Football Upends UAB, 35-23

Saturday, September 30

NEW ORLEANS

11 AM

Tulane University

4-1 , 1-0

UAB (HALL OF FAME)

1-4 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

UAB

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

Sep 30, 2023 | Football

Box Score

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

NEW ORLEANS – Tulane's football team (4-1, 1-0 AAC) overcame a slow start in the first half to defeat UAB (1-4, 0-1 AAC) 35-23 on Saturday in the conference opener for both teams on Saturday at Yulman Stadium.

The Wave trailed 20-14 at the half, but blitzed the Blazers to the tune of 21-3 over the last 30 minutes of play to come away with the victory.

Makhi Hughes carried the load, literally, for the offense as he ran 22 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Michael Pratt went 14-for-23 through the air for 184 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. He also ran six times for 40 yards. Wide receiver Jha'Quan Jackson was a dual threat as he ran for 32 and caught a pair of passes for 29 yards. Lawrence Keys III led the team with his three catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. Alex Bauman had three big catches in the game for 24 yards and a touchdown. His scoring grab was his first since the Goodyear Cotton Bowl's end of the game winner. Chris Brazzell II recorded a pair of catches for 49 yards with a long of 39 yards.

Jesus Machado was the leading tackler with his nine stops. Devean Deal recorded four for loss including a sack and eight tackles. Jared Small totaled eight tackles and Bailey Despanie added seven. Patrick Jenkins had four tackles and a stop for loss. Darius Hodges recorded a sack among his three tackles.

UAB took the opening kick and scored the first points as Matt Quinn knocked in a 31-yard field goal to put the score at 3-0 with 9:19 remaining in the first quarter.

Tulane answered with a 15-yard end-around from wide receiver Yulkeith Brown to take the lead 7-3 with 2:50 remaining in the opening quarter. The big play of the drive was a 23-yard reception by Jackson on fourth down.

After UAB took the lead back with a pair of rushing touchdowns and a made 48-yard field goal in the second quarter, Tulane's offense answered at the end of the half to get some momentum back with a nine play, 75-yard drive, capped off by a one-yard rushing touchdown by Hughes to draw the team to within one score going into the break, 20-14.

The Tulane offense came out firing in the second half as the program took the lead, 21-20, on Hughes' 18-yard touchdown run with 13:35 remaining in the third quarter. On his last two carries of the drive, Hughes ran for 39 yards.

After a big stop on fourth down by the defense, the Green Wave offense scored again as Pratt connected with Bauman on a 14-yard pitch-and-catch to put Tulane up 28-20 with 2:50 remaining in the quarter.

The Tulane defense came up with a goal line stop on the ensuing drive as Despanie was able to recover a fumble in the end zone to stifle a UAB scoring attempt when the quarterback attempted to score.

The Blazers kept coming and narrowed the deficit to five, 28-23, on a made Quinn 36-yard field goal with just over five minutes remaining in the game.

Tulane answered with its last touchdown of the game as Pratt connected with Keys for a 32-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to seal the 35-23 victory.

Up next, the Tulane football team, after an off-week, will take the field on the road against Memphis on Friday, October 13 at 6 p.m.

NOTES:

Makhi Hughes' 123-yards was his first career 100-yard rushing performance…Michael Pratt's first touchdown pass was the 100th TD he is responsible in his Tulane career (adding to his own school record)…Pratt now has 27th multiple touchdown passing performances of his career and has thrown a touchdown pass in 37 of 38 career games…Tulane has run for 100 yards as a team in 91 of the last 95 games…Tulane is 4-1 on the season for the second straight year and the third time under Willie Fritz (2023, 202 and 2019)…The Green Wave are 1-0 in conference play for the second straight year, fifth time under Willie Fritz and the 21st time overall (2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013, 2005, 2002, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1949, 1948, 1947, 1944, 1941, 1939, 1936, 1935, 1934, 1933)…Overall the program is 4-1 or better for the 28th time since 1893 (2023 – 4-1, 2019 – 4-1, 2016 -3-1, 1998 – 5-0, 1979 – 4-1, 1974 – 5-0, 1973 – 5-0, 1966 – 4-1, 1956 – 4-1, 1949 – 4-1, 1948 – 4-1, 1939 – 4-0-1, 1936 – 4-0-1, 1934 – 5-0, 1931 – 5-0, 1930 – 4-1, 1929 – 5-0, 1925 – 4-0-1, 1924 – 5-0, 1922 – 4-1, 1919 – 5-0, 1917 – 4-1, 1912 – 4-1, 1911 – 4-1, 1909 – 4-1, 1908 – 5-0, 1904 – 4-1, 1901 – 4-1 and 1900 – 5-0)…Tulane is 16-3 in its last 19 games (4-1 in 2023 and 12-2 in 2022)…That is the team's best 19-game stretch since going 17-2 from 1997-98…The 16 wins in 19 games is the eighth time the program has won at least 16 of 19 games dating back to the start of the program in 1893 ((16-3 between 2022 and 2023, 17-2 between 1997 and 1998, 16-2-1 between 1948-49, 16-2-1 between 1931-32, 18-1 between 1930 and 1931, 18-1 between 1929-1930 and 1931, 16-2-1 between 1928-1929-1930, 17-1-1 from 1924 and 1925… The win was the 47th victory in the Tulane career of Willie Fritz and put him above .500 in his eight years leading the Green Wave career at 47-46...Only ten Tulane coaches, that have coached multiple seasons, have ever finished with a record above .500

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