UL running back Bill Davis (7) rushed for 104 yards in a 41-33 loss to Tulane on Saturday at Cajun Field. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The numbers just didn’t add up for the UL Ragin’ Cajuns. And no, it had nothing to do with the 88-degree heat or temperatures above 120 degrees on the sun-drenched Cajun Field.
The Green Wave scored two touchdowns without UL’s defense on the field and the Ragin’ Cajuns’ offense just didn’t have enough in the tank to counterpunch. The result was a 41-33 road victory for the Green Wave on Saturday in the 11 a.m.
ESPNU showdown. Trailing by eight points each time, the Cajuns’ final two drives were halted largely because of intentional grounding calls on each drive. The loss erased the fact UL had more first downs 22-18 and more total yards 421-355, but two unplanned touchdowns and 2-for-9 conversions on third down allowed the Green Wave (2-2) to escape.
Tulane running back Makhi Hughes powered the Wave’s 272-yard rushing effort with 166 yards and one score on 23 carries. UL’s defense limited quarterback Darian Mensah to 11-of-17 passing for 83 yards and one score. The Cajuns got 103 yards rushing from redshirt freshman running back Bill Davis on nine carries.
Quarterback Ben Wooldridge was 19-of-34 passing for 238 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Tight end Terrance Carter led the targets with four receptions for 79 yards and a score. Lance LeGendre had three grabs for 57 yards.
After a first half of long drives between two defenses very intent on limiting big plays, the second half was full of them. The second half couldn’t have started out any worse for the Cajuns, who gave up a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to Rayshawn Pleasant for a 24-13 Green Wave lead 13 seconds into the second half. The Cajuns answered with a Davis 72-yard run right up the gut to the Tulane 2.
Two plays later, Wooldridge hit Caden Jensen for a 1-yard TD toss to trim Tulane’s lead to 24-19 with 13:06 left in the third after a two-point attempt failed. But with Cajuns’ middle linebacker K.C.
Ossai out, Tulane’s power rushing attack was on full display. The Green Wave ran the ball at will for much of the second half to keep UL’s offense from getting any closer than five points the rest of the way. First, setting up a 33-yard TD pass to tight end Reggie Brown for a 31-19 lead and then a six-play, 73-yard drive in 4:05 that got Tulane over 230 yards rushing for the game with 3:11 left in the third quarter.
It gave Tulane a 38-26 lead at the time. UL’s offense kept answering, though. Completions of 25 yards to Carter and then a 36-yard TD pass to Carter made it a quick four-play scoring drive and then a 9-play, 75-yard drive in 4:54 kept the Cajuns close at 38-33 with 13:17 left to play.
Wooldridge got it in from the 2 on a drive sparked by a 20-yard completion to LeGendre and subsequent roughing the passer flag. Tulane then pulled off yet another long possession, going 55 yards on 13 plays in 7:35 to get a 38-yard field goal from Ethan Head for a 41-33 lead with 5:42 left. .
The first half was a game of patience and unfortunately, the Cajuns were the first one to blink. Tulane only had three possessions in the half. The second one covered 65 yards in 15 plays on 7:29 and ended with a 2-yard touchdown plunge from Ty Thompson – Tulane’s version of Taysom Hill – to tie the game at 7-all with 14:57 left in the second quarter.
The Cajuns had taken the early 7-0 lead on the previous drive, covering 79 yards in seven plays themselves in 3:53. A 32-yard completion to Jaydon Johnson set up a 1-yard Wooldridge run with 7:26 left in the opening quarter. Tulane’s third and final drive of the first half was a 59-yard possession in 13 plays that ate up 7:08 on the clock.
It ended with a 37-yard Ethan Head field goal to tie the game at 10-10 with 2:02 left. Again, that followed UL’s 10-play, 72-yard drive in 5:43. A 21-yard connection with LeGendre ignited the drive, but a failed third-down pass in the back of the end zone from the 3 forced UL to settle for a 20-yard Kenny Almendares field goal.
That’s when the Cajuns’ offense blinked to disrupt the rhythm of the methodical first half. On a third-and-5 from UL’s 30, Wooldridge and tight end Carter weren’t on the same page. The quarterback threw as if Carter was turning around at the first-down marker and Carter kept running.
Tulane cornerback Jack Tchienchou was more than happy to return the interception 38 yards for a touchdown and a 17-10 Green Wave lead with 1:40 left. With Tulane getting the ball first in the second half, it was then critical for UL’s offense to eat up the remainder of the clock. That mission was achieved with a 12-play, 61-yard drive in 1:37, but again the Cajuns settled for a short field goal – this one a 31-yarder from Almendares to narrow the gap to 17-13 with three seconds left until halftime.
A couple of 15-yard completions – one to Jacob Bernard and another to Carter – powered the drive, but two passes into the end zone were low and incomplete. ..
