The Tulane Green Wave have done it. Taking on a favored USC Trojans team in the Cotton Bowl on Monday, Willie Fritz’s squad was facing an uphill climb.
The 10th-ranked Trojans found themselves up 45-30 after kicking a field goal with less than five minutes remaining in the final stanza. That’s when Tulane did its thing in pulling off the best comeback of the college football season.
Running back Tyjae Spears scored from four yards out on Tulane’s next possession to pull the Green Wave to within eight points. Tulane’s defense then forced a safety to make the game even closer with just over three minutes remaining.
If that wasn’t enough, Tulane’s comeback was completed after quarterback Michael Pratt hit Alex Bauman on a six-yard touchdown with nine seconds left to give the Green Wave a 46-45 win, shocking the college football world in the process.
TULANE HAS TIED THE GAME pic.twitter.com/sqc01Legiw
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthewCFB) January 2, 2023
There’s a lot of different storylines stemming from this epic comeback by Tulane. It was just last season that this program posted a 2-10 record under Fritz. By virtue of this comeback win in the Cotton Bowl, Tulane finishes with a 12-2 record. It represents the greatest one-year turnaround in FBS history.
As for USC, its defense struggled once again after Lincoln Riley’s squad was stunned by Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Said loss forced the Trojans to take part in Monday’s Cotton Bowl rather than being one of four programs in the College Football Playoff.
All of this came within the confines of a game in which Heisman winner Caleb Williams accounted for 460 passing yards and five touchdowns in another brilliant all-around performance from the Oklahoma transfer.
A lot will be made about USC blowing this game during the offseason. Simply put, Riley needs to get more talent on defense. As for Tulane, this represented the program’s best win since back in 1998 when it finished a perfect 12-0 under Tommy Bowden to finish seventh in the Associated Press standings. That team included future NFL quarterbacks Shaun King and Patrick Ramsey.
Lincoln Riley: “Can we stop Tulane?”
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) January 2, 2023
USC defense: pic.twitter.com/PdTavR1ug2
WE JUST SHOCKED THE DAMN WORLD!
— Barstool NOLA (@BarstoolNOLA) January 2, 2023
TULANE: FOOTBALL SCHOOL!!!!
ROLL DAMN WAVE! pic.twitter.com/4GvcXZ9BgP
TULANE STUNS USC TO WIN THE COTTON BOWL pic.twitter.com/MJmbZD2lcH
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) January 2, 2023
Woww… CONGRATS TO TULANE
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 2, 2023
If you’re a #USC fan, this is the only guy you want from the Transfer Portal @On3USC pic.twitter.com/mtpHm4FXFD
— Scott Schrader (@Scott_Schrader) January 2, 2023
Tulane completing 7 passes and beating the Heisman winner and USC, right into the Rose Bowl, right into Bills-Bengals. Hello.
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) January 2, 2023
USC just lost the Cotton Bowl to a school that had the gumption to leave the SEC #ItJustMeansMore
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) January 2, 2023
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!