Last November, Tulane’s College Football Playoff hopes terminated in New Orleans on Thanksgiving Night at the hands of a visiting Memphis. On a Friday night in Memphis, the Green Wave repaid the favor.
Tulane stormed into Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium and piled on the points in the first half, holding on for a 38-32 victory over Memphis. The result ejected the Tigers from the driver’s seat of the College Football Playoff and snapped their 12-game home winning streak, while simultaneously repositioning
Tulane as a contender in a deep American Conference race.
Fresh off a puzzling 48-26 road loss at UTSA, Jon Sumrall and the Green Wave showed they were poised for a statement rebound. On the first play from scrimmage, Jake Retzlaff completed a 65-yard deep shot to Shazz Preston, igniting the strongest performance from Tulane’s offense all season and notching a 2025-best 38 points. Tulane logged five touchdowns and 35 points in the first half, building a commanding lead through Retzlaff’s arm. The quarterback compiled 332 passing yards and three touchdowns without a turnover, averaging nearly 21 yards per completion in the road victory.
Meanwhile on the Memphis side, everybody in the stadium stood on pins and needles pregame, hopeful that No. 2 would take the field. Starting quarterback Brendon Lewis, fresh off two excellent performances, suffered an ankle injury late in the Rice game but powered through and made his 10th-consecutive start for the Tigers. Lewis immediately thrived, connecting with Jamari Hawkins on a 55-yard bomb on the team’s second drive. The sixth-year senior quarterback — in his 49th collegiate start — finished with a career-high 317 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception but checked out of the game multiple times due to injury. Backup Arrington Maiden spotted Lewis in the second quarter and again in the fourth, scoring a 21-yard rushing touchdown and also anchoring the Tigers’ last-gasp drive.
Memphis created a brand for itself as the ultimate comeback team, especially at home. The Tigers erased an 18-point deficit to Arkansas back in September and a 14-point fourth quarter deficit to South Florida in their prior home game. Once again, Memphis found itself trailing significantly at home, down 38-17 heading into the fourth quarter. And usual, the Tigers showed resolve, ensuing Tulane wouldn’t walk away with a seamless road victory. Frank Peasant punched in a 1-yard touchdown on the fourth quarter’s opening play and then Lewis connected with Brady Kluse for a 25-yard score with slightly under eight minutes remaining, providing Memphis plenty of time to stage a three-touchdown comeback.
The Tigers’ defense, after a brutal first half, did its job by forcing four consecutive three-and-outs on Tulane’s final four series. Trailing 38-32, Memphis received two shots to take the lead but neither materialized. On the first drive, Lewis took a shot while delivering a deep ball into double coverage and it was corralled by Tulane free safety Jack Tcheinchou. On the second, Maiden launched a heave to star receiver Cortez Braham Jr. (11 receptions, 113 receiving yards) from the Green Wave 35-yard line on 4th and 8 but the pass fell incomplete, setting up Tulane in victory formation.
Tulane (7-2, 4-1 American) has now won 26 of 29 regular season conference matchups. The Green Wave haven’t dropped more than one American Conference game in a regular season since 2021, and they remain in the hunt for a conference title as one of four teams tied in the loss column.
Memphis (8-2, 4-2 American) no longer controls its own destiny for the American title game or the College Football Playoff. The Tigers need help crashing both pictures, still awaiting their first conference championship since 2019 after dropping a rare heartbreaker at home.
