Tulane Football Tested to Overcome Hardships on Road at Oklahoma
Tulane football kept driving to overcome challenges against Kansas State, and their response on the road against Oklahoma will tell a lot about the team in the face of a loss.
The Green Wave were in control for a large portion of the game, leading until late in the third quarter, when Kansas State tied the game 20-20. After starting the second half with two three-and-out series, the offense took the lead back.
Quarterback Darian Mensah was sacked on that scoring drive after he threw a 47-yard pass to Mario Williams on 3rd and 21, who had another 100-yard plus game. On his next third down, Mensah threw a touchdown to Alex Bauman.
Tulane bested Kansas State in nearly every category but turnover margin. They were much better on third down, converting five of 13 attempts. The Wildcats only went two of 10. When Kansas State tied the score, the Green Wave only had two third down conversions on 8 tries. The last one was a run by Mensah that fell short. He rushed 15 yards on the following 4th and 6.
A turning point on offense came with a mistake by a redshirt freshman who has shown a quicker ability to learn than his experience suggests. The defense made a crucial stand when they sacked Mensah, and Kansas State recovered the fumble for a touchdown. After blowing some assignments in coverage and failing to get to Avery Johnson, they held the Wildcats to a three-and-out.
Tulane got the ball with three minutes left on the clock. The second half saw momentum swing to Kansas State. They led for the first time all game with a touchdown on Mensah's turnover. Mensah threw a 26-yard pass to Hughes on that final drive but stalled a bit in the air thereafter. His consecutive rushes to get it done for the offense on third and fourth down reminded me a lot of Michael Pratt. Mensah’s composure all game was comparable to Pratt – in his third season in 2022.
The next play was a touchdown called back due to offensive pass interference on Dontae Fleming. The following incompletion to Alex Bauman was arguably a missed interference call. The game's outcome and officiating aside, Tulane continued to respond and never crumbled.
The only team in Tulane history that never suffered a moment like the team did Saturday was the undefeated 1998 season. But for the last four seasons, there's never been a concern in the face of adversity due to Pratt's consistency and leadership under center. Mensah emulated Pratt in a lot of ways Saturday, but most critical was the palpable effect he has on the rest of the team.
Last week, Mensah's teammates talked about his confidence translating to them and how he calms the offense. It was noticeable how Fleming played and bounced back from his poor season start. He had 97 yards on four catches.
Mensah might never forget the moment he sat on the Angry Wave logo as Kansas State returned his fumble, and it’s a crucial lesson every quarterback learns at some point. Despite the mistake, the offense's response was encouraging. Receiver Dontae Fleming and right tackle Rashad Green ran back to their quarterback, picking him up to run back to the sidelines together.
The team demonstrated resilience in the final moments. Adversity hits differently on the road, and their first away game is in SEC territory. There’s no better way to test a team, and Tulane will learn a lot about themselves in Week 3 at Oklahoma.
MADDY HUDAK