Tulane Defense Figures it Out in 20-17 Win over Rice
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Tulane 2026 Football Schedule
Opponent | Time/Date | Result | Score | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
at Duke | 2:30PM, 9/5 | L | 17-3 | 0-1 |
Sou Alabama | 6PM, 9/12 | W | 28-24 | 1-1 |
@ K-State | 11AM, 9/19 | L | 31-20 | 1-2 |
Sou Miss | 6PM, 9/26 | W | 24-21 | 2-2 |
OPEN | 10/3 | -- | -- | -- |
@ Army | 11AM, 10/10 | L | 20-17 | 2-3 (0-1) |
Memphis | 6:30PM, 10/16 | W | 31-17 | 3-3 (1-1) |
UTSA | TBD, 10/24 | L | 42-19 | 3-4 (1-2) |
@ Charlotte | 6PM, 10/30 | W | 38-31 OT | 4-4 (2-2) |
Tulsa | 11AM, 11/7 | L | 60-10 | 4-5 (2-3) |
@ Rice | 3:30PM, 11/14 | W | 20-17 | 5-5 (3-3) |
Nor Texas | TBD, 11/21 | |||
@ Sou Fla | TBD, 11/27 |
In a game that could help define the future of Tulane football, the Green Wave traveled to Houston, limping in after a 50-point loss during their homecoming game last weekend.
Then there was the chaos that was the suspension of all flights yesterday by the FAA, just as the Greenies' plane was in line to take off.
That was followed by the decision to bus over, with the team arriving in Houston after 2:00 a.m. Saturday morning. Rice, the American Conference, and ESPN agreed to move the game from the original 1:00 p.m. CT Saturday start, to two-and-a-half hours later.
The Green Wave may have still had "bus lag" when they took the field, as things did not look good in the first half, as the Wave trailed 17-6. But the Tulane defense became almost impenetrable in the second half, while the offense was able to complete drives in the final 30-minutes that they couldn't in the first to claim a 20-17 win over the Rice Owls.
"Great team win. We had to overcome a lot with everything that's gone on the last few days. I thought we grew," coach Will Hall said after the game. "We were moving it consistently in (the first half), had to settle for field goals, then moving it well right before the half, and we throw the pick six, which was really disappointing..
"From that point on (though), I thought our team just really flipped a switch," Hall continued.
The win moves Tulane to 5-5 on the year, 3-3 in American Conference play. The Owls fall for the ninth time this year in ten games, dropping to 0-7 in league contests.
First Half
Even though there was only one punt combined, neither offense could get much going in the first thirty minutes.
The two teams combined for 327-yards total in the first half, most of the Green Wave's coming via the air, 114-yards for Tulane, while, in what would not be considered a surprise, the Owls depended on the run, Rice rushing for 147-yards total, most of that off the legs of quarterback Gael Ochoa, 8-carries for 56-yards.
Wave quarterback Trace Johnson had a hard time figuring out where the openings were in half one, going 12-for-24, 114-yards and two interceptions, including that pick-six by Rice near the end of the first half. The Owls led 17-6 at the half.
1st Half Stats
Tulane | Rice | |
|---|---|---|
Total Yards | 172 | 155 |
Rushing Yards | 17-58 yards | 24-147 yards |
Passing Yards | 114-yards | 8-yards |
Total Plays | 41 | 30 |
3rd Down Conversion | 7-11 | 4-7 |
Second Half
Trailing by double-digits as the second half began, the Tulane defense put on a show in the last thirty minutes, allowing the option-based Rice offense only 101-total yards in the 2nd half, holding the Owls to only seven first downs.
"I thought our defense made some really good adjustments," Hall said referring to the change in the 3rd and 4th quarter defensive play. "I thought we were able to corral the perimeter part of their option game and get a turnover."
The Tulane defense, after getting zero fumble recoveries or interceptions in their loss to Tulsa, forced two Rice fumbles, recovering one.
"We just went in at halftime, and we (saw we) had some guys in good position (to make the plays)," senior linebacker Makai Williams told the media after the game, "sometimes we were a little bit off, some easy stuff to fix."
The Tulane offense, which had outgained Rice in the first half, continued to put together drives in the third and fourth quarters, but was finishing them off, scoring touchdowns on two of their last four drives.
The first touchdown of the night for the Green Wave didn't come until there was nine-and-a-half minutes on the third quarter clock. The Wave started on their own 39-yard line after a Rice punt, then moved methodically downfield on a 13-play, 61-yard possession that ended with a DJ Dugar touchdown run into the endzone.
"It's good to see DJ, another freshman that's playing well," Hall said "He's really grown as the season has gone on. We knew it would be his opportunity tonight with Jamauri (McClure) out again and Johnnie Daniels out. I thought it was great to have Mo (Turner) back and looking like Mo. He's a real leader.
"Credit to our O-line. We didn't give up a sack. We ran the ball efficiently. Coming off Charlotte where we played well and did not last week, we knew we could play better. I thought our offensive line really jelled and played a solid game."
The second TD by the Wave offense came after the aforementioned turnover forced by the Tulane defense. Getting the ball at the Rice 34, it took just three plays to traverse the distance, with Johnson throwing a 24-yard back-shoulder touchdown pass in the front corner of the endzone to Bredell Richardson.
@bredell_r's touchdown reception pic.twitter.com/v6mUnrhomE
— Tulane Football (@GreenWaveFB) November 15, 2026
"I knew pre snap that I was going to get the ball," Richardson shared with us after the game. "I ran down the field, looked up, and went 'Oh snap' and caught it. I just happened to be in the end zone. I didn't realize how far I was."
According to sources, the Green Wave was going to be able to fly instead of taking the bus back to New Orleans. Though there are advantages to that, Williams sort of enjoyed the bus trip, calling it a chance to get to know each other better.
"It was a little hectic," Williams said referring to the plane stoppage and late bus ride, "It was good bonding on the five hour drive. It didn't matter if we got to the hotel at five in the morning. The group of guys we have are so positive, so resilient. It doesn't matter. We continue to work."
Next up, a November 21st home game against current American Conference leader North Texas. A kickoff time has not set as of this writing.
Final Statistics
Tulane | Rice | |
|---|---|---|
Total Yards | 351 | 256 |
Passing Yards | 190 | 32 |
Rushing Yards | 161 | 224 |
Penalties | 2-20 yards | 1-15 yards |
3rd Down Conversions | 9-18 | 4-15 |
Sacks by | 2-14 yards | 0-0 yards |
Tackles for Loss | 6-20 yards | 3-6 yards |
Individual Statistics
Player | |
|---|---|
Trace Johnson | 19-38, 190-yards, 2-INTS, 1 TD |
Mo Turner | 15-90 yards (rushing), longest 45-yards |
Fat Hill | 5-catches, 44-yards, longest 17-yards |
Makai Williams | 12-tackles |
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Doug has covered a gamut of sporting events in his fifty-plus years in the field. He started doing sideline reporting for Louisiana Tech football games for the student radio station. Doug was Sports Director for KNOE-AM/FM in Monroe in the mid-80s, winning numerous awards from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association for Best Sportscast and Best Play-by-Play. High school play-by-play for teams in Monroe, Natchitoches, New Orleans, and Thibodaux, LA dot his resume. He did college play-by-play for Northwestern State University in Natchitoches for nine years. Then, moving to the Crescent City, Doug did television PBP of Tulane games and even filled in for legendary Tulane broadcaster, Ken Berthelot in the only game Kenny ever missed while doing the Green Wave games. His father was an alumnus of Tulane in the 1940s, so Doug has attended Tulane football games in old Tulane Stadium, the Superdome, and Yulman. He was one of the 86,000 plus on December 1, 1973, sitting in the North End Zone to seeTulane shutout the LSU Tigers, 14-0. He was there when the Posse ruled Fogelman and in Turchin when the Wave made it to the World Series. He currently is the public address voice of the Tulane baseball team.