NEW ORLEANS — Makhi Hughes rushed for a career-high 166 yards and a touchdown, Tulane's defense produced five turnovers and a fourth-down stop on its own 10, and the No. 18 Green Wave defeated UTSA 29-16 on Friday to secure the right to host the American Athletic Conference title game for a second straight season.
Chris Brazzell caught five passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns to prop up a Green Wave passing game missing leading receivers Lawrence Keys and Jha'Quan Jackson.
Tulane (11-1, 8-0 AAC) has won 10 straight, with its only loss coming in Week 2 against No. 12 Mississippi — a game Green Wave starting quarterback Michael Pratt missed with a leg injury.
AAC newcomer UTSA (8-4, 7-1) came up one victory short of advancing to the league championship game after winning the Conference USA title the previous two seasons. SMU (9-2, 7-0) can clinch a spot in New Orleans on Dec. 2 by beating Navy on Saturday.
UTSA's offense twice reached the Tulane 10 in the second half only to come away with no points.
Defensive back Cam Pedescleaux's strip of running back Robert Henry at the Tulane 8 preserved 13-point Green Wave lead with 3:23 left in the third quarter.
A failed fourth down play ended another Roadrunners drive at the Tulane 10 with 11:01 to go.
Another failed UTSA fourth down on its own 32 with 7:26 left set up Tulane's final TD. Pratt connected with Brazzell for 22 yards and again for a 3-yard touchdown to give the Wave a 29-10 lead.
Tulane went ahead 7-0 shortly after Bailey Despain's interception of a tipped pass on Harris' first throw of the game. The turnover gave Tulane the ball on the UTSA 10 and Pratt found Brazzell for a 7-yard score on third down.
Devean Deal intercepted Harris near midfield on the Roadrunners' second series. But UTSA got the ball back one play later when Jamal Ligon hit Pratt from behind and knocked the ball loose. The Roadrunners tied it shortly after on Rocko Griffin's 23-yard run.
After an exchange of field goals, Hughes' 58-yard run — his second run of 30 or more yards — set up Valentino Ambrosio's field goal to put Tulane up 13-10.
UTSA's third turnover helped Tulane widen its lead. Tulane defensive back Lance Robinson closed from behind to punch the ball from running back Kevorian Barnes. Tulane's Eric Hicks recovered near midfield.
Pratt, who'd completed just two passes for 21 yards to that point, hit Brazzell for 47 yards down the right sideline, setting up Hughes' short TD run.
UTSA's fourth turnover — an interception on a fake punt — followed four plays later by a Roadrunners defensive pass interference penalty on a Tulane fake punt, helped the Wave drive for Ambrosio's third field goal to make it 23-10 as the half ended.
THE TAKEAWAY
UTSA: The Roadrunners ran more plays than Tulane, had more total yards and had the ball longer, but had too many catastrophic failures when they were on the brink of getting back in the game.
Tulane: Defensive coordinator Shiel Wood now has two straight victories over UTSA and the prolific Harris. He was Troy's coordinator last season when the Trojans beat the Roadrunners 18-12 in the Cure Bowl, holding Harris to a season-low 206 total yards and intercepting him twice. Tulane's defensive play-making was needed on a day when Pratt completed nine passes for 125 yards.
UP NEXT
UTSA: Awaits a bowl bid.
Tulane: Hosts the AAC title game on Dec. 2.
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