Tulane vs UTSA 1st Half: UTSA 31 - Tulane 12
Tulane and Texas-San Antonio battled in the Alamodome on Thursday night in prime time on ESPN.
Green Wave get the ball to start at their own 25 after the touchback. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff opens with a 39-yard keeper off the left side. Tulane is the hurry-up, which is what OC Joe Craddock said they would do more of. 15-yard completion on the post to Shazz Preston. Wave get inside the UTSA 20, but starts to bog down, but on a 3rd and 13 at the 20, a pass interference call on the Road Runners, gives TU a first and goal at the UTSA 5. Javin Gordon gets to the 1 on a pile driver run up the middle. JAKE RETZLAFF DOES THE TUSH PUSH TO GET A ONE-YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN. Tulane goes for two on the swinging gate and comes up empty.
Tulane 6 - UTSA 0 11:37 to go in the 1st quarter
Texas-San Antonio starts at their own 25. The Road Runners go no-huddle, too, and open with Robert Henry, their all star runner for two runs. But TU gets caught giving up the big play on a pass of 42-yards to the TU 15. Tulane defense called for pass interference in the end zone, so UTSA gets the ball at the Tulane 2. TWO YARD TOUCHDOWN PASS FROM OWEN MCCOWN TO DAVID AMIDOR.
UTSA 7 - Tulane 6 9:50 to go in the 1st quarter
After the touchback, Tulane starts at their own 25. Two runs (and a fumble recovered by TU's Maurice Turner) picks up a 1st. Two plays later, Javin Gordon fumbles and UTSA recovers at the Tulane 44.
Double trick throwback brings UTSA to the TU 22. Another completion inside the Tulane 15. Then, a pass to the end zone for an apparent TD comes back with a holding call against the Road Runners, backing them up to the Tulane 19-yard line for a 2nd and 18, but two plays later, MICHAEL PETRO PUTS THROUGH A 34-YARD FIELD GOAL.
UTSA 10 - Tulane 6 5:06 to go in the 1st quarter
Green Wave start at their 25 after the touchback on the kickoff. Back to the run game for TU. Faced with a third and three at the 33, a pass to the 43 gets the 1st. Zuberi Mobley is carrying the load this drive. Long pass downfield goes incomplete, and another tush push gets TU a first down at the UTSA 46. An almost interception on a bullet by Retzlaff, then a short run sets up the third 3rd down of the drive at the UTSA 42. This time, the Wave come up short. 4th and three at the 39 of the Road Runners, the Wave go for it, but Retzlaff is off target for the second time in three passes in this drive.
UTSA takes over on downs at their own 39 with :53 left to go in the 1st quarter. A short pass, then short run, sets up a 3rd and 1 at their own 48 as the 1st quarter comes to an end.
Tulane offense and defense looks out of sync in the first half. Offense is missing blocks and has fumbled twice, losing one. Coming into the game, TU had fumbled six times in seven games. The Green Wave offense is struggling through the air with 29-yards. Defense is giving up big plays in the pass, but holding UTSA run game down, giving up only 18-yards on the ground to the Road Runners.
UTSA 10 - Tulane 6 End of the 1st Quarter
UTSA gets the 1st on their own version of the tush push to open the 2nd quarter. UTSA back to the huddle. Then, Robert Henry finds the edge for a 23-yard run to the Tulane 27. A screen play gets five, A coverage error gives the Road Runners a first down pass to the TU 10. 1st and goal, Henry gets four, then A FADE PASS INTO THE END ZONE FROM SIX YARDS OUT FROM MCCOWN TO DEVIN MCCUIN. Texas-San Antonio QB McCown is 11-for-11 passing, 120-yards and two touchdowns. Starting with 11-straight completions is a career best for McCown. The Road Runners have scored on all three drives of the 1st half.
UTSA 17 - Tulane 6 12:10 to go in the 1st quarter.
A short return on the kickoff gets TU to their own 23, where they start. A nice rollout pass gets TU to the UTSA 47. Short passes and runs get the Wave to the UTSA 31, but a holding call backs up the Wave up. Good pass by Retzlaff picks up 12, but down to 3rd and six at the UTSA 27. Nine yard pass picks up the first to the 19. A tight end completion picks up six. Lots of pressure on Retzlaff. Then, another pass interference call against UTSA, get the ball to the Road Runner 4. Another flag for pass interference in the end zone, so it's TU 1st and goal at the 2. Tulane is called for a false start, bringing up a 1st and goal from the 7. A pass to the end zone goes incomplete. Retzlaff is having a hard time hearing the plays on his helmet. Those thunder sticks are LOUD! Javin Gordon with a two-yard run up the middle, setting up a 3rd and goal at the 4. A bobbled pass dropped at the 2 (should have been caught). Patrick Durkin misses his first field goal of the year from 23-yards out.
UTSA takes over at their own 20 with 8:09 to go in the 2nd quarter. Another pass completion gets 13, then another for six more. Three running plays, then a questionable Tulane targeting penalty is called. After review, it was overturned, forcing UTSA to punt at their own 41. It's the first punt of the game for either team. Tulane calls a time out (probably to make sure they're ready for any fakes). The punt rolls into the end zone.
Tulane takes over at their own 20 with 6:07 to go in the 2nd quarter. A deep post down field draws another pass interference call against UTSA. 15-yards later, TU at the 35. But Retzlaff throws off his back foot and underthrows his receiver and is intercepted.
UTSA gets it at their own 33. The TU D gives up a 28-yard pass to the Tulane 39. That's 14 straight completions to start the game for UTSA QB McGown, setting a school record. Tight end screen up the middle picks up 17 to the Tulane 21. THEN AN END AROUND PASS FROM WIDE RECEIVER DAVID AMADOR TO DEVIN MCCUIN FROM 21-YARDS OUT FOR A TOUCHDOWN.
UTSA 24 - Tulane 6 3:37 to go in the 2nd quarter.
After the touchback, Tulane takes it from their 25. A short run, then another off-target throw from Retzlaff sets up a 3rd and 6. A blitz by UTSA gets a bad throw that comes up short. Tulane commits a false start, and is set with a 4th and 11. Alec Clark booms one to the UTSA 19. A short return to the Road Runner 29 sets them up with a 1st and 10 and 2:56 to go in the 2nd quarter.
Short run, then a pass gets a first down for UTSA at their 41 as the two-minute timeout is called.
UTSA 24 - Tulane 6 2:00 to go in the 2nd quarter
Texas-San Antonio runs, then QB McGown throws his 1st incompletion of the night. Third and 10 with 1:28 to go in the 2nd and they pick it up on a draw play up the middle. Another delayed hand off, picks up 34-yards to the Tulane 14. A SCREEN PASS PICKS UP a 14-YARD TD FROM OWEN MCGOWN TO DAVID AMADOR.
UTSA 31 - Tulane 6 :51 to go in the 2nd quarter
Good runback gives Tulane at its 32. Deep out complete to the Tulane 48. Next toss tipped away on the outside about 15-yards downfield. Next pass thrown away as Retzlaff is rushed out of the pocket. :21 to go in the 2nd quarter. TU still with 2 timeouts. UTSA calls their first time out of the half. Under pressure again, Retzlaff is flushed, but completes a deep pass to Jimmy Calloway to the UTSA 9. TU calls their 2nd timeout. :14 seconds to go in the half. UTSA calls their 2nd timeout. 1st pass goes incomplete to the 3. :11 to go, 2nd and goal. JAKE RETZLAFF FINDS ZYCARL LEWIS FOR A 9-YARD TOUCHDOWN. Tulane goes for two again and comes up short on a pass into the end zone.
UTSA 31 - Tulane 12 :07 to go in the 2nd quarter
After the touchback, UTSA takes a knee to end the first half.
UTSA 31 - Tulane 12 Halftime
Except for two drives, Tulane offense looks out of sync, while the defense is giving up big play after big play.
Statistic | Tulane | UTSA |
|---|---|---|
Total Yards | 263 | 320 |
Pass Yards | 164 | 220 |
Rush Yards | 99 | 100 |
Penalties | 4-26 | 5-51 |
1st Downs | 15 | 16 |
3rd Down Efficiency | 4-7 | 2-4 |
4th Down Efficiency | 0-1 | 0-0 |
Total Plays | 41 | 34 |
Yards Per Play | 6.4 | 9.4 |
Time of Possession | 14:32 | 15:28 |
Fumbles-Lost | 2-1 | 0-0 |
Sacks by | 0 | 0 |
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.