time under Willie Fritz and it was the second time overall that the program went 8-0 in conference games (1934 – 8-0 SEC)…The win made Tulane 23-3 in its last 26 games over the last two seasons…No Tulane team has ever won 20 games over a two-year period of time…The eight wins in conference play this season are tied for the most in school history along with the eight by the 1934 team while a member of the SEC…The 23 victories since the start of the 2022 season ranks third nationally behind 26 from Georgia and 24 from Michigan… The Tulane defense has now gone 33 straight contests without allowing a 100-yard game to an individual running back (10/2/21 against ECU's Keaton Mitchell – 222 yards rushing)…Tulane is 42-6 (.875) when leading at halftime and 44-9 (.830) when leading through three quarters under Willie Fritz…Since the beginning of the 2022 season, the Green Wave is 18-1 (.947) when scoring first...Tulane has now won 19 of the last 20 games when forcing a turnover.

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