ARLINGTON, Texas — No. 16 Tulane erased a 15-point deficit in less than five minutes to pull off an incredible comeback victory over no. 10 USC to win the 2023 Goodyear Cotton Bowl 46-45 on Monday.
"Like I said this week, it was the opportunity of a lifetime and we took advantage of it," said running back Tyjae Spears, who finished with 205 yards rushing on 17 carries and was named the games Most Outstanding Offensive Player. "It feels amazing."
Down 45-30 with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter, Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt connected with wide receiver Duece Watts for a 59-yard gain that put the Green Wave at the USC four-yard line.
Spears punched it in the next play to make it an eight-point game.
The ensuing kickoff put the Trojans at their own one-yard line. USC ran it twice and on the second run, Austin Jones was tackled in the end zone, making it a safety.
This cut the USC lead to six and ensured Tulane would get the ball back on the following kickoff with three minutes left in the fourth quarter.
“We were debating whether or not to onside kick," said Willie Fritz, the seventh-year Tulane coach. “Obviously it was great that we got it on the 1 and got the safety.”
Pratt, who completed less than ten passes in the entire game, was sacked on first down for an 11-yard loss. Facing a 4th and 6 two plays later, Pratt ran for a game-saving first down.
Pratt would convert on another 4th down a few plays later, throwing a pass to Alex Bauman that resulted in a 24-yard gain to the USC 30 yard-line with 22 seconds left.
After spiking it on first down, Pratt threw a 24-yard pass to Watts who was hit in the head by a USC defender but held on to the ball, putting Tulane at the USC 6-yard line. Although the play was not called for targeting after a review, the review stopped the clock at 18 seconds left.
Michael Pratt threw a pass intended for Bauman that was not brought in, which would end up helping Tulane as Bauman would have been tackled inbounds and the clock would have continued to run.
With less than ten seconds left, Pratt hit Bauman in the endzone, who caught the ball but bobbled it going down. While it was ruled incomplete initially, further review ruled it a touchdown as the ball never hit the ground.
“I kept my hands under the ball," Bauman said after the game.
This gave Tulane a 46-45 lead after the extra point. USC didn't have enough time left to mount a game-winning drive and the Green Wave pulled off a miracle Cotton Bowl comeback win.
“If you told us before the game that we had one drive, one opportunity to go down there and win the game, then we’d take that 10 out of 10 times,” Pratt said.
The Green Wave (12-2) faced a tough challenge against USC (11-3) quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, who gashed their defense all day, passing for 460 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception.
Tulane found most of their success on the ground, with Spears putting together an excellent day with 17 carries for 205 yards and four touchdowns.
Despite only 13 passing attempts by Pratt all game, wideout Jha'Quan Jackson led the team in receiving yards with one reception for 87 yards that went for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Watts caught two passes for 83 yards on the day.
The Green Wave never led until the final drive. The Trojans possessed the ball for nearly 20 more minutes than Tulane, outgoing them 594-539 in total yards and 29-16 in first downs as well.
And yet, in a seemingly fitting way, the Green Wave finished off an unbelievable season with one of the most unbelievable bowl victories in program history.