Tulane football falls to UCF in seventh consecutive loss, eighth overall
November 10, 2021
Tulane University football traveled to Orlando, Florida to square off against the Central Florida Golden Knights on Saturday at the Bounce House. Despite entering the fourth quarter with the lead, the Green Wave was unable to hang on, losing 14-10 in their eighth loss of the season and their seventh consecutive loss.
Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt returned after missing the University of Cincinnati game due to injury. Pratt completed 17 of his 28 attempts for 147 yards. However, Pratt did not throw a touchdown for the first time in his collegiate career, ending his scoring streak at 17 consecutive games.
Tyjae Spears led the Green Wave in rushing with 77 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Spears also had five receptions for 35 yards, leading the Green Wave in receiving, while Cameron Carroll tacked on 60 additional yards on the ground.
UCF quarterback Mikey Keene finished with 229 yards and two touchdowns after completing 19 of his 25 attempts. Keene had -20 rushing yards, largely caused by being sacked three times by the Green Wave. Isaiah Bowser led UCF in rushing with 54 yards on 14 touches.
It was the Green Wave defense that kept Tulane in a position to win, limiting UCF to just 48 rushing yards and 277 total yards in the game. Dorian Williams led the Green Wave with eight total tackles while JoJo Dorceus had seven and a sack. Dorceus also had a 36-yard fumble recovery. Darius Hodges also contributed with six tackles, including three-and-a-half for a loss plus a sack.
UCF was the first team to score in the matchup, capping off a 94-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Keene to Ryan O’Keefe with 2:40 remaining in the first quarter. The score stayed at 7-0 in the Knights favor until Spears broke free for an 8-yard touchdown run to tie the game with 9:22 to go in the third quarter.
Tulane then took a 10-7 lead after Merek Glover converted a 25-yard field goal with 4:26 left in the third. However, Tulane’s lead would not stand as Keene struck Brandon Johnson for a 23-yard touchdown with 5:55 remaining. Tulane was unable to respond to the Knights final score, and UCF walked away with the 14-10 victory.
Tulane is set to face the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes at Yulman Stadium in the Green Wave’s homecoming game on Saturday, Nov. 13. The contest will kick-off at 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPNU. The Olive and Blue is seeking its first win since its victory against the Morgan State Bears all the way back on Sept. 11. Tulsa enters the matchup with a 3-6 record after losing to second-ranked Cincinnati 28-20 last week. The Golden Hurricanes are a three-point favorite over the Green Wave.
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