Tulane Green Wave quarterback Trace Johnson orchestrated a stunning fourth-quarter comeback, erasing a 10-point deficit to force overtime before securing a 38-31 victory over Charlotte on Friday night. With the game tied at 31, Tulane took the opening overtime possession and struck immediately. Dagan Bruno, the team’s short-yardage specialist, lunged over the goal line on a critical fourth-and-goal play, giving Tulane the lead in the final moments of regulation-style overtime.
Dagan Bruno’s fourth-down plunge seals dramatic overtime victory for Green Wave
The comeback was fueled by a flurry of scoring plays in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. After Derrick Eley’s 1-yard rushing touchdown gave Charlotte a 31-21 lead with 10:52 remaining, Tulane responded with a 27-yard field goal by Cooper Helmke. The momentum shifted decisively with 10 seconds left on the clock, when Johnson connected with Bredell Richardson on an 11-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 31. Johnson finished the night 28-of-36 for 284 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while Johnnie Daniels added 99 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and TJ Smith returned a kickoff 95 yards for a score.
Charlotte (1-7, 1-3 American Conference) had momentum on their side entering the game, having snapped a 14-game overall losing streak with a 38-31 win over Temple on Oct. 17. Henry Rutledge led the 49ers’ ground game with 121 yards on 22 carries, and Khamani Alexander added a 44-yard rushing touchdown. However, Charlotte’s offense stalled in overtime, managing only one yard on two short runs before Conner Harrell threw back-to-back incomplete passes from the 4-yard line, ending their hopes of extending their recent winning trend. Tulane improves to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
Source: Yahoo Sports
