NEW ORLEANS - Tulane scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to erase a six-point Southeastern halftime advantage and earn a 35-27 victory Saturday night in the Louisiana Superdome.
The Lions dropped to 1-3 overall with all three of its losses this season coming against Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Tulane (1-2) earned its first win of the season behind a career night from senior running back Matt Forte.
The Southeastern defense forced four Tulane turnovers, but had no answer for the Slidell native. Forte finished the contest with 40 carries for 303 yards and five touchdowns. The yardage and touchdown totals both established new school standards for the Green Wave, while the 303 yards set a new Conference USA standard.
Southeastern sophomore quarterback Brian Babin completed 31-of-47 for a career-high 278 yards and two touchdowns. Junior running back Jay Lucas rushed 17 times for 79 yards, while catching a team-high nine passes for 77 yards for the Lions, while junior wide receiver Merrick Lanaux finished with 114 yards receiving.
Tulane outscored Southeastern 14-0 in the third quarter to retake the lead. Forte gave Tulane the lead midway through the period. Forte's third touchdown of the game - a three-yard run - put the Green Wave back up, 21-20, with 7:25 left. Three minutes later, Forte's fourth touchdown of the contest came from four yards out to give the Green Wave a 28-20 lead with 4:48 remaining in the quarter.
The capper of the contest came midway through the fourth quarter. A Southeastern fake punt try was snuffed out by the Green Wave at the Tulane 31. Five plays later, Forte scampered in from 11 yards out to put the Green Wave up, 35-20 with 4:25 left. The Lions cut into the lead with two minutes remaining, as Babin fired a strike to Ross from 14 yards out after a Forte fumble.
Southeastern jumped out to a 20-14 halftime lead after a back and forth initial 30 minutes. After stopping Tulane on its first possession, Southeastern scored its second special teams' touchdown of the season to take an early lead. Junior defensive back Travis Williams came right up the middle to block Ross Thevenot's punt. Senior cornerback Donald Frazier picked up the loose ball and returned it 12 yards for a 7-0 Southeastern advantage with 8:29 left in the opening quarter.
Tulane answered back on the ensuing possession. Ade Tuyo's 47-yard kickoff return set the Green Wave up with the ball at midfield. Forte capped the seven-play, 50-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown run to even the score with 5:28 left in the opening period.
After the two teams traded punts, Tulane took the lead with 11:58 remaining in the second quarter. Forte fueled a five-play, 60-yard drive with a 28-yard run that set up his 21-yard scoring jaunt that gave the Green Wave a 14-7 lead.
Southeastern answered with a 10-play, 67-yard scoring march. Babin hit junior Merrick Lanaux for a 25-yard gain and Lucas added a 14-yard run on the drive. Southeastern stalled inside the Green Wave 10-yard line and had to settle for a Jeff Turner 22-yard field goal to pull within 14-10 with 8:56 left in the opening half.
The Southeastern defense then forced the game's first turnover on the ensuing Tulane drive. Southeastern sophomore defensive back Tommy Connors stripped Green Wave wideout Casey Robottom near midfield. Lion senior linebacker Michael Johnson scooped up the loose ball and returned it 21 yards to the Tulane 28. Tulane stopped Southeastern without a first down and the Lions again had to settle for a Turner field goal, as the sophomore kicker drilled a 38-yarder to pull Southeastern within one, 14-13, with 6:35 remaining in the opening half.
The Southeastern defense again made a stand on the next possession to force a punt and give the Lions the ball back. Babin hit a wide-open Lanaux for a 63-yard scoring strike to put Southeastern up, 20-14 with 3:44 left in the first half. The 63-yard pass was the longest of the season for the Lions and sent the Lions to the break with the lead.
Southeastern will take next weekend off and return to the field on Oct. 6, hosting Stephen F. Austin at 6 p.m. in the Southland Conference opener for both teams at Strawberry Stadium.
TUL - 7 7 21 0 - 35 (1-2)
SLU - 7 13 0 7 - 27 (1-3)
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
8:28 - SLU - Frazier 12 blocked punt return (Turner kick)
5:28 - SLU - Forte 20 run (Thevenot kick)
2nd Quarter
11:58 - TUL - Forte 21 run (Thevenot kick)
8:56 - SLU - Turner 22 FG
6:35 - SLU - Turner 37 FG
3:44 - SLU - Lanaux 63 pass from Babin (Turner kick)
3rd Quarter
7:25 - TUL - Forte 3 run (Thevenot kick)
4:48 - TUL - Forte 4 run (Thevenot kick)
4th Quarter
4:25 - TUL - Forte 11 run (Thevenot kick)
1:57 - SLU - Ross 14 pass from Babin (Turner kick)
SLU TUL
FIRST DOWNS................... 19 22
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............ 29-63 43-300
PASSING YDS (NET)............. 278 110
Passes Att-Comp-Int........... 48-31-0 30-12-2
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS..... 77-341 73-410
Fumble Returns-Yards.......... 1-21 0-0
Punt Returns-Yards............ 1-34 2-7
Kickoff Returns-Yards......... 6-114 4-127
Interception Returns-Yards.... 2-0 0-0
Punts (Number-Avg)............ 7-35.0 6-28.3
Fumbles-Lost.................. 4-2 2-2
Penalties-Yards............... 9-90 4-83
Possession Time............... 33:03 26:57
Third-Down Conversions........ 5 of 18 5 of 13
Fourth-Down Conversions....... 1 of 4 0 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances....... 3-3 4-5
RUSHING: TUL-Forte 40-314; Stephany 1-(-1). SLU-Lucas 17-79; Gilbert 1-17; Lanaux 1-2; Frazier 1-(-6); Babin 8-(-28).
PASSING: TUL-Elliot 9-24-83; Scelfo 3-5-27; Forte 0-1-0. SLU-Babin 31-47-278; Lucas 0-1-0.
RECEIVING: TUL-Robottom 3-27; Ratcliff 2-21; Dunn 1-15; Guidroz 2-14; McKinney 1-13; King 2-11; Forte 1-9. SLU-Lanaux 6-117-1; Lucas 9-77; Ross 7-35-1; Wardell 1-12; Garrett 3-9; Smith 1-8; Cryer 1-8; DeLong 1-7; Gilbert 2-5.
Attendance: 17611
