GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Michael Pratt threw a short touchdown pass to Lawrence Keys III while No. 21 Tulane’s defense turned in a smothering effort to help the Green Wave beat East Carolina 13-10 on Saturday.
Tulane (8-1, 5-0 American Athletic Conference, No. 24 College Football Playoff) got off to a slow start to trail 10-0 after the first quarter. But the defense didn’t give up much of anything from there against an ECU offense that has been nothing short of anemic all season.
The Pirates (1-8, 0-5) scored on their first two drives, tallying 143 yards and seven first downs through the opening 15 minutes. But Tulane’s defense allowed just 47 yards and four first downs the rest of the night, a welcome step up for a unit that given up 20-point leads in the past two wins.
By the end of the game, East Carolina had 190 total yards.
Tulane’s offense did just enough in this one, reaching the end zone only one time while controlling the clock and generating few explosive plays.
Pratt threw for 213 yards and had his lone score with 4:08 left before halftime, finding Keys running free to the left side for a short throw. Keys made the third-and-goal grab then stumbled into the end zone for a 9-yard score that cut ECU’s lead to 10-7.
Valentino Ambrosio kicked two field goals for Tulane, the first from 21 yards to end the first half and tie the game. He later shook off a wide-left miss on a 31-yarder in the third quarter by making a 26-yarder in the opening minute of the fourth to push the Green Wave to a 13-10 lead.
East Carolina got a 27-yard field goal from Andrew Conrad followed by a 1-yard TD run from Gerald Green on its first two drives. But little else went right, with the Pirates’ last real chance ending when Alex Flinn couldn’t connect with Chase Sowell over the middle on a fourth-and-6 from just across midfield with 7:17 left.
The Green Wave didn’t give the ball back again, grinding a drive that worked on the clock and pushed all the way near the goal line. The clincher was a Pratt’s 1-yard sneak on a fourth-and-1 from the ECU 5, allowing the Green Wave to go to kneeldown mode.
THE TAKEAWAY
Tulane: The Green Wave entered Saturday as one of three 4-0 teams in AAC play, joined by Atlantic Coast Conference-bound SMU and UTSA. They stayed in prime position in the league chase, sustaining drives to finish with a nearly 10-minute edge in possession time.
ECU: Things have been rough for the Pirates, whose only glimmer of success in Mike Houston’s sixth season had been an easy win against Gardner-Webb of the Championship Subdivision. They came in averaging just 15 points against Bowl Subdivision opponents and as one of just eight teams nationally averaging fewer than 300 yards of offense, then sputtered after their fast start.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Tulane likely won’t move much in Sunday’s AP Top 25 since this ended up being a grind-it-out finish against a one-win team.
UP NEXT
Tulane: Tulsa visits the Green Wave next Saturday.
ECU: The Pirates visit Florida Atlantic next Saturday.
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