No. 16 Tulane charged back to beat No. 10 USC in an all-time bowl game performance, overcoming multiple double-digit deficits and scoring in the dying seconds for the thrilling 46-45 Cotton Bowl win.
Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt, who was up against newly crowned Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, stayed on to make several key plays in the closing minutes of a sequence that saw the Green Wave score the game’s final 16 points in the final four-and-a-half minute settlement . Trailing 45-30, Pratt led the offense down the field in 23 seconds for a touchdown that cut the lead to eight points. After a mistake in the subsequent kick-off, the Green Wave defense stuffed USC into their own end zone for safety.
Pratt then helped direct a game-winning drive that included multiple third and fourth down conversions before delivering the touchdown shot with just eight seconds remaining.
Tulane’s ability to win stems from the resilience she showed throughout the afternoon. The Green Wave fell 14-0 early on, came back to a tie and then trailed 28-14 at halftime before bouncing back to 28-24 late in the third quarter. That effort predicted the final push, fueled in part by Tyjae Spears running back. Spears was the best player on the field at times, showing a game that rivaled Williams’ in eight straight games in which he rushed for at least 100 yards. He rushed for 205 yards and four touchdowns on 17 attempts to win.
The win cemented arguably the greatest single-season reversal in modern college football history. Tulane was 2-10 a year ago and now finishes 12-2 with an American Athletic Conference championship and a Cotton Bowl win over a top-10 USC. This was already the program’s biggest bowl appearance since 1939, and to solidify that sort of comeback on this stage cements a true textbook moment for coach Willie Fritz and the Green Wave.
The loss was an incredibly disappointing end to an otherwise great performance from the 2022 Heisman winner. Williams threw for 462 yards and five touchdowns on 37 passes of 52 (71%) and revealed all the reasons Heisman voters were drawn to his electric playmaking ability by often playing with his legs while concentrating on the field. Despite Tulane having one of the better defenses in the AAC this year, often hitting blocks to put pressure on Williams, the Green Wave struggled to bring Williams down. It was also a standout performance for wide receiver Brenden Rice, who broke out with a career day (six catches, 174 yards, two touchdowns) due to Jordan Addison being absent on offense.
It’s also a disappointing end to an otherwise successful first season with USC for Lincoln Riley. The Trojans coach led the program into their best season in years, but they end with two losses, rising from No. 4 in college football to loser in the New Year’s Six. Oh, and now Riley himself is 1-4 in bowl games throughout his career.
With Williams back in the herd, the challenge now is to replenish the roster — particularly on defense — and aim for a Pac-12 championship and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2023.