Tyjae Spears rushes for 264 yards but Memphis holds off Tulane, 33-28

MEMPHIS – Redshirt freshman Tyjae Spears posted a performance for the ages Saturday night, but it was not enough, as the Tulane University football team suffered a 33-28 loss to the University of Memphis inside the Liberty Bowl.

Spears did everything in his power to ensure that the Tigers would come up just one win short of qualifying for a bowl.

Spears finished the night with a career-high 264 yards on just 30 carries (8.8 yards per carry). He also scored two touchdowns. The Louisiana native’s 264-yard effort was the fourth highest rushing output in school history.

In addition, Spears became just the fifth running back in program history to surpass 250 yards rushing or more in a single game.

In his final seven games of the season, Spears rushed for 813 yards and eight touchdowns.

As a team, Tulane outgained the Tigers by a 452-392 count. In the end, Tulane was unable to overcome its four turnovers.

Quarterback Michael Pratt finished the night by going 15-of-34 through the air for 147 yards. He also accounted for a pair of scores. Defensively for Tulane, Nick Anderson, Dorian Williams, Macon Clark and Larry Brooks all tallied six tackles. Jaylon Monroe also chipped in defensively with a game-high four pass breakups.

With the loss, the Green Wave dropped to 2-10 on the year, while Memphis finished the regular season with a 6-6 record.

Tulane went toe-to-toe with the Tigers all night, as neither team led by more than seven points until the fourth quarter. The Green Wave opened up the early, as Pratt rushed in from 14 yards out with 8:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers evened the score at seven apiece on the ensuing drive, but the Green Wave answered with another score in the second quarter to make the count 14-7 with 12:34 remaining until halftime.

Memphis would then reel off 13 straight points over the next quarter to open up a 20-14.

The Green Wave would not go away, they went into to the fourth quarter with a 21-20 lead thanks to Spears’ second touchdown of the game.

Memphis scored just three seconds into the fourth quarter to take a 26-21 lead and less than a minute later, Memphis opened up a 33-21 advantage thanks to quarterback Seth Henigan’s third touchdown pass of the game.

Tulane continued to fight, as Pratt found Duece Watts in the endzone for a 21-yard touchdown pass to make score 33-28 with 1:57 remaining.

On the kickoff following the score, the Green Wave were unable to convert on their fifth onside kick recovery of the season and Memphis ran out the clock to secure the win.

TULANE 28, MEMPHIS 33 – POSTGAME NOTES (27,416)

TEAM NOTES

· The Green Wave’s matchup with Memphis served as Tulane’s final game of the 2021 campaign.

· Tulane’s matchup with Memphis marked the final game for Tulane players Noah Seidan, Cameron Jackel, Matt Smith, JoJo Dorceus, Merek Glover, Jeffery Johnson, Corey Dublin, Ryan Wright, Connor Prouet, Marvin Moody, Darrian Rakestraw, Ajani Kerr, Kevin Henry, Jaetavian Toles, Cyron Sutton and Jaylon Monroe.

· Tulane posted a season-high 305 yards rushing. The Green Wave have surpassed 200 yards rushing in 17 games dating back to the start of the 2019 season.

· Tulane has rushed for 100 yards or more as a team in 74 of its last 77 games. Tulane had its 56-game streak of rushing for at least 100 yards as a team snapped at Houston back on Oct. 8, 2020.

· The Green Wave suffered four turnovers, which tied a season-high.

· Tulane outgained Memphis by 452-392 count. The Green Wave also held the Tigers to just 56 yards rushing – their second lowest total on the year.

· Sincere Hayesworth, Kevin Henry, Jeffery Johnson and Michael Pratt served as the team captains.

· With the loss, head coach Willie Fritz fell to 224-117-1 all-time.

· Twenty of Tulane’s losses since 2016 have come by one score or less, including five matchups this season.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

· Offensive starters for the Green Wave were QB Michael Pratt, RB Tyjae Spears, WR Duece Watts, WR Jaetavian Toles, TE Will Wallace, TE Tyrick James, OL Caleb Thomas, OL Sincere Haynesworth, OL Corey Dublin, OL Rashad Green, OL Joey Claybrook.

· Dublin made his team-best 61st career start for the Green Wave.

· Spears finished the night with a career-high 264 yards on just 30 carries (8.8 yards per carry). He also scored two touchdowns. The Louisiana native’s 264-yard effort was the fourth highest rushing output in school history.

· Matt Forte’ is the only other Tulane running back to rush for more yards in a single game than Spears (Forte’ owns the program’s top three rushing marks).

· The last time an opposing running back rushed for over 250 yards against Memphis was back in 2007 when former ECU great Chris Johnson totaled 301 yards against the Tigers.

· In his final seven games of the season, Spears rushed for 813 yards and eight touchdowns. He also surpassed 100 yards rushing for the sixth time in his career and the fourth time this season.

· Pratt threw a touchdown pass for the 20th time in his 21-game career. He now has 41 career touchdown passes which ranks seventh in program history.

· Pratt completed passes to eight different receivers. He finished the game with 147 yards passing.

· Pratt accounted for a pair of touchdowns, rushing for one and throwing for another. He has now rushed and passed for a touchdown in 10 career games.

· Junior wide receiver Shae Wyatt totaled team-highs in receptions (5) and receiving yards (47).

DEFENSIVE NOTES

· Defensive starters for the Green Wave were LB Nick Anderson, LB Dorian Williams, DB Jaylon Monroe, DB Jadon Canady, DB Larry Brooks, DB Macon Clark, DB Ajani Kerr, DL Darius Hodges, DL JoJo Dorceus, DL Jeffery Johnson, DL Adonis Friloux.

· Johnson made his 44th career start. His 44 career starts are the most of anyone on defense.

· Anderson, Williams, Clark and Brooks all tallied six tackles.

· Monroe led the team with four pass breakups.

· The Green Wave held Memphis’ leading wide receiver Calvin Austin III to just 20 yards. Austin III entered the game as the American Athletic Conference’s leading wide out.

· The Green Wave totaled three sacks on the night and finished with 34 sacks on the year.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

· Punter Ryan Wright averaged 35.5 yards per punt, kicking two times for 71 yards. Wright’s longest punt of the night traveled 44 yards.

· Earlier this season, Wright was selected as a Ray Guy award semifinalist.

· Merek Glover connected on four extra points and finished his collegiate career with a program-record 346 points.

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