SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 5, 2013
Tulane 24, North Texas 21: Cairo Santos booted a 27-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Green Wave past the visiting Mean Green.
Nick Montana was 18-for-28 for 132 yards and a touchdown and Tulane (4-2, 2-0 Conference USA) shined on defense and special teams to stay perfect in conference play. The Green Wave racked up just 227 total yards but drove 66 yards in 11 plays to set up Santos’ game-winner.
Derek Thompson went 29-for-42 for 326 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions as North Texas (2-3, 0-1) dropped its second straight game.
Tulane used defense and special teams to take the lead in the third quarter. Derrick Strozier returned a blocked field goal 62 yards to give Tulane a 14-7 edge and Lorenzo Doss picked off Thompson’s pass less than two minutes later and returned it 59 yards for another score.
Thompson began hitting his own receivers in the fourth quarter, completing a 1-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Byrd with 14:16 to play and connecting with Darnell Smith on a 62-yard score to draw the Mean Green even with 3:45 left. The Green Wave converted four first downs to set up Santos’ kick.