No. 22 CFP Football Falls to SMU 26-14 in the AAC Championship Game

Saturday, December 2

New Orleans, LA

3 p.m.

Tulane University

11-2 , 8-0

SMU

11-2 , 8-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

SMU

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

No. 22 CFP Football Falls to SMU 26-14 in the AAC Championship Game

Dec 2, 2023 | Football

Box Score

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

NEW ORLEANS – The No. 22 (CFP) / No. 17 (AP) / No. 18 (Coaches) Tulane football team (11-2) saw its 10-game winning streak snapped in a 26-14 loss to SMU (11-2) in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Championship Game on Saturday at Yulman Stadium.

Quarterback Michael Pratt led the offensive attack in going 21-for-36 for 238 yards and a passing touchdown. He also ran for a score as well. Makhi Hughes, who had come into the game having run for 100 or more yards in seven of its last eight games, was held to just 44 yards on 11 carries. Running back Shaadie Clayton-Johnson ran four times for 17 yards plus caught three passes for 16 yards. Wide receiver Yulkeith Brown led the team with his five catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Alex Bauman totaled four catches for 36 yards. Wideout Chris Brazzell II hauled in three passes for 41 yards.

Linebacker Tyler Grubbs led the TU defense with his 13 tackles including a stop for loss. D.J. Douglas totaled seven tackles and a stop for loss. Kam Pedescleaux had seven tackles and an interception. Bailey Despanie picked up six tackles and a stop for loss. Devean Deal had four tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Jarius Monroe had three tackles and an interception.

SMU was led by Kevin Jennings going 19-for-33 for 203 yards and a touchdown pass. He also ran 15 times for 63 yards. R.J. Maryland totaled five catches for 56 yards. Isaiah Smith led the Mustangs' defense with his 2.5 sacks. Isaiah Nwokobia, who was named the MVP of the game, recorded eight tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception for SMU.

The Mustangs outgained Tulane in this one 396-269. They also had 21 first downs to 12 and went 6-for-16 on third down. SMU also tallied seven sacks and eight stops for loss plus a turnover on defense in limiting the Green Wave attack to just 2-for-15 on third down. The Tulane defense was able to force three turnovers in the game, but SMU's aggressive defense limited the Green Wave to just seven points off the three Mustangs' miscues.

Tulane scored first, after the sack forced fumble and fumble recovery from Deal, Pratt rushed it in from a yard out to put Tulane up 7-0 at the 14:50 mark of the first quarter.

SMU tied the game on Jaylan Knighton's four-yard rush at the 7:37 mark of the first quarter.

The Mustangs took the lead just before the end of the first half, 14-7, on the 17-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Jenkins to Key'Shawn Smith at the 1:32 mark of the second quarter.

The Green Wave tied the game up midway through the third quarter on a 42-yard touchdown pass from Pratt to Yulkeith Brown with 8:46 remaining in the quarter.

SMU took the lead back, 17-14, on the ensuing drive on a 48-yard field goal from Collin Rogers with 5:35 remaining in the third.

The Mustangs added three more Rogers' field goals in the next four possessions to make the final margin 26-14.

Next the Tulane football team will find out who their future opponent and bowl they will officially play in which will be announced on Sunday.

NOTES:

Tulane hosted the American Athletic Conference Championship (AAC) game for the second straight season, joining UCF (2017-18) and Cincinnati (2020-21) as the only other teams to host back-to-back….This year's championship game was one of six in Championship Week between two top-25 teams (along with the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and the SEC Championship Games) as SMU can in ranked at No. 25 in the AP poll…The opening touchdown for Tulane, a one-yard touchdown run from Michael Pratt only 10 seconds into the game following a strip sack by Devean Deal, was the fastest first score ever in an AAC Championship Game…It also marked the first time a team has scored on their first play from scrimmage…Tulane tied a AAC Championship game record (along with 14 others) with three turnovers in the game…The game featured the lowest-scoring first half in an AAC Championship Game (21 combined points)…Will Karoll set the AAC Championship game punting record in the first half, recording 251 total yards on five punts, including a record 65-yard punt in the second quarter…He ended the game with 356 yards punting…Tyler Grubbs' 13 tackles were a Tulane career-high…Yulkeith Brown's 90 yards receiving was a personal career-high…Michael Pratt now has thrown a touchdown pass in 45 of 46 career games…Makhi Hughes' 1,290 yards rushing this season is already the fourth-most in school history in a single season (Matt Forte – 2,127 in 2007, Tyjae Spears – 1,581 in 2022 and Mewelde Moore – 1,421 in 2001)…The loss made Tulane 23-4 in its last 27 games over the last two seasons…The Tulane defense has now gone 34 straight games without allowing 100-yard to an individual running back (10/2/21 against ECU's Keaton Mitchell – 222 yards rushing)…Since the beginning of the 2022 season, the Green Wave are now 18-2 (.900) when scoring first...Tulane has now won 19 of the last 21 games when forcing a turnover…The 269 yards gained by the Tulane offense was a season low…Tulane, who came into the game having only punted 37 times on the season, were forced to punt a season-high nine times in the contest.

TICKETS
Tickets for the 2023 season for men's and women's basketball teams and the upcoming 2024 baseball 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.

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.