Arlington, TX–The first half of the Cotton Bowl was very exciting. The USC Trojans came in highly motivated to prove that their team were all everyone anticipated. Beginning the game on their own 25-yard line, they marched down the field on 17 plays and 75 yards capped off with a TD catch from Michael Jackson III. Tulane was held to a 49-yard punt. The Trojans would use up the remaining five minutes to close out the quarter.
The second quarter would show a lot more scoring power on both teams. The Trojans would start the second quarter on their own 5-yard line. It took them 12 plays to go 95 yards and end on a scoring pass from Caleb to Williams. Tulane would get the ball back and drive it 75-yards and a touchdown from #22 Tyjae Spears on a 3-yard run.
Tulane’s defense would come up with a big interception by Jarius Monroe on their 10-yard line getting the ball back and took them 2-plays and 92-yards to score by wide-receiver Jha’Quan Jackson. USC would get the ball two more times in the second quarter and score both times upping the score 28-14 going into the break.
The second half was almost a mirror of the first, both offensive teams had a point to prove. The Green Waves started off on their own 24-yard line and it only took them three minutes to score with a 7-yard run by Spears. Their defense stepped up and forced the Trojans to punt. USC returned the favor with good defense and forced Tulane to punt. USC got the ball and took 2:30 off the clock with a 3-yard run from Brenden Rice.
The Green Wave would score on the ensuing kickoff causing USC to fumble the ball out of bounds on their own 1-yard line. Within a touchdown and field goal to win, Tulane’s defense forced a safety. The ramped up the Tulane crowd in attendance and helped set the team on the road to a win.
They would get the ball back with 1:14 seconds on the clock and QB Michael Pratt hit TE Tyrick James for a touchdown with six seconds on the clock making the extra point to give Tulane the Cotton Bowl victory with a score of 46-45.
