Huge Win for the Green Wave! Tulane Upsets No. 22 Memphis 38-32

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You are absolutely right! Tulane secured a massive victory on the road Friday night, defeating the No. 22 Memphis Tigers (8-2, 4-2 American Conference) 38-32 in a thrilling American Athletic Conference (AAC) matchup.

The win was significant for several reasons: it keeps Tulane in contention for the AAC Championship and severely damages Memphis’s hopes for a spot in the College Football Playoff as the top-ranked Group of Five team.

Wave Wins: First-Half Explosion and Late-Game Stop

Tulane’s victory was a story of a scorching hot start followed by a dramatic defensive stand to close the game.

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Final
Tulane	14	21	3	0	38
Memphis	7	10	0	15	32

Key Factors in the Victory:

Explosive First Half: Tulane’s offense, led by quarterback Jake Retzlaff, was dominant in the first half, putting up 35 points to take a commanding 35-17 lead into the break. Retzlaff threw for 284 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone, starting the scoring on the first play from scrimmage with a 65-yard pass to Shazz Preston.
Jake Retzlaff’s Resurgence: Retzlaff, who had been struggling recently, finished the game with 332 passing yards and accounted for four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing).
Memphis’s Comeback Attempt: The No. 22 Tigers fought back fiercely, outscoring Tulane 15-3 in the second half to pull within six points, 38-32, with nearly eight minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Final Defensive Stand: With a chance to take the lead in the final minutes, Memphis drove into Tulane territory. However, the Green Wave defense held firm, forcing a crucial turnover on downs from the Memphis 35-yard line with about two minutes remaining, allowing Tulane to run out the clock.

The loss ended Memphis’s 11-game home winning streak and was a tough blow to their season goals, while the Green Wave (7-2, 4-1 AAC) bounced back from a prior loss to get right back in the conference race.