University of Houston
8-3 , 5-2
Tulane
5-6 , 4-3
Houston Cruises to Win Over Tulane on Senior Night
11/15/2018 9:52:00 PM | Football
Junior running back Patrick Carr accounts for pair of scores
In the game, junior running back Patrick Carr paced the Cougars (8-3, 5-2 AAC), recording career highs with two touchdowns and 139 yards on the ground. On the defensive side, senior linebacker Roman Brown recorded his first interception of the season, while cornerback Isaiah Johnson picked off his second pass of his senior campaign. On the night, the Cougar defense finished with four turnovers.
Defense dominated the game early on both sides, as each side went scoreless on their first two drives of the night, but it was the Cougars who found themselves on the scoreboard first. After the Houston defense forced consecutive 3-and-outs to begin the night, the Cougar offense threw the first punch of the game with junior running back Patrick Carr carrying in his fourth touchdown of the season to give Houston the 7-0 edge.
The Green Wave responded quickly with a score of its own, but a missed extra point kept Houston ahead, 7-6. The Cougars wasted no time pushing its lead even further, as Houston found the end zone again, courtesy of Carr's second score of the night. The five-play, 75-yard drive also marked the Cougars' second scoring drive of the night under two minutes.
With Houston holding a 14-6 advantage entering the second quarter, the Cougars defense put together a big stop while backed up in their own territory to hold the Green Wave to just a field goal and retain its edge. Once Tulane received the ball after its third stop of the night, Houston's defense sparked another score for the Cougars, thanks to Brown's interception that was brought back to the Tulane 38-yard line.
Houston capitalized on the interception with its third score of the night, as senior tight end Romello Brooker hauled in his first touchdown reception of the game to the give the Cougars a 21-9 advantage. On the ensuing drive, the Houston defense forced its third 3-and-out of the night, setting up an 11-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off by junior quarterback D'Eriq King rushing in his 14th touchdown of the season to put Houston in front 28-9.
The Green Wave managed to compose a scoring threat near the end of the half, but the Cougars put an end to that, forcing their second turnover of the game with Johnson picking off his second pass of the season. Johnson's interception gave Houston the opportunity to put three more points on the board before halftime, as a 29-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Dalton Witherspoon stretched the Cougar lead to 31-9 at the half.
Coming out of the locker room, Houston's defense continued to apply its pressure on Tulane, forcing a turnover on the downs to start the third quarter, which the Cougars took advantage of. Taking over on his own 32-yard line, freshman quarterback Clayton Tune marched his offense down field with a pair of first downs that resulted in Tune throwing his third touchdown of the year to give Houston a 29-point lead at 38-9.
After Witherspoon, put his second field attempt through the uprights, Houston found itself ahead 41-9 heading into the final quarter. Tulane opened up the last 15 minutes of the game with its second score of the night and following the two-point conversion, the Green Wave trailed 41-17.
The Cougars found a rebuttal near the midway point in the quarter, as a two-yard touchdown pass from Tune to redshirt-freshman Parker Eichenberger cemented the 48-17 victory for the Cougars.
UP NEXT
Houston completes its 2018 regular season campaign on Friday, Nov. 23, when the Cougars travel to Memphis for a contest with the Tigers. Kickoff for that matchup will be announced at a later date.
Team Stats
TLN 0, HOU 7
HOU - CARR, Patrick 21 yd run (WITHERSPOON, Da kick), 7 plays, 72 yards, TOP 1:53
TLN 6, HOU 7
TLN - BRADWELL,D. 20 yd run (GLOVER,M. kickfailed), 2 plays, 62 yards, TOP 0:47
TLN 6, HOU 14
HOU - CARR, Patrick 3 yd run (WITHERSPOON, Da kick), 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:18
TLN 9, HOU 14
TLN - GLOVER,M. 40 yd field goal 12 plays, 43 yards, TOP 5:13
TLN 9, HOU 21
HOU - BROOKER, R. 11 yd pass from KING, D'Eriq (WITHERSPOON, Da kick) 5 plays, 38 yards, TOP 1:34
TLN 9, HOU 28
HOU - KING, D'Eriq 3 yd run (WITHERSPOON, Da kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:59
TLN 9, HOU 31
HOU - WITHERSPOON, Da 29 yd field goal 4 plays, -4 yards, TOP 1:44
TLN 9, HOU 38
HOU - SINGLETON, Jere 37 yd pass from TUNE, Clayton (WITHERSPOON, Da kick) 8 plays, 68 yards, TOP 2:49
TLN 9, HOU 41
HOU - WITHERSPOON, Da 27 yd field goal 10 plays, 70 yards, TOP 2:26
TLN 17, HOU 41
TLN - JONES,A. 1 yd run (McMILLAN, J. rush), 7 plays, 80 yards, TOP 2:51
TLN 17, HOU 48
HOU - EICHENBERGER, P 2 yd pass from TUNE, Clayton (WITHERSPOON, Da kick) 5 plays, 47 yards, TOP 2:40
