After squeaking out a tight win against Rice University last week, the Tulane Green Wave hoped to regain its footing and dominate against a 1-7 East Carolina University team, who have not yet found a stable starting quarterback. Coming into Saturday’s game, the Green Wave had won five of the last seven against ECU, dating back to the triple overtime thriller at the superdome in October 2013. 

After the ECU offense drove 71 yards to the Tulane 10, the Pirates offense stalled and were forced to settle for a 27-yard field goal, giving ECU the 3-0 lead. The Green Wave offense looked promising, converting on their first third down of the drive. 

The ECU defense stood strong and forced a punt on the next Tulane set of downs. The ECU offense picked up right where they left off, going on a six play, 78-yard touchdown drive, featuring two big passes from ECU quarterback Alex Flinn. 

Tulane was poised to get points on the board after starting at the ECU 46-yard line, but incompletions on third and fourth down gave ECU the ball. After allowing two scoring drives, the Green Wave defense bounced back to form, forcing ECU to punt from the Green Wave 44. 

Tulane got the ball back at their own 8-yard line, but the offense finally got going. Highlighted by plays of 20-plus yards from Alex Bauman and Makhi Hughes, Pratt eventually found Lawrence Keys III for a 9-yard score. 

Looking to build on their last two drives, the ECU offense had the ball at their own 25. A Jared Small sack cost ECU 6 yards, and a third-down incompletion gave Pratt and the offense a chance to lead for the first time in the game. 

On the second play of the drive, Pratt found Jha’Quan Jackson on the sideline for a 41-yard catch. A Shaadie Clayton-Johnson 11-yard run gave Tulane the ball at the 8-yard line. The offense had six downs inside the 10 due to a personal foul penalty but had to settle for a field goal to tie the game at 10 apiece going into the half.

Tulane got the ball to start the second half and drove to the ECU 13 thanks to three straight first downs. Pratt found Lawrence Keys III in the back of the end zone on third down, but Keys stepped out of bounds, negating the catch. Coach Willie Fritz sent Valentino Ambrosio out to kick a field goal, but called a timeout right before the snap. Ambrosio hit that field goal, but it did not count. On the re-kick, Ambrosio missed the 31-yard field goal, leaving the game tied at 10. 

After allowing a 14-yard pass on third down, the Tulane defense stood strong and forced a punt. Starting at their own 22, Pratt found Keys III 50 yards downfield, giving Pratt the ball at the ECU 28. Jackson caught a screen pass for 7 yards, which gave them the ball in the red zone for the fourth straight drive. 

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty sent Tulane outside of the red zone, but a defensive pass interference gave the Tulane offense that ball at the 21-yard line. A Bauman 13-yard catch on third and 10 brought the Green Wave back into the red zone, but the ECU defense stood tall. Ambrosio hit a 26-yard field goal, which gave Tulane the lead for the first time all day. 

After gaining the lead, the defense gave the offense the ball right back after forcing their second three-and-out of the day. Continuing their lackluster play, the offense was unable to mobilize, and the ECU defense forced a three-and-out of their own. 

The Pirates’ offense got rolling, moving the ball into Tulane territory, but the Green Wave defense remained strong. Facing a third down, the defense stood tall, forcing two incompletions and a turnover on downs. The Green Wave offense got the ball back with 7:17 left in the fourth quarter and milked the clock down to 1:31. Facing a fourth and one at the ECU 5-yard line, a Pratt sneak gave Tulane the conversion and the win. 

Pratt finished the day 16/25 for 213 yards and one touchdown, as well as 33 yards on the ground. Hughes rushed for 105 yards on 25 attempts, marking the fifth straight game he has surpassed 100 yards on the ground. Keys led the way in receiving yards with 77, and tied Bauman and Chris Brazzell II for the lead in receptions with three. Keys also caught the only passing touchdown in the game. 

Although shaky early, the defense held the Pirates’ offense to only 190 yards, 143 of them coming in the first quarter. ECU quarterback Flinn only attempted 18 passes, 10 were caught, for 120 yards. The run defense continues to excel, only allowing 70 yards on 23 attempts. 

After their stellar game, the Green Wave defense is fourth in the Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing yards allowed per game, at 77.9. Jesus Machado led the way in tackles with eight, joining Tyler Grubbs and DJ Douglas as the only players with five-plus. Kameron Hamilton and Kentrell Webb got 0.5 of a tackle for loss each, while Jarius Monore added one of his own. Small added the last one, which was a sack in the third quarter. 

When asked about the decision to call the timeout before the Ambrosio field goal, Fritz did not mince words. 

“I wish I hadn’t called it,” he said. But at the end of the day, especially with the Air Force Falcons losing to the Army Black Knights, Fritz emphasized that it’s just about coming out with a win, no matter how ugly. 

The Green Wave returns home Saturday, Nov. 11, for an 11:00 a.m. start against University of Tulsa.