ARLINGTON, Texas — The Tulane Green Wave scored 16 points in the final four minutes of regulation to defeat the Southern California Trojans 46-45 in the Cotton Bowl on Monday.
The Green Wave (12-2) played had not played in a major bowl game since the 1940 Sugar Bowl, when they were still in the Southeastern Conference and the programs biggest bowl victory since the 1935 Sugar Bowl.
Things seemed bleak for the Green Wave when Denis Lynch converted a 43-yard field goal to give the Trojans a 45-30 with 4:30 remaining in the game.
But chaos ensued from that point.
On the first play of their next possession, Michael Pratt hit Duece Watts for a 59 yard gain to the Trojan 4, then Tyjae Spears negotiated the final four yards for the score and cut the lead 45-37 with 4:07 remaining.
Spears ran for 205 yards on 17 carries, giving him eight consecutive 100-yard games, and ran for a career-best four scores.
Things would get worse for the Trojans, as Mario Williams attempted signaled for a fair catch on the kickoff, only to fumble the ball and watch it roll out of bounds at the USC 1. On the very next play, Austin Jones was tackled in the end zone for a safety, giving the Tulane the ball back off a free kick and trailing by just six.
Pratt would convert a fourth-and-six with his feet with an eight-yard run and then later hit Alex Bauman for a 24-yard yard gain on fourth-and-10 to keep the Green Wave drive alive.
Watts would catch a 24-yard strike from Pratt to get the ball to the USC 6. Then on second-and-goal, Pratt would hit Bauman on a six-yard slant for the score.
After a lengthy review, the true freshman tightend's catch was upheld and Valentino Ambrosio kicked the go-ahead extra point to give the Green Wave a 46-45 lead.
The Trojans would get one final desperation play off, but after several laterals the ball was recovered by Tulane to secure the frantic comeback win.
Pratt completed only 8 of 17 passes for 234 yards, but made the plays when Tulane needed them.
Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams was 37-for-52 passing for 462 yards and set a Cotton Bowl record with five touchdowns.
Williams returned to the lineup exactly one month after suffering a hamstring injury in the Pac-12 championship game, where the Trojans (11-3) fell to Utah and were prevented from making the four-team College Football Playoff.
The Green Wave scored 16 points in the final 4:07, the game-winning touchdown coming after they got the ball back following a safety, to complete an FBS-record 10-win turnaround after going 2-10 last season.
Tulane 0 14 16 16 = 46
USC 7 21 7 10 = 45
First Quarter USC—Michael Jackson III 9 pass from Caleb Williams (Denis Lynch kick), 5:58. Second Quarter USC—Terrell Bynum 3 pass from Caleb Williams (Denis Lynch kick), 12:33. TUL—Tyjae Spears 3 run (Valentino Ambrosio kick), 9:30. TUL—Jha'Quan Jackson 87 pass from Michael Pratt (Valentino Ambrosio kick), 5:42. USC—Raleek Brown 39 run (Denis Lynch kick), 2:21. USC—Brenden Rice 4 pass from Caleb Williams (Denis Lynch kick), 0:12. Third Quarter TUL—Tyjae Spears 7 run (Valentino Ambrosio kick), 11:55. TUL—Valentino Ambrosio 42 field goal, 4:02. USC—Brenden Rice 19 pass from Caleb Williams (Denis Lynch kick), 1:24. TUL—Tyjae Spears 3 run (pass failed), 0:40.
Fourth Quarter USC—Kyron Hudson 4 pass from Caleb Williams (Denis Lynch kick), 12:09. USC—Denis Lynch 43 field goal, 4:30. TUL—Tyjae Spears 4 run (Valentino Ambrosio kick), 4:07. TUL—Safety (Austin Jones tackled in end zone), 3:20. TUL—Alex Bauman 6 pass from Michael Pratt (Valentino Ambrosio kick), 0:09.
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