Jake Retzlaff threw for 332 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns as Tulane held off No. 22 Memphis 38-32 on Friday night in an American Athletic Conference thriller.
The Green Wave (7-2, 4-1 AAC) dominated early behind Retzlaff’s two early scores, building a 35-17 halftime lead at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
Tulane’s defense shut down the Tigers’ ground attack, holding them to just 67 rushing yards, which is their lowest output of the season. Memphis entered the game averaging more than 200 rushing yards per contest, ranking 22nd nationally.
The Green Wave offense cooled after halftime, managing just a field goal in the third quarter, but its defense made timely stops late.
The Tigers (8-2, 4-2 AAC) nearly mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Brendon Lewis, who was playing through an ankle injury, threw for 317 yards and two touchdowns with only five incompletions before exiting after a hard hit. Backup Arrington Maiden replaced him and led the Tigers deep into Tulane territory in the final minutes.
Facing third down with a chance to take the lead, Maiden’s pass toward Cortez Braham fell incomplete, sealing Tulane’s win.
The victory keeps the Green Wave in the thick of the AAC title race, while Memphis dropped its second conference game despite another strong passing performance.
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