Football Earns 41-33 Road Victory over Louisiana

Saturday, September 21

Lafayette, LA

11 a.m.

Tulane University

2-2 , 0-0

Louisiana

2-1 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Tulane

Louisiana

Photo by: Parker Waters

Football Earns 41-33 Road Victory over Louisiana

Sep 21, 2024 | Football

Box Score

RECAP | ESPN HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTO GALLERY (BY PARKER WATERS) | POSTGAME SUMRALL PRESS CONFERENCE | POSTGAME HUGHES PRESS CONFERENCE | POSTGAME TCHIENCHOU PRESS CONFERENCE | POSTGAME PLEASANT PRESS CONFERENCE

LAFAYETTE – The Tulane football team (2-2) used big plays in all three phases to earn a 41-33 road victory against Louisiana (2-1) at Our Lady of the Lourdes Stadium / Cajun Field in Lafayette on Saturday.

Redshirt sophomore running back Makhi Hughes tied his career high with 166 yards rushing. He averaged 7.2 yards an attempt on his 23 carries and had a rushing score. Redshirt freshman running back Trey Cornist ran four times for 39 yards. Quarterback Ty Thompson picked up seven carries for 23 yards and a score on the ground. Wide Receiver Yulkeith Brown totaled 19 yards on the ground in his two attempts. Redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah totaled 17 yards on the ground in three attempts. He was also 11-for-17 for 83 yards and a 33-yard passing touchdown to senior tight end Reggie Brown. The reception was the only one of the game for Brown. Mario Williams led the team with his five catches and totaled 24 yards.

On special teams, Rayshawn Pleasant had four returns for 153 yards including a 94-yard kick return touchdown. Ethan Head knocked in a pair of field goals and accounted for 11 points in the game.

Senior linebacker Tyler Grubbs totaled six tackles to lead the defense. Redshirt freshman linebacker Dickson Agu tallied five stops. Defensive back Jalen Geiger totaled four stops and an interception. Linebacker Sam Howard recorded four tackles. Jack Tchienchou had a pair of tackles and a touchdown interception return.

Tulane offense had 18 first down, 272 yards rushing, 83 yards passing and 355 total yards in the game. Louisiana had 22 first downs, 183 yards rushing and 238 yards passing for 421 total yards. The Green Wave controlled the clock and had a time of possession of 33:57.

Louisiana started the scoring on a one-yard touchdown run from Ben Woolridge to put the Ragin' Cajuns up 7-0 with 7:26 remaining in the opening quarter.

The Green Wave tied the game up at seven on the ensuing possession as Ty Thompson rushed it in from two-yards out to complete the 15 play, 65-yard drive to start the second quarter.

The Ragin' Cajuns wrestled the lead back on their next possession as Kenneth Almendares knocked in a 20-yard field goal to put Louisiana up 10-7 with 9:14 remaining in the second quarter.

On the next possession, Tulane again tied the game up, 10-10, as Head completed the drive with a 37-yard field goal. It was his first career make with 2:02 remaining until the break.

The Green Wave got their third defensive touchdown of the season as Jack Tchienchou returned his interception to paydirt at the 1:40 mark of the second quarter. The interception return covered 38 yards.

The second field goal of the first half by Almendares, this one from 31 yards, brought the Cajuns to within four, 17-13, at the break.

Pleasant started the second half for Tulane with a 94-yard kick return touchdown to put the Green Wave up 24-13 with 14:47 remaining in the third quarter.

The Ragin' Cajuns quickly scored to again to get within a score on a Woolridge to Caden Jensen connection with 13:06 left in the third quarter. The big play on the drive was a 73-yard rush from Bill Davis. The two-point conversion failed to keep the score at 24-19.

Tulane answered on the next possession as Mensah connected with Reggie Brown on a 33-yard touchdown reception to put the Green Wave up 31-19 with 8:57 remaining in third quarter. It was Brown's second touchdown reception in as many games after having only touchdown reception in his first four seasons (vs. UCF – 11/12/22)

The back-and-forth game continued as Louisiana scored on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Woolridge to Terrence Carter to again put the Cajuns to within one score, 31-26, with 6:42 remaining in the third.

Tulane dented the scoreboard again in the third as Hughes rushed it in from a yard out to finish off the six play, 73-yard drive with 3:11 remaining in the third quarter and put the Green Wave up 38-26.

The Cajuns again drew to within one score, 38-33, as Woolridge rushed it in from the two with 13:17 left in the contest.

The Green Wave went up eight as Head knocked in his second field goal of the game, this one from 38 yards, to increase the lead to 41-33 with 5:42 remaining in the game.

After a miss field goal from Tulane, Louisiana was driving and reached the Green Wave 41 before Geiger intercept a pass to thwart the potential game-tying drive and give Tulane the thrilling 41-33 victory.

Next, the football team returns home to begin American Athletic Conference play against South Florida on Sept. 28, at 11 a.m. at Yulman Stadium.

NOTES:

- Freshman Ethan Head's 37-yard made field goal was his first career make…His 38-yard field goal in the fourth quarter was a career-high for yardage…His 11 points scored were also a career high.

- Redshirt freshman Jack Tchienchou's 38-yard interception return was the first of his career, but the third interception return that Tulane has had this season (Rayshawn Pleasant – 100-yard vs. Southeastern Louisiana – 8/29/24 and Tyler Grubbs – 22-yard vs. Oklahoma – 9/14/24)…The team's streak of returning every interception for a touchdown was ended in the fourth quarter when Jalen Geiger willingly went to the turf after his pick to end the last drive for Louisiana.

- Rayshawn Pleasant's 94-yard kick return touchdown to start the second half was the first for Tulane since Shedro Louis turned the feat against Tulsa last season (11/11/23).

- Makhi Hughes' 166 yard rushing day was the second 100+ of the season for him and the ninth of his career…Hughes has now run for 100 or more yards in nine of his last 14 games played.

- With the win, Tulane is 38-36 all-time against current schools in the Sun Belt Conference with the most victories coming against Louisiana.

- The victory makes Tulane 24-6 all-time against Louisiana in a series that first started in 1911… This was the first game between the schools since 2018 when the Green Wave defeated the Ragin' Cajuns by a 41-24 score in Orlando, Fla. at the Cure Bowl…Tulane has won the last three matchups with Louisiana and six of the last eight contests...This was the first in Lafayette since 2012 and only the sixth game of the series not hosted in New Orleans (two bowl games and four away contests).

- Tulane is 2-2 for the fourth time since 2015, 12th time since 2000 and the 38th time in school history (2024, 2020, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2005, 2002, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1993, 1992, 1990, 1989, 1987, 1980, 1975, 1959, 1955, 1951, 1950, 1946, 1943, 1942, 1935, 1933, 1932, 1928, 1913, 1903, 1896, 1895).

- The win improved Head Coach Jon Sumrall to 17-2 all-time against schools from the Sun Belt Conference.

- The victory was the team's second over a state of Louisiana team this season and improved Coach Sumrall to 6-0 all-time against schools located in the state.

- The win increased Tulane's all-time record to 83-75 against college football playing schools in the state of Louisiana (24-6 vs. Louisiana; 23-68 against LSU; 8-0 against Southeastern Louisiana; 8-0 against Louisiana Tech; 6-0 against Northwestern State; 4-0 vs. Louisiana Christian; 3-0 vs. Southern; 3-1 vs. Louisiana Monroe; 2-0 vs. Nicholls; 1-0 vs. McNeese State and 1-0 vs. Grambling)…Tulane's first game against a school from the state of Louisiana came against LSU in 1893.

- Head Coach Jon Sumrall has now started each of the last three seasons at 2-2

- Since the start of the 2022 season, Tulane is now 25-7.

- With three turnovers forced against Louisiana, Tulane has now won 21 of the last 25 games when forcing an opponent turnover.

- Tulane has now outrushed the opposition in 22 of the last 30 games (including 16 of the last 20)…In such contests, Tulane holds a 20-2 record (losses in 2022 vs. Southern Miss and 2023 vs. Ole Miss).

- Tulane has won 11 of the team's last 12 road games.

- Since the beginning of the 2016 season, Tulane is 44-7 (.862) when leading at the half and 46-9 (.836) when leading after three quarters.

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