After a victorious Battle for the Bell, the Green Wave looked to continue its hot streak against Nicholls State University on Saturday. The teams matched up once before in 2018, with the Green Wave winning 42-17. 

Quarterback Michael Pratt returned after two games missed due to injury. Tulane started with the ball at their own 27, and Pratt looked to get back in his groove. But he first threw two incomplete passes intended for Chris Brazzell II and forced the Green Wave offense to punt. 

The Green Wave defense picked up right where they left off, only allowing 17 yards and forcing a punt of their own. Nicholls State’s botched snap resulted in a net loss of 10 yards, and Shi’Keem Laister scooped up the ball and scored, giving the Green Wave a 7-point lead. 

The Green Wave defense looked just as strong, forcing a Nicholls State three-and-out. Jha’Quan Jackson continued to show his agility and speed, weaving through bodies for a 35-yard return and giving Tulane field position at the 50. Head coach Willie Fritz kept his calls conservative and Pratt only threw two passes on the drive. 

The Nicholls State defense caught on, stalling Pratt and the offense and forcing a Valentino Ambrosio 32-yard field goal to extend the lead to two scores. The Nicholls State offense continued off of their defensive momentum and were able to move 30 yards down the field on their first play. A penalty added insult to injury, moving Nicholls State forward an additional 15 yards. 

Luckily, the “bend but don’t break” Tulane defense sacked the Nicholls State quarterback, almost negating the previous penalty. The defense continued their dominance, forcing an interception on the next play. The return from Jarius Monroe gave the Green Wave the ball at the Nicholls State 40. After only throwing two passes the previous drive, Pratt found Lawrence Keys III wide open down the right sideline for a 40-yard touchdown pass. 

Ambrosio’s extra point extended the Green Wave lead to 17. It looked like the Nicholls State offense finally began to roll after converting on a fourth and 1 from midfield. However, Lance Robinson intercepted and stopped the drive dead in its tracks — his return gave the Green Wave offense the ball at the Nicholls State 15-yard line. Pratt was able to connect with Keys III for a score again and Ambrosio nailed the extra point.

The Nicholls State offense picked up where they left off, with a 32-yard gain on the second play of their drive. Much like the last few times they were on the field, the Tulane defense forced a fourth down, but an offside penalty moved the Colonels’ offense forward, allowing them to convert. The Colonels’ offense capitalized on the conversion and scored a touchdown, with the extra point cutting the Tulane lead down to 17. After stalling at the Nicholls State 27, Ambrosio drilled a 45-yard field goal to give Tulane a 20-point lead before halftime.

Nicholls State opened the second half with the ball at their own 25-yard line. After a first down conversion, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Nicholls State head coach pushed the Colonels back to the 27-yard line, where they were held to a 3-yard gain and were forced to punt. 

After starting with the ball on their own 33-yard line, Pratt led the team down the field but was intercepted, killing the drive inside the Nicholls State 10-yard line. Fortunately for Pratt, linebacker Jesus Machado intercepted Nicholls State quarterback right back, giving Tulane the ball at the 10. Pratt was able to cap off the three play, 10-yard drive with a touchdown on a designed sneak. 

Fritz decided to go for 2, but Pratt faced pressure and had to throw the ball away, keeping the score at 33-7. The Colonels advanced the ball to the Tulane 47 because of two 15-yard penalties.

Nicholls State got the ball to the Tulane 9, but the Green Wave defense forced a fourth and goal from the 4. Devean Deal and Patrick Jenkins combined to sack the Nicholls State quarterback, and the Green Wave got the ball back. 

Fritz decided that Pratt’s day was done and sent in backup quarterback Kai Horton. Horton led the Green Wave down to the Nicholls State 18 but he threw an interception, killing another Tulane drive. The Colonels moved the ball across midfield but the Green Wave defense shut down their advances. The Green Wave forced a fourth and 1, and the Colonels decided to go for it. A false-start penalty moved the Colonel offense back, which made coach Tim Rebowe change his mind and punt. 

After only rushing for 70 yards until that point, Arnold Barnes III nearly doubled that with a 65-yard rush, giving Tulane another red-zone possession. The Nicholls State defense stood strong  and forced an Ambrosio 31-yard field goal. The Ambrosio kick extended the Green wave lead to 29 points. After a defensive stand by the Green Wave, Fritz gave Justin Ibieta some reps, but the Green Wave were unable to make anything happen and punted the ball back to Nicholls State. 

After driving down the field, the Tulane defense came up with the fourth interception on a deflected pass. On a garbage time rush, Charles Schibler fumbled the ball and Nicholls State recovered, but time expired. 

Pratt ended the day 18 for 23 with 190 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also added 33 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. On his first touchdown, Pratt officially broke the Tulane record for most career touchdowns. 

When asked how he felt, Pratt said “pretty cool.”

Pratt showed a bit of rust, with one interception as well as two more opportunities that the Colonels defense dropped.

Horton and Ibieta saw the field as well, with Horton completing four of his six passes for 68 yards, as well as an interception, and Ibieta was zero for one. Barnes III led the rushing attack for the Green Wave, rushing for 71 yards on just four carries. Makhi Hughes got the most touches with five, but ran for only 29 yards. Keys III  was the main wideout, catching four passes for 77 yards and both of Pratt’s touchdown passes. Yulkieth Brown and Brazzell II got four catches each, for 55 and 42 yards, respectively.  

The Tulane defense was the main star of the show. They allowed 335 total yards, and their rush defense continues to stand out with only 62 of those yards coming on the ground. The Green Wave run defense is ranked No. 5 nationally for yards per game with 62.8 and No. 3  nationally in yards per attempt, at 2.02. The pass defense was exceptional as well, with Robinson, Monroe, Machado and Gabe Liu all adding interceptions. Along with his interception, Machado was the leading tackler, with 10 total on the day. This was Robinson’s third interception in four games, which keeps him tied for most in the Football Bowl Subdivision.  Jared Small, Deal and Keith Cooper Jr. added sacks as well. 

Tulane starts conference play next week when they face University of Alabama at Birmingham on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 11 a.m.