Tulane overpowers USF in 45-10 victory

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – The Tulane football team (3-2, 1-0 AAC) delivered a commanding performance as they triumphed over visiting USF (2-3, 0-1 AAC) with a score of 45-10 in the conference opener held on Saturday afternoon at Yulman Stadium.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah completed 18 out of 22 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Dontae Fleming was the team's top performer with seven receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown. Junior wide receiver Mario Williams caught four passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior wide receiver Yulkeith Brown made three catches for 55 yards. Junior tight end Alex Bauman caught two passes for 34 yards. Redshirt freshman Makhi Hughes rushed for a game-high 61 yards. Junior quarterback Ty Thompson ran seven times for 39 yards and completed his only pass for four yards. Sophomore running back Arnold Barnes III carried the ball seven times for 36 yards. Senior running back Shaadie Clayton-Johnson had five carries for 31 yards.

Tulane's defense was led by senior linebacker Tyler Grubbs, who made six tackles and also secured a sack. Junior defensive back Caleb Ransaw contributed with four tackles, while Gerrod Henderson achieved his first two career sacks and forced a fumble.

The Tulane offense was highly productive, accumulating 528 yards and 30 first downs in the game. The team gained 198 rushing yards and 330 passing yards. The defense was also impressive, forcing three turnovers and achieving a total of six sacks and seven tackles for loss.

Following a quick three-and-out by Tulane's defense at the start of the game, the Green Wave efficiently moved down the field and scored the opening touchdown. Hughes rushed from the five-yard line, giving the home team a 7-0 lead with 10:37 remaining in the first quarter.

After another defensive stop, the Green Wave once again swiftly advanced down the field with a seven-play, 88-yard drive that concluded with a 15-yard touchdown reception from Mensah to Fleming. This extended Tulane's lead to 14-0 with 4:39 left in the first quarter.

Tulane kept up their momentum on the subsequent drive, as Ethan Head nailed a 35-yard field goal after a 14-play, 68-yard drive, increasing Tulane's advantage to 17-0 with 8:50 remaining in the second quarter.

Tulane's offense maintained their aggressive approach, as Williams scored a 53-yard touchdown pass from Mensah to cap off a four-play, 74-yard drive, giving the Green Wave a 24-0 lead with 4:19 remaining in the first half.

Following Henderson's forced sack fumble, recovered by Parker Petersen, the Tulane defense swiftly regained possession for the offense. This turnover led to a short field and a quick drive, ending with Mensah connecting with Williams for a 27-yard touchdown, extending the Green Wave's advantage to 31-0 with 1:54 left in the half.

USF scored their sole touchdown of the game on a 10-yard rush by Byrum Brown, making the score 31-7 at halftime.

After a field goal by the Bulls narrowed the gap to three scores, Tulane responded with Hughes rushing for a nine-yard touchdown to cap off a 12-play, 75-yard drive, pushing the lead to 38-10 with 14:54 remaining.

The Green Wave offense maintained their intensity, with Cornist scoring on a two-yard rush with 12:28 left in the game, bringing the final score to 45-10. A key play on this drive was a 46-yard reception by Fleming.

Next on the schedule is an away conference match for the football team against UAB at Protective Stadium on October 5th at noon.