Grit and resilience fuel Tulane's thrilling win over Memphis, proving past struggles forge present fight and season hopes ignited.
You never really want to hear that a loss was a good thing, but the Tulane Green Wave certainly played like a team that learned from theirs in a season-defining 38-32 victory over the Memphis Tigers.
It was a game that should’ve been put away in the first half with a 35-17 lead, the most points the Green Wave had scored in a football game all season. But looking back over the course of Tulane’s season, little moments seemed to matter when it came down to the finish.
In fact, it was the seventh consecutive game that the team won in a game decided by eight points or less. The Green Wave were a Javion White interception on a failed two-point attempt by the South Alabama Jaguars from potentially forcing overtime. The game against the ECU Pirates was a close contest that should’ve been 21-0 at halftime, had they been able to convert in the red zone.
Tulane was five minutes away from their first conference loss to the Army Black Knights – then the defense made a critical three-and-out stop while the offense amassed 14 points in minutes. It’s concerning that several contests have gone down to the fourth quarter. But in all those close matchups, this Green Wave team has pulled away victorious. Importantly, they know they have the capability to do, which was clear in their narrow win.
There was a level of grit and emotional toughness the team tapped into on Friday night in Memphis that was apparent on the sideline pre-kickoff. There was a desire to win this one that felt more urgent due to the result against the UTSA Roadrunners. That translated into a strong start that went far: it gave them a considerable cushion once things broke down, and it immediately allowed the defense to play aggressive by forcing the Tigers into obvious passing situations playing catch-up.
The result was a ruthless pass rush that had six sacks and made it impossible for Brendon Lewis to settle in. In contrast, Jake Retzlaff had all the time in the world in the pocket, and his receivers executed with a toughness not shown this season.
But the detailed execution still broke down, and that’s a point of focus to close the season strong. The only way they could be in the position to do that was with a necessary win on Friday that kept season hopes alive.
Memphis spoiled Tulane’s hopes last season of hosting a championship. The Green Wave effectively gave that right back to the Tigers. In an American conference where multiple teams with one loss are vying for that top spot, these late games can’t afford to be lost, no matter how ugly the end gets. Tulane may have learned that lesson just early enough to make it too late for their opponent.