Michael Pratt threw three touchdown passes and ran for the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter as No. 23 Tulane downed North Texas 35-28 in an American Athletic Conference game on Saturday in New Orleans.
Pratt completed 15 of 21 passes for 194 yards and an interception and ran 19 yards for the winning points with 2:34 left in the game. Makhi Hughes finished with 121 rushing yards and a touchdown for the Green Wave (6-1, 3-0 AAC), who prevailed despite squandering a 21-0 halftime lead.
Chandler Rogers threw for 343 yards and two touchdowns on 35-of-51 passing for the Mean Green (3-4, 1-2).
On its first possession of the second half, North Texas drove 88 yards, with Rogers throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Mori Maclin to trim Tulane’s lead to 21-7.
The Green Wave responded with a 21-yard TD pass from Pratt to Alex Bauman for a 28-7 advantage.
On the fourth play after the ensuing kickoff, Ayo Adeyi ran 18 yards to the end zone, cutting the lead to 28-14.
The Mean Green recovered an onside kick and drove to Oscar Adaway III’s 1-yard scoring rush that got them within 28-21 at the end of the third quarter.
North Texas pulled even at 28 when Rogers threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Landon Sides with 9:08 left in the game.
After Pratt’s rushing touchdown broke the tie, the Mean Green reached midfield before turning the ball over on downs for the fourth time of the game.
Pratt’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Bauman on Tulane’s first possession of the contest gave the Wave a 7-0 lead with 9:34 remaining in the opening quarter.
Adaway fumbled and Patrick Jenkins recovered for Tulane at the North Texas 48. Eight plays later, Hughes ran 10 yards for a TD and a 14-0 lead.
Pratt threw a 23-yard scoring strike to Lawrence Keys III with 17 seconds left in the second quarter to make it 21-0 heading into the break.
–Field Level Media